Carla

Carla is an audio plugin host designed for Linux, functioning as a bridge between various audio plugin formats and digital audio workstations. It supports a wide range of standards, including LADSPA, DSSI, LV2, VST2, VST3, and AU, allowing users to load and chain these plugins within a unified environment. The application provides a patchbay-style interface where users can route audio and MIDI signals between different plugins and hardware inputs or outputs, facilitating complex signal processing chains.

Beyond its role as a host, Carla can operate as a plugin itself within other hosts, enabling the use of its internal routing capabilities inside larger projects. It supports multiple audio drivers such as JACK, ALSA, PulseAudio, and PipeWire, ensuring integration with various Linux audio subsystems. The software is intended for musicians and sound engineers who require a flexible environment for managing virtual instruments and effects processors in a modular fashion.