LV2 is a portable plugin standard for audio systems, similar in scope to LADSPA,
VST, AU, and others. It defines a C API for code and a format for data files
which collectively describe a plugin. LV2 consists of a simple core (roughly
equivalent in power to LADSPA) which can be extended to support more advanced
functionality. This allows the interface to be "grown" to accommodate the needs
of real software as they arise.

LV2 is both a stable interface and a forward-moving project: there is a stable
set of "official" extensions in use while new functionality is actively
developed. Anyone can extend LV2, which allows developers to try out new ideas
and ensure they work in practice. Good extensions are vetted by the community
and included in the official distribution so they can be relied on to be widely
supported. This open development model means developers can always scratch their
itch without a central authority getting in the way. The current stable release
includes most functionality required by modern plugins, including:

* Audio, control, "control voltage" (audio-rate control), and event
(e.g. MIDI) input and output
* Expressive open-ended port metadata, including:
- "Meaningful" controls (e.g. gain or envelope attack) allowing intelligent
host control or UI generation
- Control units (e.g. Hz, octaves, dB)
- Multi-channel port groups (e.g. stereo, 5.1 surround, ambisonics
* Embeddable GUIs in any toolkit, with support for a full plugin/UI split
(including network transparency in capable hosts)
* Ability to bundle any files (e.g. samples or impulses) with plugins
* Presets (bundled and/or user saved)
* Plugin state saving and restoring
* Host-managed logging
* Non-realtime plugin worker methods (simple and portable host-managed
threading)
* Message-based plugin communication, allowing plugins/UIs to have advanced
interfaces without host support or specifications getting in the way
* Transport awareness, both real time and tempo time (bars, beats, etc-.)

LV2 has graceful compatibility "baked in": for example, a simple amplifier
plugin might have audio in/out with a gain control, and function in any host.
The same plugin could have a fancy GUI and transport awareness which optionally
work in hosts that support these features. Conversely, hosts know not to load
plugins that require features it does not support.

See the specification index for complete documentation. If you are a host or
plugin author and need missing functionality, please file a ticket or let us
know your requirements on the mailing list. LV2 is a community project that
depends on your feedback to improve - unknown requirements are unmet
requirements!