Codec Format vs Standard

These terms are often mixed up. Understanding the difference makes everything else about audio and video much easier.

Reference-style page migrated from the original Codecs for Dummies archive and prepared for the Codec Help structure.

Simple diagram

Codec (Compression)

Examples: H.264, AV1, AAC, FLAC

↓

Format / Container

Examples: MP4, MKV, WebM

↓

Standard / Playback

Examples: THX, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X