OpenCut Documentation

Technical Documentation: OpenCut-app/OpenCut

ℹ️ Provenance: Multi-Tier Ingestion · CodeWiki Reference

Overview (`README.md`) Copy Section

| | OpenCut
A free and open source video editor for web, desktop, and mobile. |

| --- | --- |

Status Copy Chapter

OpenCut is being rewritten from the ground up. What's coming:

• An Editor API
• First-class third party plugins (made possible by a plugin-first architecture)
• Desktop, mobile, and browser from one codebase (Rust core)
• MCP server (for AI agents)
• Headless mode (automation, batch rendering)
• A scripting tab directly in the editor

You can still find the previous version at opencut-app/opencut-classic, which is the one to reach for today. opencut.app still runs the classic version. The rewrite will live at new.opencut.app until it's ready to take over.

Development Copy Chapter

Install proto if you haven't already:

Linux, macOS, WSL:

bash <(curl -fsSL https://moonrepo.dev/install/proto.sh)

Windows (PowerShell):

irm https://moonrepo.dev/install/proto.ps1 | iex

If shims fail to run, allow local scripts for your user:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser RemoteSigned

From the repo root:

proto use    # installs the tools pinned in .prototools

moon run web:dev       # localhost:5173
moon run api:dev       # localhost:8787
moon run desktop:dev   # see apps/desktop/README.md

Contributing Copy Chapter

We're not set up to take outside contributions yet while the architecture is being designed. If you want to follow along, ask questions, or just hang out, join the Discord or open an issue.

Sponsors Copy Chapter

OpenCut is supported by companies that believe in open source creator tools.

• fal.ai: Generative image, video, and audio models all in one place.

Want your logo here? Reach out at [email protected].

License Copy Chapter

MIT

Overview (`apps/desktop/README.md`) Copy Section

OpenCut Desktop

Built with GPUI.

[!WARNING]
Very early. Right now this is just a window that opens.

Running Copy Chapter

Rust is pinned in .prototools at the repo root (proto use installs it).

moon run desktop:dev     # cargo run
moon run desktop:check   # cargo check
moon run desktop:build   # cargo build --release

The first build compiles GPUI from source and takes a while. The root Cargo.lock is committed.

Platform requirements Copy Chapter

• macOS: Xcode command line tools (Metal renderer).
• Windows: no extra dependencies (Win32 + DirectWrite).
• Linux: renders via Vulkan (Blade), windows via Wayland or X11 (both enabled by default). System packages (Debian/Ubuntu names): libvulkan1 + working Vulkan drivers, libwayland-dev, libx11-xcb-dev, libxkbcommon-x11-dev, libfontconfig-dev, plus a C toolchain and cmake.
• WSL2/WSLg: uses XWayland automatically when available. GPUI 0.2.2 requires xdg_wm_base v2–5, while WSLg advertises v1.

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• Canonical Reference: https://codewiki.google/github.com/OpenCut-app/OpenCut