H.264
H.264 is the most-used codec for delivering video on web and social media. It compresses your image small while keeping reasonable quality, so it plays back smoothly everywhere. For YouTube, Instagram and email, H.264 is the standard choice.
Because H.264 compresses heavily, the files are small but less suited for editing, since they're harder on your processor there. In DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro you mostly choose H.264 at final export. You control the quality through the bitrate: higher gives a sharper image but a bigger file. Tip: when exporting for YouTube, a generous bitrate is smart, because the platform compresses your video once more afterward.
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