[Libav-user] use of ffmpeg on Web server to encode user submissions

[Slava Paperno]

I know that ffmpeg is used on Web servers to encode files submitted by 
users.

I wonder if it is invoked by launching a process with a command-line 
call or by using an API.

I've heard an opinion that API is better/safer/more efficient than 
command-line calls. Any data on that?

Is there an API-enabled Java encoder for ogg to mp3 conversion? I'll be 
calling it on the Web server from ColdFusion scripts.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Slava