Building the product · Independent · 22 Oct 2026

mackron/miniaudio

Audio playback and capture library written in C, in a single source file.

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miniaudio: audio library in C. Audio playback and capture in a single source file.

In simple English

This tool lets your C or C++ programs play sounds and record audio from a microphone. You drop one file into your project, and it handles all the complicated audio code for Windows, Mac, Linux, and phones. It has no extra dependencies, so you do not need to install heavy system packages or setup tools. It supports common sound formats like MP3 and WAV right out of the box. It is free to use for any personal or commercial project without paying anything.

What it is

Miniaudio is an audio playback and capture library written in C, delivered as a single source file. It provides both simple high-level functions for playing sound effects and low-level control for advanced mixing and effects.

What it is good for

Solo developers building games, media players, or custom audio tools in C or C++ who want to avoid complicated audio setup across different operating systems.

Stars7.4k
LicenceCustom
Latest0.11.25 (2026-03-03)checked 22 Oct 2026
Last code change2026-10-22
Written inC
Setup effort
2 / 5
Payoff
4 / 5
Good
  • Fits in a single source file that you drop straight into your project tree.
  • Requires no external dependencies beyond the standard system library.
  • Runs on almost all major desktop, mobile, and web platforms.
Watch for
  • Requires writing code in C or C++ to use its features.
  • Does not guarantee application binary interface (ABI) compatibility between versions.
  • Only supports WAV files for encoding out of the box.
Replaces

complex platform-specific audio APIs like DirectSound, CoreAudio, or ALSA

Works well with

SDL

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Install
# Drop miniaudio.h and miniaudio.c into your source tree and compile them directly.

Independent: reviewed for Repo Radar outside the daily editions. Every independent repository

On Stack Radar: Design & Creative › Audio & Voice Production › Audio Libraries.

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