Freedom251 › Presentation software
Hovercraft!
What Hovercraft! is
Hovercraft! is a free tool that converts reStructuredText files into impress.js presentations. It produces HTML slides that open in a web browser and can be shared on a website. Presentations can pan, rotate, and zoom through three-dimensional space, with automatic repositioning of slides. Authors can style slides with CSS and add JavaScript files, and the project lists support for mathematical formulas. A presenter console provides speaker notes and slide previews. For development, Hovercraft! includes a built-in webserver that serves presentations and regenerates them when source files change. Installation requires Python 3, with the documented package command `pip3 install hovercraft`. The project supports Linux and web use; Windows is untested, although it may work in theory. PowerPoint import and export are not supported. Documentation notes that browsers may restrict popup windows when presentations are opened directly from the filesystem, recommending the local webserver instead. The project identifies its license as MIT and lists a Free plan at no cost.
Who it suits
Hovercraft! suits authors comfortable writing reStructuredText and presenting HTML slides in a browser. It fits Linux or web workflows that need 3D movement, presenter notes, and CSS-based styling without PowerPoint files.
What it does well
- Free MIT-licensed presentation generator
- Creates browser-based HTML presentations
- Supports 3D panning, rotation, and zooming
- Presenter console includes notes and previews
- Built-in server regenerates changed presentations
What to know first
- PowerPoint import and export are unavailable
- Windows support is untested
- Requires Python 3 installation
- Filesystem opening can restrict popup windows
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Python 3 package · generates HTML presentations | Free |
As hovercraft.readthedocs.io lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Hovercraft! provides a text-based route to interactive impress.js presentations, with presenter tools and live regeneration. It is most suitable when reStructuredText and browser delivery fit your workflow rather than PowerPoint exchange.
Facts from Hovercraft!'s own pages
- 3D presentations
- It supports panning, rotating, and zooming in 3D, with automatic slide repositioning. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · hovercraft.readthedocs.io, 22 Sept 2026
- Input format
- Presentations are authored as reStructuredText files. · hovercraft.readthedocs.io, 11 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The project requires Python 3 and documents installation with pip3 install hovercraft. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- License
- The GitHub project identifies its license as MIT. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Math formulas
- The project lists support for showing mathematical formulas. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Output and sharing
- Hovercraft! generates HTML presentations that can be viewed in a web browser and shared on a website. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- PowerPoint export
- No · hovercraft.readthedocs.io, 22 Sept 2026
- PowerPoint import
- No · hovercraft.readthedocs.io, 22 Sept 2026
- Presenter console
- Its presenter console includes notes and slide previews. · hovercraft.readthedocs.io, 11 Oct 2026
- Presenter mode
- Yes · hovercraft.readthedocs.io, 22 Sept 2026
- Security
- The documentation notes that browsers may restrict popup windows from pages opened directly from the filesystem and suggests using its local webserver. · hovercraft.readthedocs.io, 11 Oct 2026
- Serve and preview
- It can serve a presentation with its built-in webserver and regenerate it when source files change. · hovercraft.readthedocs.io, 11 Oct 2026
- Styling
- Presentations can be styled with CSS, and the tool accepts additional JavaScript files. · hovercraft.readthedocs.io, 11 Oct 2026
- Supported platforms
- web,linux · hovercraft.readthedocs.io, 22 Sept 2026
- What it does
- Hovercraft! creates impress.js presentations from reStructuredText files. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Windows support
- The project says Hovercraft! is untested on Windows, though it may work in theory. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Where Hovercraft! stands on Freedom251
- Presentation software#73 of 93