asciinema

asciinema server is a self-hosted application that provides a hosting platform for terminal session recordings and live streaming. It provides a web interface for viewing, browsing, sharing, and managing these recordings, and includes an HTTP API used by the asciinema CLI to upload and manage content.

The software allows users to record terminal activity and share it as text-based casts rather than traditional video files. This approach ensures that the output remains lightweight and accessible. It is deployed as a server-side component that can be hosted on private infrastructure for organizations with strict data policies or used via a public instance for general sharing.

Key features

• Hosting of terminal session recordings in asciicast format
• Live streaming of terminal sessions
• Full-text search of recording titles, descriptions, and terminal content
• Visibility controls for private, unlisted, or public recordings
• Sharing of recordings via secret links
• Embedding of the player or linking via SVG preview images
• Configurable terminal themes and font families
• Download of plain text transcripts of recordings

The server is built using the Elixir language and the Phoenix framework. It embeds a virtual terminal called avt, which is utilized for technical tasks such as recording analysis, preview generation, and live stream state bookkeeping. This architecture allows the platform to process terminal data accurately before it is served to the browser. The system is designed for users who need to share terminal workflows while maintaining full control over their data, as the software contains no tracking or advertisements.

This tool is intended for developers, educators, and system administrators who require a dedicated, private platform for documenting command line interactions and sharing technical demonstrations.