Asciinema is a platform for capturing, replaying, and sharing command-line sessions. It provides a comprehensive suite of tools to record terminal activity into lightweight, text-based files that preserve ANSI escape sequences, allowing users to document technical workflows, troubleshooting steps, and software demonstrations with high fidelity.
The project distinguishes itself through its versatile playback and distribution capabilities. It features a web-based player that renders interactive terminal sessions directly in the browser, supporting features like seeking, playback speed control, and custom visual themes. Beyond interactive playback, it includes utilities for converting recordings into animated images or videos, and provides infrastructure for self-hosting recording servers to maintain full control over data storage and security.
The platform supports a wide range of integration and automation needs, including embedding interactive sessions into technical documentation, broadcasting live terminal activity to remote viewers, and programmatically generating recordings via scripts. It also offers robust management tools for indexing, searching, and organizing historical session data.
The software is designed for flexible deployment, with server and storage components packaged into containerized units for independent hosting.
