An Edit Decision List (EDL) is a plain text file format used in the post-production film and video editing industries. It contains an ordered list of reel and code time data that represents where each video clip or audio segment should be placed in the final edited timeline. The file dictates the exact source footage, in-points, out-points, and destination points for transitions, cuts, and audio mixing. Because EDLs are essentially structured text files, they are extremely lightweight and serve as a universal language for transferring basic edit decisions between disparate non-linear editing (NLE) systems, color grading suites, and audio workstations without needing to render heavy media files.