TechSource: Best Video Editing Software for Ubuntu

Posted: 10 Jan 2012 08:35 PM PST

Ubuntu, with its ease of use and beautiful design, has managed to become a desktop that is not just for geeks anymore. These days, more and more non-technical users are switching to Ubuntu, making it the fastest growing Linux distribution in the world. Now, as Ubuntu's demand is soaring, the recently switched users are looking for applications that will help them perform simple tasks like video editing and music management.

While there is no dearth of music management apps on Ubuntu, video editing is an area that hasn't seen much progress yet. Nevertheless, there are some great video editors for our beloved distro, which are quite as good as the ones you'll find on Windows and Mac. So, if you're looking for a great way to edit that holiday video you just shot, read on as we list the best video editing software applications for Ubuntu.

OpenShot

OpenShot is quite undoubtedly the best video editor on not just Ubuntu but also on Linux in general. Written in Python, the open-source video editor comes with a lot of amazing features. OpenShot includes support for many video, audio, and image formats, including, but not limited to: MKV, MOV, VOB, MP4, and MPEG.

The thing I love about OpenShot is that it is a complete application. What I mean by that is, you can make a whole movie without the need for any other software. From video transitions to scrolling movie-style credits at the end, OpenShot does pretty much everything you need from a video-editor.

If you're a moviemaker, then OpenShot might not prove to be as great as Final Cut Pro or even Lightworks, but it will certainly serve as great bare bones editing tool for vloggers and budding filmmakers. Oh, but don't make the mistake of writing off OpenShot as a simple video-editor. It also packs in a lot of advanced features like the famous Ken Burns effect, along with 20 other cool effects that will definitely add a little spunk to your movie.

To install, open the terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and type in/paste the following command:

sudo apt-get install openshot

Avidemux

Avidemux is a non-linear video editor that allows users to edit and transcode videos. Written in C++, the open-source application comes with some great features that make it one of the most popular video-editing applications on this platform. Though not as easy to use as the aforementioned OpenShot, Avidemux does come with a well-designed interface. On the features front, the application includes support for video effects, transcoding, Optical Character Recognition ( OCR ) of subtitles, and much more.

The best feature of Avidemux is its ability to run as a GUI program as well as a command-line program. This saves a lot of time, especially for folks who love doing everything using the shell. Oh, and yeah, Avidemux also has multi-threading support, so expect it to run breezing fast once you install it on your desktop.

Install: sudo apt-get install avidemux

PiTiVi

This is one of my personal favorites when it comes to quick, no-fuss video editing. PiTiVi comes with a basic interface allowing you to edit your videos and add some effects to it. This open-source application, which was also included as a default app in Ubuntu, is quite simply the most easy-to-use video editor around.

With PiTiVi, you can trim, snap, split, and cut a clip, and then, you can export it to various formats. You can also merge the video with a different audio clip, a feature that can be useful for a lot of people who like remixing videos and uploading them on YouTube.

Though the application is not as feature-loaded as OpenShot or Avidemux, it is still the perfect tool for anyone who is not that familiar with the basics of video editing. Don't expect it to be your companion in Hollywood though. However, if you're looking for a simple tool that can edit your family videos, PiTiVi is your best bet.

Install: sudo apt-get install pitivi

Apart from the aforementioned apps, there are some other good tools like Cinelerra, Kdenlive and Kino, but they don't integrate that nicely with Ubuntu's GNOME-based desktop. Nevertheless, they're great choices too, especially if you're looking for some powerful video editing tools.