What does the term "rendering" mean in editing?

Rendering refers to the process of processing effects to create a playback-friendly version of the edit. In video editing, when multiple effects or layer modifications are applied, the system needs to generate a new version of the content that incorporates these changes. This ensures that playback is smooth, as the hardware does not have to compute the effects in real-time during playback. Rendering can involve combining video clips, applying color corrections, adding transitions, and more, resulting in an edited piece that reflects all these adjustments as a single, cohesive output.

This process is crucial for achieving a final product that meets visual and performance standards, particularly during the editing phase when precise timing and fluidity of motion are important. This also differentiates rendering from other actions such as exporting the final video, which represents the last step in producing the content for distribution, or creating a project archive, which focuses on saving all project files and assets rather than processing visual effects.