asciinema/man/asciinema.1

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.TH "ASCIINEMA" "1" "" "Version 2.0.1" "Version 2.1.0, 2022-05-07"
.hy
.SH NAME
.PP
\f[B]asciinema\f[R] - terminal session recorder
.SH SYNOPSIS
.PP
\f[B]asciinema --version\f[R]
.PD 0
.P
.PD
\f[B]asciinema\f[R] \f[I]command\f[R] [\f[I]options\f[R]]
[\f[I]args\f[R]]
.SH DESCRIPTION
.PP
asciinema lets you easily record terminal sessions, replay them in a
terminal as well as in a web browser and share them on the web.
asciinema is Free and Open Source Software licensed under the GNU
General Public License v3.
.SH COMMANDS
.PP
asciinema is composed of multiple commands, similar to \f[V]git\f[R],
\f[V]apt-get\f[R] or \f[V]brew\f[R].
.PP
When you run \f[B]asciinema\f[R] with no arguments a help message is
displayed, listing all available commands with their options.
.SS rec [\f[I]filename\f[R]]
.PP
Record terminal session.
.PP
By running \f[B]asciinema rec [filename]\f[R] you start a new recording
session.
The command (process) that is recorded can be specified with
\f[B]-c\f[R] option (see below), and defaults to \f[B]$SHELL\f[R] which
is what you want in most cases.
.PP
You can temporarily pause recording of terminal by pressing Ctrl+\[rs].
This is useful when you want to execute some commands during the
recording session that should not be captured (e.g.\ pasting secrets).
Resume by pressing Ctrl+\[rs] again.
.PP
Recording finishes when you exit the shell (hit Ctrl+D or type
\f[V]exit\f[R]).
If the recorded process is not a shell then recording finishes when the
process exits.
.PP
If the \f[I]filename\f[R] argument is omitted then (after asking for
confirmation) the resulting asciicast is uploaded to
asciinema-server (https://github.com/asciinema/asciinema-server) (by
default to asciinema.org), where it can be watched and shared.
.PP
If the \f[I]filename\f[R] argument is given then the resulting recording
(called asciicast) is saved to a local file.
It can later be replayed with \f[B]asciinema play <filename>\f[R] and/or
uploaded to asciinema server with \f[B]asciinema upload <filename>\f[R].
.PP
\f[B]ASCIINEMA_REC=1\f[R] is added to recorded process environment
variables.
This can be used by your shell\[cq]s config file (\f[V].bashrc\f[R],
\f[V].zshrc\f[R]) to alter the prompt or play a sound when the shell is
being recorded.
.TP
Available options:
\
.RS
.TP
\f[V]--stdin\f[R]
Enable stdin (keyboard) recording (see below)
.TP
\f[V]--append\f[R]
Append to existing recording
.TP
\f[V]--raw\f[R]
Save raw STDOUT output, without timing information or other metadata
.TP
\f[V]--overwrite\f[R]
Overwrite the recording if it already exists
.TP
\f[V]-c, --command=<command>\f[R]
Specify command to record, defaults to \f[B]$SHELL\f[R]
.TP
\f[V]-e, --env=<var-names>\f[R]
List of environment variables to capture, defaults to
\f[B]SHELL,TERM\f[R]
.TP
\f[V]-t, --title=<title>\f[R]
Specify the title of the asciicast
.TP
\f[V]-i, --idle-time-limit=<sec>\f[R]
Limit recorded terminal inactivity to max \f[V]<sec>\f[R] seconds
.TP
\f[V]--cols=<n>\f[R]
Override terminal columns for recorded process
.TP
\f[V]--rows=<n>\f[R]
Override terminal rows for recorded process
.TP
\f[V]-y, --yes\f[R]
Answer \[lq]yes\[rq] to all prompts (e.g.\ upload confirmation)
.TP
\f[V]-q, --quiet\f[R]
Be quiet, suppress all notices/warnings (implies \f[B]-y\f[R])
.RE
.PP
Stdin recording allows for capturing of all characters typed in by the
user in the currently recorded shell.
This may be used by a player (e.g.
asciinema-player (https://github.com/asciinema/asciinema-player)) to
display pressed keys.
Because it\[cq]s basically a key-logging (scoped to a single shell
instance), it\[cq]s disabled by default, and has to be explicitly
enabled via \f[B]\[en]stdin\f[R] option.
.SS play <\f[I]filename\f[R]>
.PP
Replay recorded asciicast in a terminal.
.PP
This command replays a given asciicast (as recorded by \f[B]rec\f[R]
command) directly in your terminal.
The asciicast can be read from a file or from \f[I]\f[VI]stdin\f[I]\f[R]
(`-'):
.PP
Playing from a local file:
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
asciinema play /path/to/asciicast.cast
\f[R]
.fi
.PP
Playing from HTTP(S) URL:
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
asciinema play https://asciinema.org/a/22124.cast
asciinema play http://example.com/demo.cast
\f[R]
.fi
.PP
Playing from asciicast page URL (requires
\f[V]<link rel=\[dq]alternate\[dq] type=\[dq]application/x-asciicast\[dq] href=\[dq]/my/ascii.cast\[dq]>\f[R]
in page\[cq]s HTML):
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
asciinema play https://asciinema.org/a/22124
asciinema play http://example.com/blog/post.html
\f[R]
.fi
.PP
Playing from stdin:
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
cat /path/to/asciicast.cast | asciinema play -
ssh user\[at]host cat asciicast.cast | asciinema play -
\f[R]
.fi
.PP
Playing from IPFS:
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
asciinema play dweb:/ipfs/QmNe7FsYaHc9SaDEAEXbaagAzNw9cH7YbzN4xV7jV1MCzK/ascii.cast
\f[R]
.fi
.TP
Available options:
\
.RS
.TP
\f[V]-i, --idle-time-limit=<sec>\f[R]
Limit replayed terminal inactivity to max \f[V]<sec>\f[R] seconds (can
be fractional)
.TP
\f[V]-s, --speed=<factor>\f[R]
Playback speed (can be fractional)
.RE
.TP
While playing the following keyboard shortcuts are available:
\
.RS
.TP
\f[I]\f[VI]Space\f[I]\f[R]
Toggle pause
.TP
\f[I]\f[VI].\f[I]\f[R]
Step through a recording a frame at a time (when paused)
.TP
\f[I]\f[VI]Ctrl+C\f[I]\f[R]
Exit
.RE
.PP
Recommendation: run `asciinema play' in a terminal of dimensions not
smaller than the one used for recording as there\[cq]s no
\[lq]transcoding\[rq] of control sequences for the new terminal size.
.SS cat <\f[I]filename\f[R]>
.PP
Print full output of recorded asciicast to a terminal.
.PP
While \f[B]asciinema play \f[R] replays the recorded session using
timing information saved in the asciicast, \f[B]asciinema cat \f[R]
dumps the full output (including all escape sequences) to a terminal
immediately.
.PP
\f[B]asciinema cat existing.cast >output.txt\f[R] gives the same result
as recording via \f[B]asciinema rec --raw output.txt\f[R].
.SS upload <\f[I]filename\f[R]>
.PP
Upload recorded asciicast to asciinema.org site.
.PP
This command uploads given asciicast (recorded by \f[B]rec\f[R] command)
to asciinema.org, where it can be watched and shared.
.PP
\f[B]asciinema rec demo.cast\f[R] + \f[B]asciinema play demo.cast\f[R] +
\f[B]asciinema upload demo.cast\f[R] is a nice combo if you want to
review an asciicast before publishing it on asciinema.org.
.SS auth
.PP
Link and manage your install ID with your asciinema.org user account.
.PP
If you want to manage your recordings (change title/theme, delete) at
asciinema.org you need to link your \[lq]install ID\[rq] with your
asciinema.org user account.
.PP
This command displays the URL to open in a web browser to do that.
You may be asked to log in first.
.PP
Install ID is a random ID (UUID
v4 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universally_unique_identifier))
generated locally when you run asciinema for the first time, and saved
at \f[B]$HOME/.config/asciinema/install-id\f[R].
It\[cq]s purpose is to connect local machine with uploaded recordings,
so they can later be associated with asciinema.org account.
This way we decouple uploading from account creation, allowing them to
happen in any order.
.PP
Note: A new install ID is generated on each machine and system user
account you use asciinema on.
So in order to keep all recordings under a single asciinema.org account
you need to run \f[B]asciinema auth\f[R] on all of those machines.
If you\[cq]re already logged in on asciinema.org website and you run
`asciinema auth' from a new computer then this new device will be linked
to your account.
.PP
While you CAN synchronize your config file (which keeps the API token)
across all your machines so all use the same token, that\[cq]s not
necessary.
You can assign new tokens to your account from as many machines as you
want.
.PP
Note: asciinema versions prior to 2.0 confusingly referred to install ID
as \[lq]API token\[rq].
.SH EXAMPLES
.PP
Record your first session:
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
asciinema rec first.cast
\f[R]
.fi
.PP
End your session:
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
exit
\f[R]
.fi
.PP
Now replay it with double speed:
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
asciinema play -s 2 first.cast
\f[R]
.fi
.PP
Or with normal speed but with idle time limited to 2 seconds:
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
asciinema play -i 2 first.cast
\f[R]
.fi
.PP
You can pass \f[B]-i 2\f[R] to \f[B]asciinema rec\f[R] as well, to set
it permanently on a recording.
Idle time limiting makes the recordings much more interesting to watch,
try it.
.PP
If you want to watch and share it on the web, upload it:
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
asciinema upload first.cast
\f[R]
.fi
.PP
The above uploads it to <https://asciinema.org>, which is a default
asciinema-server (<https://github.com/asciinema/asciinema-server>)
instance, and prints a secret link you can use to watch your recording
in a web browser.
.PP
You can record and upload in one step by omitting the filename:
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
asciinema rec
\f[R]
.fi
.PP
You\[cq]ll be asked to confirm the upload when the recording is done, so
nothing is sent anywhere without your consent.
.SS Tricks
.TP
Record slowly, play faster:
First record a session where you can take your time to type slowly what
you want to show in the recording:
.RS
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
asciinema rec initial.cast
\f[R]
.fi
.PP
Then record the replay of `initial.cast' as `final.cast', but with five
times the initially recorded speed, with all pauses capped to two
seconds and with a title set as \[lq]My fancy title\[rq]::
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
asciinema rec -c \[dq]asciinema play -s 5 -i 2 initial.cast\[dq] -t \[dq]My fancy title\[dq] final.cast
\f[R]
.fi
.RE
.TP
Play from \f[I]\f[VI]stdin\f[I]\f[R]:
\
.RS
.PP
cat /path/to/asciicast.json | asciinema play -
.RE
.TP
Play file from remote host accessible with SSH:
\
.RS
.PP
ssh user\[at]host cat /path/to/asciicat.json | asciinema play -
.RE
.SH ENVIRONMENT
.TP
\f[B]ASCIINEMA_API_URL\f[R]
This variable allows overriding asciinema-server URL (which defaults to
https://asciinema.org) in case you\[cq]re running your own
asciinema-server instance.
.TP
\f[B]ASCIINEMA_CONFIG_HOME\f[R]
This variable allows overriding config directory location.
Default location is $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/asciinema (when $XDG_CONFIG_HOME is
set) or $HOME/.config/asciinema.
.SH BUGS
.PP
See GitHub Issues: <https://github.com/asciinema/asciinema/issues>
.SH MORE RESOURCES
.PP
More documentation is available on the asciicast.org website and its
GitHub wiki:
.IP \[bu] 2
Web: asciinema.org/docs/ (https://asciinema.org/docs/)
.IP \[bu] 2
Wiki:
github.com/asciinema/asciinema/wiki (https://github.com/asciinema/asciinema/wiki)
.IP \[bu] 2
IRC: Channel on Libera.Chat (https://web.libera.chat/gamja/#asciinema)
.IP \[bu] 2
Twitter: \[at]asciinema (https://twitter.com/asciinema)
.SH AUTHORS
.PP
asciinema\[cq]s lead developer is Marcin Kulik.
.PP
For a list of all contributors look here:
<https://github.com/asciinema/asciinema/contributors>
.PP
This Manual Page was written by Marcin Kulik with help from Kurt
Pfeifle.