asciinema

Self-Hosted

Open-source terminal session recorder and player

Overview

asciinema lets you record, share, and playback terminal sessions as lightweight text-based files (no video). Its CLI client captures sessions without lag, and recordings support colors and timing data. You can self-host the asciinema-server (via Docker or source) to store recordings privately instead of using the public cloud service. The server includes user management, private/public access controls, and embedding options—giving full control over your terminal content.

Self-Hosting Resources

Find Official Image on Docker Hub View Source & Docs

Below is a reference structure for docker-compose.yml. ⚠️ Do NOT run blindly. Replace placeholders with official values.

docker-compose.template.yml TEMPLATE


version: '3'
services:
  asciinema:
    image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
    container_name: asciinema
    ports:
      - "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

Key Features

Record terminal sessions as lightweight text files (no video bloat)
Playback in browsers or via CLI with accurate timing and colors
Self-hostable server for private recording storage
Embed recordings in websites with a simple script

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is asciinema hard to install?

The CLI client is easy to install via package managers (brew, apt, pip) or binaries. Self-hosting the server requires Docker or manual setup (PostgreSQL, Nginx) which needs basic DevOps knowledge but is well-documented.

? Is it a good alternative to Loom?

Yes—for terminal workflows. Unlike Loom (video-based), asciinema uses text files (smaller, editable) and allows self-hosting to keep recordings private instead of using Loom’s cloud storage.

? Is it completely free?

Yes! Both the CLI client and self-hosted asciinema-server are open source under the MIT License, with no costs or subscriptions for full functionality.

Top Alternatives

Loom Search Google

Camtasia Search Google

Tool Info

Pricing Open Source

Category Miscellaneous

Platform Self-Hosted

Pros

⊕ Privacy-focused (self-host option avoids public cloud storage)
⊕ Lightweight files (easy to share and edit)
⊕ Free and open source (MIT License)
⊕ Cross-platform CLI client (Linux, macOS, Windows)

Cons

⊖ Requires basic DevOps skills to set up the self-hosted server
⊖ No support for mouse interactions in recordings (CLI-only focus)