Freedom251 › Screen Recording Software
asciinema
by asciinema
What asciinema is
asciinema is a free suite for recording, replaying, and sharing terminal sessions. Its command-line tool captures terminal output as lightweight .cast files and can stream local or remote sessions to multiple viewers in real time. Recordings can be replayed in a terminal, embedded on web pages with the asciinema player, or published to an asciinema server. Server features include full-text search, editable recording metadata, downloadable text transcripts, and public, unlisted, private, or secret-link visibility. The server is described as having no tracking or ads. You can deploy it for public or internal use in a containerized environment or through a NixOS module. A personal instance documents an OCI runtime, PostgreSQL 14 or newer, and at least 512 MB RAM; SMTP is optional. The CLI supports Linux and macOS installation methods, while the project lists FreeBSD support, an HTTP API, and integrations with several publishing and development tools.
Who it suits
asciinema suits developers, educators, and teams who need shareable terminal recordings or live command-line sessions. Self-hosting options also suit organizations wanting internal hosting.
What it does well
- Free hosting for recordings and streams
- Lightweight .cast recording files
- Real-time local and remote streaming
- Multiple visibility controls
- Self-hosting support
What to know first
- Self-hosting requires PostgreSQL 14 or newer
- Personal instances need at least 512 MB RAM
- SMTP is optional rather than included
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| asciinema | Free hosting for terminal recordings and streams · available to everyone | Free |
As asciinema.org lists them, read 12 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
asciinema provides recording, live streaming, playback, and hosting tools without a listed charge. Self-hosting offers control but requires an OCI runtime, PostgreSQL, and server maintenance.
Facts from asciinema's own pages
- API
- The server provides an HTTP API used by the asciinema CLI. · docs.asciinema.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2011 · asciinema.org, 28 Sept 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · docs.asciinema.org, 20 Sept 2026
- Hosting features
- The server supports full-text search, secret links, public, unlisted, and private visibility, editable recording metadata, and downloadable text transcripts. · docs.asciinema.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Installation platforms
- The CLI installation guide lists Linux and macOS package-manager installation, plus pre-built static binaries, containers, and source builds. · docs.asciinema.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The integrations directory lists projects for Ansible, Vue, Hugo, Jekyll, Google Slides, Obsidian, Slidev, Sphinx, and WordPress, among others. · docs.asciinema.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Live streaming
- The CLI supports local and remote live streaming of terminal sessions to multiple viewers in real time. · docs.asciinema.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Maker
- The about page says asciinema was created by Marcin Kulik. · asciinema.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Supported platforms
- Linux,macOS,FreeBSD · docs.asciinema.org, 20 Sept 2026
- Playback and embedding
- Recordings can be replayed in a terminal, embedded on a web page with the asciinema player, or published to an asciinema server. · docs.asciinema.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- The server is described as privacy friendly, with no tracking and no ads. · docs.asciinema.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Self-hosting
- The server can be deployed for public or internal/private use in a containerized environment or through a NixOS module. · docs.asciinema.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Self-hosting requirements
- The documented requirements include an OCI runtime, PostgreSQL 14.0 or newer, and at least 512 MB RAM for a personal instance; SMTP is optional. · docs.asciinema.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Support
- The self-hosting guide directs users needing installation or maintenance help to the asciinema forum or Matrix room. · docs.asciinema.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Terminal recordings
- The CLI captures terminal output into lightweight asciicast recording files in the .cast format. · docs.asciinema.org, 12 Oct 2026
- What it does
- asciinema is a suite of tools for recording, replaying, and sharing terminal sessions. · asciinema.org, 12 Oct 2026
Where asciinema stands on Freedom251
- Screen Recording Software#60 of 131