Operations

Execute Commands

Execute custom ffmpeg, imagemagick, and graphicsmagick commands.

To execute a custom command, create a job with a command task.

Currently, ffmpeg, imagemagick, and graphicsmagick commands are supported.

Files from input tasks are available in /input/{taskName}/. For example, files from a task named import-1 are available in /input/import-1/.

All files written to /output/ are available to following tasks such as export tasks.

Task Parameters

operation

string required

Value is command.

input

string or array of task names

The input task name(s) for this task.

engine

string required

The engine to use for the command.

engine_version

string

Use a specific engine version for the conversion.

capture_output

boolean

Capture the console output of the command and return it in the results object.

true

false

timeout

integer

Timeout in seconds after the task will be cancelled. By default, tasks time out after 5 hours.

Example Job

Using the parameters from above, you can create a job:

POSThttps://api.cloudconvert.com/v2/jobs

Use the Job Builder to generate and try out command jobs.

Example Response

You can find an example result of a executed command with capture_output set to true below:

{
    "data": {
        "id": "32920a36-ccb1-4623-ab76-4d6287a38238",
        "tag": "jobbuilder",
        "status": "finished",
        "created_at": "2026-03-17T09:26:08+00:00",
        "started_at": "2026-03-17T09:26:08+00:00",
        "ended_at": "2026-03-17T09:26:20+00:00",
        "tasks": [
            {
                "id": "f70e5848-edcf-4233-a546-eaf6595f4440",
                "name": "task-1",
                "job_id": "32920a36-ccb1-4623-ab76-4d6287a38238",
                "status": "finished",
                "credits": 1,
                "code": null,
                "message": null,
                "percent": 100,
                "operation": "command",
                "engine": "ffmpeg",
                "engine_version": "6.1.4",
                "result": {
                    "command": "ffmpeg -stats_period 10 -i \/input\/import-my-file\/input.mp4 -vcodec libx264 -acodec copy \/output\/output.mp4",
                    "output": "ffmpeg version 6.1.4 Copyright (c) 2000-2025 the FFmpeg developers\r\n  built with gcc 12 (Debian 12.2.0-14+deb12u1)\r\n  configuration: --disable-decoder=amrnb --disable-gnutls --disable-liblensfun --disable-libopencv --disable-podpages --disable-sndio --disable-stripping --enable-avfilter --enable-chromaprint --enable-frei0r --enable-gcrypt --enable-gpl --enable-ladspa --enable-libaom --enable-libaribb24 --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-libcdio --enable-libcodec2 --enable-libdav1d --enable-libdavs2 --enable-libdc1394 --enable-libdrm --enable-libfdk-aac --enable-libflite --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libglslang --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libharfbuzz --enable-libiec61883 --enable-libilbc --enable-libjack --enable-libjxl --enable-libkvazaar --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libmysofa --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libopenh264 --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libopus --enable-libplacebo --enable-libpulse --enable-librabbitmq --enable-librist --enable-librsvg --enable-librubberband --enable-libshine --enable-libsmbclient --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libsrt --enable-libsvtav1 --enable-libtesseract --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvmaf --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwebp --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxavs2 --enable-libxml2 --enable-libxvid --enable-libzimg --enable-libzmq --enable-libzvbi --enable-lv2 --enable-nonfree --enable-omx --enable-openal --enable-opencl --enable-opengl --enable-openssl --enable-postproc --enable-pthreads --enable-shared --enable-version3 --incdir=\/usr\/include\/x86_64-linux-gnu --libdir=\/usr\/lib\/x86_64-linux-gnu --prefix=\/usr --toolchain=hardened --enable-vaapi --enable-libvpl --cc=x86_64-linux-gnu-gcc --cxx=x86_64-linux-gnu-g++ --disable-altivec --shlibdir=\/usr\/lib\/x86_64-linux-gnu\r\n  libavutil      58. 29.100 \/ 58. 29.100\r\n  libavcodec     60. 31.102 \/ 60. 31.102\r\n  libavformat    60. 16.100 \/ 60. 16.100\r\n  libavdevice    60.  3.100 \/ 60.  3.100\r\n  libavfilter     9. 12.100 \/  9. 12.100\r\n  libswscale      7.  5.100 \/  7.  5.100\r\n  libswresample   4. 12.100 \/  4. 12.100\r\n  libpostproc    57.  3.100 \/ 57.  3.100\r\nffmpeg stats and -progress period set to 10.\r\nInput #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from '\/input\/import-my-file\/input.mp4':\r\n  Metadata:\r\n    major_brand     : isom\r\n    minor_version   : 512\r\n    compatible_brands: mp41\r\n    creation_time   : 1970-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z\r\n    title           : Big Buck Bunny\r\n    artist          : Blender Foundation\r\n    composer        : Blender Foundation\r\n    date            : 2008\r\n    encoder         : Lavf52.14.0\r\n  Duration: 00:09:56.46, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 867 kb\/s\r\n  Stream #0:0[0x1](und): Video: h264 (Constrained Baseline) (avc1 \/ 0x31637661), yuv420p(progressive), 320x180 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 702 kb\/s, 24 fps, 24 tbr, 24 tbn (default)\r\n    Metadata:\r\n      creation_time   : 1970-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z\r\n      handler_name    : VideoHandler\r\n      vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]\r\n  Stream #0:1[0x2](und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a \/ 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 159 kb\/s (default)\r\n    Metadata:\r\n      creation_time   : 1970-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z\r\n      handler_name    : SoundHandler\r\n      vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]\r\nStream mapping:\r\n  Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (h264 (native) -> h264 (libx264))\r\n  Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy)\r\nPress [q] to stop, [?] for help\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001busing SAR=1\/1\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001busing cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 SSE4.2 AVX FMA3 BMI2 AVX2 AVX512\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bprofile High, level 1.2, 4:2:0, 8-bit\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001b264 - core 164 - H.264\/MPEG-4 AVC codec - Copyleft 2003-2023 - http:\/\/www.videolan.org\/x264.html - options: cabac=1 ref=3 deblock=1:0:0 analyse=0x3:0x113 me=hex subme=7 psy=1 psy_rd=1.00:0.00 mixed_ref=1 me_range=16 chroma_me=1 trellis=1 8x8dct=1 cqm=0 deadzone=21,11 fast_pskip=1 chroma_qp_offset=-2 threads=6 lookahead_threads=1 sliced_threads=0 nr=0 decimate=1 interlaced=0 bluray_compat=0 constrained_intra=0 bframes=3 b_pyramid=2 b_adapt=1 b_bias=0 direct=1 weightb=1 open_gop=0 weightp=2 keyint=250 keyint_min=24 scenecut=40 intra_refresh=0 rc_lookahead=40 rc=crf mbtree=1 crf=23.0 qcomp=0.60 qpmin=0 qpmax=69 qpstep=4 ip_ratio=1.40 aq=1:1.00\r\nOutput #0, mp4, to '\/output\/output.mp4':\r\n  Metadata:\r\n    major_brand     : isom\r\n    minor_version   : 512\r\n    compatible_brands: mp41\r\n    date            : 2008\r\n    title           : Big Buck Bunny\r\n    artist          : Blender Foundation\r\n    composer        : Blender Foundation\r\n    encoder         : Lavf60.16.100\r\n  Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (avc1 \/ 0x31637661), yuv420p(progressive), 320x180 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], q=2-31, 24 fps, 12288 tbn (default)\r\n    Metadata:\r\n      creation_time   : 1970-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z\r\n      handler_name    : VideoHandler\r\n      vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]\r\n      encoder         : Lavc60.31.102 libx264\r\n    Side data:\r\n      cpb: bitrate max\/min\/avg: 0\/0\/0 buffer size: 0 vbv_delay: N\/A\r\n  Stream #0:1(und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a \/ 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 159 kb\/s (default)\r\n    Metadata:\r\n      creation_time   : 1970-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z\r\n      handler_name    : SoundHandler\r\n      vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]\r\nframe=    0 fps=0.0 q=0.0 size=       0kB time=00:00:00.61 bitrate=   0.6kbits\/s speed= 111x    \rframe=13554 fps=1355 q=28.0 size=   23808kB time=00:09:27.46 bitrate= 343.7kbits\/s speed=56.7x    \r\u001b[out#0\/mp4 @ 0x558930dd7040] \u001bvideo:13178kB audio:11645kB subtitle:0kB other streams:0kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead: 1.519816%\r\nframe=14315 fps=1384 q=-1.0 Lsize=   25200kB time=00:09:56.33 bitrate= 346.2kbits\/s speed=57.7x    \r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bframe I:152   Avg QP:18.65  size: 11881\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bframe P:7288  Avg QP:22.88  size:  1260\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bframe B:6875  Avg QP:27.84  size:   364\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bconsecutive B-frames: 30.8% 12.7%  8.8% 47.8%\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bb I  I16..4: 32.0% 17.3% 50.7%\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bb P  I16..4:  1.3%  1.9%  1.6%  P16..4: 32.6%  8.4%  6.5%  0.0%  0.0%    skip:47.6%\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bb B  I16..4:  0.3%  0.6%  0.5%  B16..8: 24.8%  3.3%  1.2%  direct: 1.3%  skip:68.0%  L0:41.6% L1:47.3% BI:11.1%\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001b8x8 transform intra:34.6% inter:49.7%\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bcoded y,uvDC,uvAC intra: 61.2% 75.5% 47.0% inter: 13.1% 14.2% 3.2%\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bi16 v,h,dc,p: 26% 27% 21% 27%\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bi8 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 23% 18% 23%  5%  5%  7%  6%  6%  7%\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bi4 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 38% 16% 14%  4%  6%  6%  6%  5%  6%\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bi8c dc,h,v,p: 50% 23% 18%  9%\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bWeighted P-Frames: Y:2.2% UV:1.3%\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bref P L0: 72.4% 13.7%  9.6%  4.2%  0.1%\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bref B L0: 89.9%  8.0%  2.1%\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bref B L1: 96.5%  3.5%\r\n\u001b[libx264 @ 0x558930d41280] \u001bkb\/s:180.98",
                    "files": [
                        {
                            "filename": "output.mp4",
                            "size": 25805127
                        }
                    ]
                },
                "created_at": "2026-03-17T09:26:08+00:00",
                "started_at": "2026-03-17T09:26:09+00:00",
                "ended_at": "2026-03-17T09:26:20+00:00",
                "retry_of_task_id": null,
                "copy_of_task_id": null,
                "region": "eu-central",
                "depends_on_task_ids": [
                    "66f4488e-1f69-4342-84fe-ad5c6a18dc3c"
                ],
                "links": {
                    "self": "https:\/\/api.cloudconvert.com\/v2\/tasks\/f70e5848-edcf-4233-a546-eaf6595f4440"
                }
            }
        ]
    }
}

File Metadata

Extract and write file metadata

Import Files

Import files to the CloudConvert service as input files for other operations