Bloat Libvpx Page

VP8 is lean. VP9 is a beast. VP9’s entropy decoder and loop filter are algorithmic marvels, but they require large lookup tables. When you compile libvpx, you get VP9 by default. You cannot strip it out without editing the build scripts manually.

From the perspective of a desktop Linux user: libvpx is lean, fast, and necessary. The "bloat" is actually future-proofing . bloat libvpx

For a modern x86_64 desktop, this is fine. But for an ARM-based router, a set-top box, or a minimal Docker container, a 3 MB shared object file is a luxury you cannot afford. VP8 is lean

In the context of a web browser (the primary attack surface): When you compile libvpx, you get VP9 by default

This tells the compiler: "Don't write the dispatcher. Just write the code for the CPU I am sitting on." This can cut binary size by 30-40%.

But in recent years, a quiet grumble has emerged from embedded systems engineers, Linux distribution maintainers, and build-from-source enthusiasts. That grumble has a name: