Non-destructive editing means what?

• A. It does not alter the original media files on disk
• B. It permanently changes the source media
• C. It requires exporting a new file
• D. It only works with proxies

Answer: (A)

Non-destructive editing means edits are stored as instructions rather than changing the original media files. In DaVinci Resolve, you edit on a timeline and apply color grades, cuts, transitions, and effects, but the source media on disk remains untouched. You can freely adjust, undo, or revert edits because nothing about the original file is actually altered. The idea is that what you see during playback or when you render is the result of those non-destructive instructions, not a modified source file. The other statements miss the point: editing doesn’t require exporting a new file to keep the original intact, and proxies are just optional performance aids, not a requirement that defines non-destructive editing.