VLC Media Player is developed and maintained by the VideoLAN project, a non-profit organization and a passionate global community of open-source developers. Originally created by students at the École Centrale Paris in the late 1990s, VLC started as a university project for network-based media streaming. Over time, it grew into a worldwide symbol of open-source excellence.
The heart of VLC’s development is its commitment to freedom and versatility—anyone can use, modify, or contribute to the software. The lead developer, Jean-Baptiste Kempf, has been instrumental in keeping VLC free and accessible to all, actively supporting both technical development and community collaboration. VLC’s source code is mainly written in C, with contributions in C++, Objective-C, Rust, and other languages, making it highly adaptable.
Developers and enthusiasts from all backgrounds can also get involved, contributing through code, user support, documentation, design, or outreach. The VideoLAN team prioritizes cross-platform compatibility, security, and regular updates, ensuring VLC remains the ultimate media player for billions of users worldwide. This open, collaborative spirit is what keeps VLC innovative and user-focused, year after year.