XBMC is a free open-source media center application for Linux, Mac OS X, Windows and XBox.

XBMC supports most common audio, video, and image formats, playlists, audio visualizations, slideshows, weather reporting, and third-party plugins. It is network-capable (internet and LAN shares).

Unlike Windows Media Center from Microsoft or other free software media center applications like MediaPortal and MythTV, XBMC Media Center has no PVR TV-recording and EPG TV-Guide functionality of its own. However it does offer the possibility to integrate such functionality through third-party plugins.

XBMC is expandable via add-ons that include features such as TV program guides, YouTube, Hulu, Veoh, online movie trailer support, and SHOUTcast/Podcast streaming.

XBMC also functions as a gaming platform by allowing users to play mini-games developed with Python, on any operating system. In addition, the Xbox version of XBMC contains the ability to launch console games and other applications like emulators.