aconnect

aconnect [-options] [client1:port1 ...] [client2:port2 ...]

-h, --help
    Show help message and exit.

-v, --version
    Show version number and exit.

-i, --input
    List input ports.

-o, --output
    List output ports.

-l, --list
    List all ports.

-n, --name
    Show only ports matching the name provided. Accepts wildcards.

-d, --disconnect
    Disconnect client(s).

-x, --exclusive
    Make a port exclusive (only one connection allowed).

client:port
    Specifies the ALSA client and port to connect or disconnect. Can be specified multiple times.

The aconnect command is a utility for managing connections between ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) ports. It allows you to create, delete, and view connections between different ALSA devices, such as sound cards, MIDI devices, and software synthesizers. This is crucial for routing audio and MIDI data between applications and hardware. aconnect can be used to control the flow of audio signals, enabling you to record audio from a microphone into a specific application, send MIDI data from a keyboard to a synthesizer, or route audio output from one application to another.

It provides a command-line interface for configuring complex audio setups that are not easily achievable through graphical tools. The command's flexibility makes it useful for both simple audio configurations and complex professional audio routing scenarios. Incorrect usage can lead to unexpected audio routing or even system instability, so understanding the device and port naming conventions used by ALSA is important for using it effectively.

aconnect relies on understanding ALSA's client and port naming scheme. Incorrect client or port specifications can lead to connection errors or unintended audio routing.

It can be challenging for users unfamiliar with ALSA. Using the wrong parameters may create audio routing loops that can overload your system.

ALSA ports are identified by a client number and a port number, separated by a colon (e.g., 14:0). The client number represents the device, and the port number represents a specific input or output on that device. Use aconnect -l to list all available clients and ports. Understanding the port names is fundamental to establishing successful connections.

aconnect is part of the ALSA project, which began in the late 1990s as an alternative to the OSS (Open Sound System) driver architecture in Linux. It quickly became the standard sound architecture for Linux, providing a more flexible and feature-rich interface for audio devices. aconnect was developed as a command-line tool to manage the complex connections possible within ALSA, filling a need that was not adequately addressed by graphical tools at the time. It has evolved alongside ALSA, adding support for new features and devices.

alsamixer(1), aplay(1), arecord(1), amidi(1)