AravisProject/aravis
FreeA vision library for genicam based cameras
FreeFree tier
About AravisProject/aravis
Aravis is a glib/gobject-based library for video acquisition using Genicam cameras. It implements the GigE Vision and USB3 Vision protocols used by industrial cameras. The project also provides a basic ethernet camera simulator and a simple video viewer. Aravis is released under LGPL-2.1-or-later and supports Linux, macOS, and Windows. It includes a GStreamer plugin for integration into multimedia pipelines.
Key Features
glib/gobject based library for video acquisition
Implements GigE Vision and USB3 Vision protocols
Supports Genicam cameras
Basic ethernet camera simulator included
Simple GTK+3 video viewer
GStreamer plugin for multimedia pipeline integration
Cross-platform support (Linux, macOS, Windows)
Dependencies: zlib, libxml2, glib2, optional libusb1
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Open source with LGPL-2.1-or-later license
- Supports two major industrial camera protocols (GigE and USB3)
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Includes a simulator for testing without hardware
- GStreamer plugin for flexible pipeline integration
- Active development with regular releases
Cons
- Limited to Genicam-based cameras; not for other camera types
- Documentation may be sparse for advanced use cases
- Performance tuning requires system-level configuration (e.g., network buffer sizes)
- Simulator only covers basic ethernet camera behavior
Best For
Industrial camera video acquisition and controlMachine vision applicationsScientific imaging with Genicam camerasPrototyping and testing camera interfacesIntegration into GStreamer-based video processing workflows
FAQ
What is Aravis?
Aravis is a glib/gobject-based library for video acquisition using Genicam cameras. It supports GigE Vision and USB3 Vision protocols and is released under LGPL-2.1-or-later.
Which protocols does Aravis support?
Aravis currently implements the Gigabit Ethernet (GigE Vision) and USB3 (USB3 Vision) protocols used by industrial cameras.
Is Aravis cross-platform?
Yes, Aravis supports Linux, macOS, and Windows. Installation instructions are provided in the documentation.
Does Aravis include any tools or utilities?
Yes, it provides a basic ethernet camera simulator and a simple GTK+3 video viewer. It also includes a GStreamer plugin for integration into video pipelines.
Can I contribute to the Aravis project?
Yes, contributions are welcome. However, code related to GigE and USB3 protocols must not be based on the A3 specification documents, as they prohibit open source implementations based on their materials.