Kodi (software)

Kodi
Developer(s)Kodi Foundation
Initial release2002 (as Xbox Media Player), 2003[1] (as Xbox Media Center)
Stable release(s)
21.1 / 18 August 2024; 3 months ago (2024-08-18)
Repository
Written inC++ core, with C++ (binary) or Python scripts as add-ons (plug-in extensions) from third-party developers[citation needed]
Operating systemWindows 10 and later, macOS, Android, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS (Apple TV OS), Linux, FreeBSD, webOS, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
PlatformARM, ARM64, MIPS, RISC-V, PowerPC, IA-32 (x86), and x64 (x86-64)
Available in77 (via add-ons)[2] languages
TypeMedia player software, smart TV platform, digital media player, digital video recorder
LicenseGPL-2.0-or-later[3]
Websitekodi.tv

Kodi (formerly XBMC) is a free and open-source media player and technology convergence software application developed by the Kodi Foundation, a non-profit technology consortium.[4] Kodi is available for multiple operating systems and hardware platforms, with a software 10-foot user interface for use with televisions and remote controls. It allows users to play and view most streaming media, such as videos, music, podcasts, and videos from the Internet, as well as all common digital media files from local and network storage media, or TV gateway viewer.[5]

Kodi was initially designed as a multi-platform home-theater PC (HTPC) application that has grown to become a multi-purpose technological convergence platform. It is customizable: skins can change its appearance, and plug-ins allow users to access streaming media content via online services such as Amazon Prime Instant Video, Crackle, Pandora Internet Radio, Rhapsody, Spotify, and YouTube.[6] The later versions also have a personal video-recorder (PVR) graphical front end for receiving live television with electronic program guide (EPG) and high-definition digital video recorder (DVR) support.[7]

The software was originally created in 2002 as an independently developed homebrew media player application named Xbox Media Player for the first-generation Xbox game console, changing its name in 2004 to Xbox Media Center (abbreviated as XBMC, which was adopted as the official name in 2008)[5][8] and was later made available under the name XBMC as a native application for Android, Linux, BSD, macOS, iOS/tvOS, and Microsoft Windows-based operating systems.[9] Then the project was renamed again from XBMC to "Kodi" in July 2014 with the release of Kodi 14 (instead of the expected XBMC 14 release), while still keeping "XBMC Foundation" as the name for its legal entity that owns Kodi's code as well as directly related trademarks and logos.

Because of its open source and cross-platform nature, with its core code written in C++, modified versions of Kodi XBMC together with JeOS have been used as a software appliance suite or software framework in a variety of devices, including smart TVs, set-top boxes, digital signage, hotel television systems, network connected media players and embedded systems based on armhf platforms like Raspberry Pi. Derivative applications such as MediaPortal and Plex have been spun off from XBMC or Kodi, as well as just enough operating systems like LibreELEC.[10][11][12][13][14]

Kodi has attracted negative attention from the news media and law enforcement agencies due to some add-ons as plug-ins made available by third parties for the software that facilitates unauthorized access and playback of media content by different means of copyright infringement, as well as sellers of digital media players that pre-load them with third-party add-ons for the express purpose of making "piracy" easy. The XBMC Foundation have expressed that they do not endorse the use of third-party add-ons that are designed for the purpose of "piracy", and it takes active steps to disassociate and distance the Kodi project from third-party add-ons that violate copyright. These steps include blocking such add-ons and banning all discussions about piracy in their community forums, as well as threatening legal action against those using the Kodi trademarks or logos to promote add-ons and digital media players that come with them pre-installed with such add-ons.[15]

  1. ^ "Xbox Media Center". 2 October 2003. Archived from the original on 2 October 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. ^ "Matrix Addons: Languages". Kodi. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  3. ^ "xbmc / LICENSE.md". GitHub. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  4. ^ "About Kodi". kodi.tv. Archived from the original on 7 August 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  5. ^ a b Patrick Schmid (5 November 2004). "Modding The Xbox Into The Ultimate Multimedia Center". Tom's Hardware.
  6. ^ Ryan Paul (29 December 2009). "XBMC 9.11 makes your open source home theater look shinier". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  7. ^ Lawler, Richard (10 October 2012). "XBMC celebrates 10 years, latest build works in mainline PVR and Raspberry Pi support". Engadget.com. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  8. ^ "HGM Aug" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2010. Review of XBMC in Hardcore Gamer Magazine
  9. ^ VzjrZ (18 January 2007). "How to soft mod your xbox...for FREE". Instructables. Archived from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2008.
  10. ^ Kaushik (8 August 2009). "XBMC is the best media center application. Period". instant fundas. Archived from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
  11. ^ Ryan Paul (10 May 2009). "XBMC 9.04 delivers impressive media center experience". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 29 April 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  12. ^ Richard Skalsky (a.k.a. GrandAnse) (2 July 2009). "Voddler använder XBMC (Bekräftat!)". xbmc.nu (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
  13. ^ Nicholas Deleon (15 January 2010). "CrunchGear Interview: We talk to the lead developer of Plex Media Center for Mac OS X: It was doing Boxee-like stuff before Boxee was cool". CrunchGear. Archived from the original on 18 January 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  14. ^ Kevin Anderson (7 October 2009). "Thinking inside the box". The Guardian. UK. Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference engadget-sellerskodi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).