What it does
VHS is a command-line recorder for scripted terminal demonstrations. A `.tape` file describes the output path, terminal dimensions, text to type, keystrokes and pauses; VHS plays those instructions in a virtual terminal and produces a GIF or video. Because the walkthrough is stored as text, a team can revise and regenerate a command-line example instead of capturing every frame by hand.
Make the demonstration repeatable
Start with the documented vhs new demo.tape command, then edit the tape in a text editor. A short example can set Output demo.gif, choose a terminal size, type a command such as echo 'Ready', press Enter to run it, and pause long enough for the output to be read. Run vhs demo.tape to render the recording. These are documented instructions, not a recording made for this listing. The output extension selects formats such as GIF, WebM or MP4.
A tape can also declare required programs, set environment variables, hide setup keystrokes, wait for a screen condition, and take a screenshot. That is useful for a README or tutorial where the same CLI sequence should remain reproducible after a release. Keep the commands deterministic and avoid typing secrets into a tape that will be committed.
Check the rendering environment
VHS has binaries for Linux, macOS and Windows, but its installation notes require ttyd and ffmpeg to be installed and available on PATH for the local workflow. The programs shown in the recording also need to be available to the shell that VHS runs. Docker is documented as an alternative with dependencies included. VHS records terminal interactions; it does not verify that the underlying command produced the right application result. The project is MIT licensed.
Strengths
- Stores a terminal demonstration as editable text commands that can be rendered again after a change.
- Supports terminal sizing, environment variables, wait conditions, screenshots and several video or animation output formats.
- Provides binaries for Linux, macOS and Windows.
Watch out for
- The documented local installation requires both ttyd and ffmpeg on PATH, in addition to the applications invoked by the tape.
Best for
- Creating repeatable GIFs or short video walkthroughs of command-line tools
- Keeping terminal demo steps alongside the documentation they illustrate
Sources
- charmbracelet/vhs official repository (Oct 26, 2026)
- VHS tutorial and command reference (Oct 26, 2026)
- VHS source license (Oct 26, 2026)