# rAV1ator CLI

Canonical URL: https://encode.wiki/tools/utilities/rav1ator-cli/
Content version: ca42e61ede0a24f789d7287a0001244ad22f4abf
Status: current
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
Checksum (SHA-256): c4d09f04cf9762c2b8ee0e584386f6b0ab82a433f21cdece5bf32944821ae8e1

> **Repository:** [ultimaxx/rav1ator-cli](https://github.com/ultimaxx/rav1ator-cli) (No commits since Jul 2025). An easy-to-use CLI utility for working with Av1an, written in Bash. Latest release: [v0.4.0](https://github.com/ultimaxx/rav1ator-cli/releases/tag/v0.4.0), Feb 2, 2025. Last commit: Jul 19, 2025. License: BSD-3-Clause. Stars: 32.

rAV1ator CLI (`rav1ator-cli`) is a Bash script that puts an interactive terminal interface in front of [Av1an](/tools/utilities/av1an/). It asks for the encoder (SVT-AV1, aomenc, rav1e, x265 or x264), speed preset, quality and any extra FFmpeg or encoder options using menus and prompts, then builds and runs the Av1an command. It is aimed at people who want Av1an's scene-based parallel encoding without memorising its options.

The original project by Gianni Rosato was archived in January 2025. Development moved to the [Ultimaxx fork](https://github.com/ultimaxx/rav1ator-cli), whose latest release is v0.4.0 (February 2025); it has had no commits since July 2025.

<img
  width="640"
  height="360"
  src="/media/content/27d1b9aa6bd72394-rav1ator_cli_demo1.avif"
  alt="rAV1ator CLI choosing encoder settings"
/>

## Install it

It runs on Linux, and on Windows through [WSL](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install); macOS is not supported. The script must live in `/usr/local/bin`, from where it updates itself:

```sh
curl -sOJ https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ultimaxx/rav1ator-cli/main/rav1ator-cli
chmod +x rav1ator-cli
sudo cp rav1ator-cli /usr/local/bin
```

On Arch Linux, the dependencies are `openssl ffmpeg python mkvtoolnix-cli vapoursynth gum numactl av1an ffms2`, installable with an AUR helper such as `yay`. On other distributions, running it inside an Arch [Distrobox](https://distrobox.it/) container is the easiest way to get the same packages. Note that the Arch `av1an` release package does not work with current VapourSynth (see [Av1an](/tools/utilities/av1an/)); use `av1an-git` instead.

`rav1ator-cli -b` offers to download prebuilt encoder binaries into `~/rav1ator_cli_encoders` and copy them to `/usr/local/bin`.

## Use it

```sh
rav1ator-cli input.mkv output.mkv
rav1ator-cli --batch /path/to/folder
```

| Option             | Effect                                                     |
| ------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| `-a`, `--batch`    | Encode every video in a directory with the same settings.  |
| `-l`, `--last-used`| Show the settings of the last encode.                      |
| `-f`, `--full-history` | Show the full encode history.                          |
| `-b`, `--binaries` | Download and install encoder binaries, then exit.          |
| `-x`, `--offline`  | Skip the update check.                                     |
| `-v`, `--version`  | Print the version.                                         |

At the final prompt you can start the encode, start it with Av1an's `--resume`, or print the generated Av1an command instead of running it.