Editing Ardour (software) (section)

== Compatibility ==
Ardour attempts to adhere to industry standards, such as [[MIDI timecode|SMPTE/MTC]], [[Broadcast Wave Format]], [[MIDI Machine Control]] and [[XML]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://manual.ardour.org/preferences-and-session-properties/preferences-dialog/|title=The Ardour Manual - Preferences|access-date=2025-01-06|archive-date=2025-01-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250116084728/https://manual.ardour.org/preferences-and-session-properties/preferences-dialog/|url-status=live}}</ref>

It has been tested on [[Linux]], [[x86-64]], [[x86]], [[PowerPC]] and [[ARM architecture|ARM]] (for at least version 3) architectures; [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]], [[macOS]] on Intel and PowerPC, [[Windows]] on Intel architectures and [[FreeBSD]]. It takes advantage of all of these systems' [[Multiprocessing|multiprocessor]], [[Multi-core processor|multicore]] [[Symmetric multiprocessing|SMP]] and [[Real-time computing|real-time]] features.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://manual.ardour.org/lua-scripting/#Overview|title=The Ardour Manual - Lua Scripting}}</ref>

Pre-built binaries of Ardour are available for purchase for Linux, macOS and Windows.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://community.ardour.org/download|title=Ardour Downloads|date=3 November 2023 }}</ref> It is also possible to build Ardour yourself for free from the freely available source code.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://community.ardour.org/download|title=Ardour Downloads|date=3 November 2023 }}</ref>

=== Plug-ins ===
Ardour relies on plug-ins for many features, from [[audio signal processing|audio effects]] processing to [[dynamics (music)|dynamic]] control. It supports the following plugin format and platform combinations:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/Ardour/ardour/blob/master/libs/ardour/ardour/plugin_types.h#L24|title=plugin_types.h|website=[[GitHub]] }}</ref> [[LV2]] on Linux, FreeBSD, macOS and Windows; [[Audio Units]] on macOS; [[Steinberg]]'s [[Virtual Studio Technology|VST2]] on Linux, macOS and Windows; [[LADSPA]] on Linux, FreeBSD, macOS and Windows. It is theoretically possible to use plugins created for Windows in the VST2 format on Linux with the help of [[Wine (software)|Wine]], but the project team does not recommend it.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://manual.ardour.org/working-with-plugins/windows-vst-support/|title=Using Windows VST Plugins on Linux|access-date=2020-10-11|archive-date=2021-01-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111101222/https://manual.ardour.org/working-with-plugins/windows-vst-support/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Since version 6.5, it also supports [[VST3]] plugins on all supported platforms.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://discourse.ardour.org/t/ardour-6-5-is-released/105023|title=Ardour 6.5 release notes|date=23 November 2020|access-date=15 January 2021|archive-date=21 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121054853/https://discourse.ardour.org/t/ardour-6-5-is-released/105023|url-status=live}}</ref> Unlike most modern 64-bit DAW's, Ardour does not run 32bit VST's natively.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://discourse.ardour.org/t/32-bit-vst-plugins-are-not-recognised-on-a-64-bit-windows-build-of-ardour-6-2/104469 | title=32 bit VST plugins are not recognised on a 64 bit Windows build of Ardour 6.2 | date=25 July 2020 | access-date=24 July 2022 | archive-date=24 July 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220724105449/https://discourse.ardour.org/t/32-bit-vst-plugins-are-not-recognised-on-a-64-bit-windows-build-of-ardour-6-2/104469 | url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Import and export ===
Ardour can import audio clips into sessions from many common audio file formats, including [[WAV]], [[FLAC]], [[Vorbis]], [[Audio Interchange File Format|AIFF]], [[Core Audio Format|CAF]], W64, [[Broadcast Wave Format|BWF]] and [[MP3]]; SMF files are supported for [[MIDI]] import.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://manual.ardour.org/adding-pre-existing-material/supported-file-formats/|title=Ardour Manual - Importing - Supported File Formats|date=3 November 2023 }}</ref>

Ardour can export whole sessions or parts of sessions, and import audio clips into sessions,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://manual.ardour.org/adding-pre-existing-material/import-dialog/|title=The Ardour Manual - Import Dialog|access-date=2025-01-06|archive-date=2024-11-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241114123547/https://manual.ardour.org/adding-pre-existing-material/import-dialog/|url-status=live}}</ref> using its built-in audio file [[database manager]], or directly from an ordinary file browser.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://prokoudine.github.io/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/importing-audio-and-midi/#importing-directly-to-a-track|title=Importing audio and MIDI :: Ardour Tutorial|access-date=2025-01-06|archive-date=2025-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250207114158/https://prokoudine.github.io/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/importing-audio-and-midi/#importing-directly-to-a-track|url-status=live}}</ref>