Ffmpeg Gif

ffmpeg-gif

Convert video to GIF with palette optimization. Two-pass approach (palettegen + paletteuse) produces much better quality and smaller file sizes than direct GIF encoding.

Single command (two-pass via filter_complex)

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "fps=8,scale=400:-1:flags=lanczos,split[s0][s1];[s0]palettegen=max_colors=192:stats_mode=diff[p];[s1][p]paletteuse=dither=bayer:bayer_scale=4" \
  output.gif

Key params:

• fps=8 — GIF frame rate. 8-12 is plenty for most documentation. 15+ bloats the file for negligible visual gain.
• scale=400:-1 — width in pixels, preserves aspect ratio (-1 auto). For README/issue embeds, 400-600px is typical.
• max_colors=192 — palette size. 192 is a good default; drop to 128 for smaller files at some quality loss.
• stats_mode=diff — palettize based on frame differences (better for screen recordings where most of the frame is static).
• dither=bayer:bayer_scale=4 — Bayer dithering reduces banding. bayer_scale=3 is sharper but noisier; 5 is smoother but softer.

Smaller files

For the smallest reasonable GIF:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "fps=6,scale=320:-1:flags=lanczos,split[s0][s1];[s0]palettegen=max_colors=128:stats_mode=diff[p];[s1][p]paletteuse=dither=bayer:bayer_scale=5" \
  output.gif

Higher quality

For screen recordings with fine text:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "fps=10,scale=600:-1:flags=lanczos,split[s0][s1];[s0]palettegen=max_colors=256:stats_mode=diff[p];[s1][p]paletteuse=dither=bayer:bayer_scale=3" \
  output.gif

Trim to a segment first

Chain with trim or use -ss/-t:

ffmpeg -ss 5 -i input.mp4 -t 10 \
  -vf "fps=8,scale=400:-1:flags=lanczos,split[s0][s1];[s0]palettegen=max_colors=192:stats_mode=diff[p];[s1][p]paletteuse=dither=bayer:bayer_scale=4" \
  output.gif

Check file size

ls -lh output.gif

Target: under 5MB for GitHub embeds (hard limit 10MB), under 1MB for Slack/chat pastes.

If too large: reduce fps, scale, or max_colors. Every halving of width quarters the file size approximately.

When NOT to use GIF

• Video with audio → use MP4 or WebM, not GIF (GIF has no audio)
• Long clips (>15 seconds) → file size explodes; consider MP4
• High-detail footage → GIF's 256-color palette is too limited; use MP4
• Modern platforms that accept video attachments → just send the MP4

Not for editing workflows

This skill is for standalone GIF generation — converting an existing clip or recording to a GIF output. For video editing operations (trim, concat, speed, fade, scale, pad), use /ffmpeg-editing instead.

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: roysahar11
• Source: roysahar11/agentic-video-editing-collab
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.