How to Control Timing with Sleep

Overview

Add fixed-duration pauses to your recordings for pacing and readability.

Basic Sleep Syntax

Sleep <duration>

Duration consists of a number + unit suffix.

Duration Units

  • ms - Milliseconds
  • s - Seconds
  • m - Minutes

Examples:

Sleep 500ms    # Half a second
Sleep 2s       # 2 seconds
Sleep 1m       # 1 minute

When to Use Sleep

Use Sleep to control pacing at three key moments:

  • After typing - Give viewers time to read the command before pressing Enter
  • Before important actions - Build anticipation before key moments
  • After output - Let results sink in before proceeding
Type "npm install express"
Sleep 800ms        # After typing
Enter
Wait
Sleep 2s           # After output completes

Sleep vs Wait

Use Sleep when you know the exact duration needed:

Type "# Step 1: Install dependencies"
Enter
Sleep 1s           # Fixed pause
Type "npm install"
Enter
Wait               # Wait for actual completion

Use Wait when you need to sync with terminal output:

Exec "dotnet build"
Wait /Build succeeded/    # Waits for specific pattern

Combining Sleep and Wait

Use both in the same recording for optimal control:

Output "demo.gif"
  
# Show command with Sleep for pacing
Type "docker build -t myapp ."
Sleep 500ms
Enter
  
# Wait for actual build completion
Wait /Successfully built/
  
# Pause to let viewers see result
Sleep 2s
  
# Continue
Type "docker run myapp"
Enter
Wait

Choosing Sleep Durations

Match sleep duration to your audience and purpose:

  • Demo videos (experienced audience): 200-300ms pauses
  • Tutorials (learning audience): 1-2s pauses
  • Presentations: 1-1.5s pauses, with longer delays at key moments

Tip: For more natural pacing, combine slower typing speed with shorter sleeps:

Set TypingSpeed 80ms     # Slightly slower typing
Type "npm run test"
Sleep 400ms              # Shorter sleep needed
Enter

Tip: Use consistent sleep durations for similar actions to maintain rhythm.

Note: At 50fps, sleeps under 100ms may be barely noticeable (20ms = 1 frame).

Complete Example

This tutorial-style recording demonstrates effective sleep usage:

Output "tutorial.gif"
Set TypingSpeed 70ms
  
Type "# Let's create a new file"
Enter
Sleep 1s              # Let comment be read
  
Type "touch hello.txt"
Sleep 500ms           # Pause after typing
Enter
Wait
  
Sleep 1s              # Pause after completion
Type "# Now let's add some content"
Enter
Sleep 1s
  
Type "echo 'Hello World' > hello.txt"
Sleep 500ms
Enter
Wait
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