Editing GStreamer (section)

===Overview===
GStreamer processes media by connecting a number of processing ''elements'' into a ''pipeline''. Each element is provided by a [[Plug-in (computing)|plug-in]]. Elements can be grouped into ''bins'', which can be further aggregated, thus forming a hierarchical graph. This is an example of a [[filter graph]].

Elements communicate by means of ''pads''. A ''source pad'' on one element can be connected to a ''sink pad'' on another. When the pipeline is in the ''playing'' state, data ''buffers'' flow from the source pad to the sink pad. Pads negotiate the kind of data that will be sent using ''capabilities''.

The diagram to the right could exemplify playing an [[MP3]] file using GStreamer. The file source reads an MP3 file from a computer's hard-drive and sends it to the MP3 decoder. The decoder decodes the file data and converts it into [[Pulse-code modulation|PCM]] samples which then pass to the  sound-driver. The sound-driver sends the PCM sound samples to the computer's speakers.