Python Bindings for libavif Library

This article addresses whether official Python bindings exist for the libavif library, which is the reference implementation for the AV1 Image File Format (AVIF). It explains the current status of official support and provides the most effective third-party alternatives for developers looking to read and write AVIF images using Python.

Official Support Status

There are currently no official Python bindings maintained directly by the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) or the primary developers of the libavif library. The reference libavif library is written in C and does not include first-party Python wrappers in its distribution.

If you require Python integration, you must rely on community-maintained libraries and wrappers that interface with libavif or other AVIF-capable decoders.

Best Alternatives for Python AVIF Support

While official bindings do not exist, several highly reliable third-party libraries allow you to work with AVIF files in Python.

1. pillow-avif-plugin

The most common and recommended way to use libavif in Python is through the pillow-avif-plugin. This package integrates directly with Pillow (the standard Python Imaging Library), allowing it to recognize and process AVIF files using libavif under the hood.

• Installation:

  pip install pillow pillow-avif-plugin

• Usage:

  from PIL import Image
  import pillow_avif
  
  # Load an AVIF image
  img = Image.open("image.avif")
  
  # Save as AVIF
  img.save("output.avif", "AVIF", quality=70)

2. PyAV

PyAV provides Pythonic bindings for FFmpeg. If your local installation of FFmpeg is compiled with libavif support, you can use PyAV to decode and encode AVIF images as video frames or still images. This is ideal if you are already processing video with FFmpeg in Python.

• Installation:

  pip install av

3. Unofficial C Wrappers

There are direct ctypes and CFFI wrapper packages on PyPI, such as pyavif, which attempt to wrap the C library directly. However, these packages are generally less actively maintained compared to the Pillow plugin and may require you to manually compile the underlying libavif binary on your system.