language-reference

Language Reference

Overview

VEAC (Video Editing as Code) is a declarative, non-Turing-complete domain-specific language for video editing. It compiles .veac source files into FFmpeg commands.

Design Principles

• Declarative: Describe what the video should be, not how to process it
• Non-Turing-complete: Variables and references only — no loops, conditionals, or recursion
• Agent-friendly: Clear syntax and helpful errors for AI-assisted editing
• Single source format: .veac files are the canonical representation

File Structure

my-project/
├── main.veac
├── shared.veac        # Optional: included modules
└── assets/
    ├── intro.mp4
    ├── bgm.mp3
    └── logo.png

Language Elements

A .veac file consists of top-level declarations:

Declaration	Purpose	Reference
project	Output configuration	Project
asset	Media file references	Assets
let	Variable bindings	Variables & Includes
include	Module imports	Variables & Includes
timeline	Video composition	Timeline & Tracks

Track Items

Within timelines, different track types support different items:

Item	Tracks	Reference
clip	video, audio	Clips
transition	video	Transitions
text	text	Overlays
image	overlay	Overlays
pip	overlay	Overlays
subtitle	overlay	Overlays
gap	video, audio	Overlays
freeze	video	Overlays

Literal Types

See Literals for time, color, and number formats.