asciinema
Claim this toolRecord and share your terminal sessions as lightweight, text-based animations.
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Tracked since2026
0 reviews trackedThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free, no paid tier
Biggest pro
Lightweight and text-based, avoiding blurry video issues
Biggest con
Primarily text-based, not suitable for demonstrating GUI applications
TL;DR - asciinema
- Records terminal sessions as lightweight, text-based animations.
- Enables easy sharing and embedding of terminal recordings.
- Allows copy-pasting of text directly from paused recordings.
Pricing: Free forever
Best for: Individuals & startups
What is asciinema?
asciinema is a free and open-source solution designed for recording terminal sessions and sharing them on the web. Unlike traditional screen recording apps that produce blurry video, asciinema captures terminal output as text, resulting in lightweight, high-quality, and easily shareable content. It's ideal for developers, educators, and anyone who needs to demonstrate command-line operations, debug issues, or create tutorials.
The platform allows users to record directly within their terminal, then upload and embed these recordings into blog posts, documentation, or presentations. A key benefit is the ability to pause a recording and copy-paste the displayed text, making it highly practical for sharing code snippets or commands. asciinema also hosts a community platform where users can browse featured, popular, and live-streamed terminal sessions.
Available on: Web, Linux, macOS
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Lightweight and text-based, avoiding blurry video issues
- Easy to record and share
- Content is copy-pastable, enhancing utility for tutorials and documentation
- Open-source and community-driven
- Supports self-hosting of the asciinema server
Cons
- Primarily text-based, not suitable for demonstrating GUI applications
- Requires command-line interaction for recording
Key Features
Record terminal sessions directly from the command lineShare recordings on the webEmbed recordings in websites, documentation, and presentationsPause recordings to copy-paste text contentBrowse featured, popular, and live-streamed terminal sessionsFree and open-source software
Pricing Plans
Pricing checked Jul 10, 2026
Free
Free
- Record terminal sessions
- Share on the web
- Easy recording
- Copy & paste content from recordings
- Embed asciinema player
Reviews
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asciinema FAQ
How does asciinema facilitate sharing command-line operations?
asciinema records terminal output as text, creating lightweight, high-quality animations. These recordings can be uploaded and embedded into various platforms like blog posts or documentation, making it easy to demonstrate command-line operations without blurry video.
What kind of user benefits most from asciinema?
Developers, educators, and anyone needing to demonstrate command-line operations or create tutorials will find asciinema most beneficial. Its text-based recordings are ideal for sharing code snippets and debugging issues effectively.
How is asciinema priced?
asciinema is free to use, with no paid plans required. It is an open-source solution, making its core functionality accessible to all users.
What are the main limitations of asciinema?
asciinema is primarily text-based, meaning it is not suitable for demonstrating graphical user interface (GUI) applications. Additionally, recording sessions requires direct command-line interaction from the user.
Can users copy text directly from an asciinema recording?
Yes, a key benefit of asciinema is the ability to pause a recording and copy-paste the displayed text. This feature is highly practical for sharing code snippets or specific commands within tutorials or documentation.
Does asciinema support self-hosting for recordings?
Yes, asciinema supports self-hosting of its server component. This allows users to maintain control over their recordings and infrastructure if desired.
Source: asciinema.org