Getting Started

In this tutorial, you'll create a simple terminal recording that outputs a GIF. You'll install VCR#, write a basic tape file, and run your first recording. This takes about 5 minutes.

By the end, you'll have a working animated GIF showing "Hello, VCR#!" appearing in a terminal.

Prerequisites

You'll need:

.NET 10 SDK installed
Windows, macOS, or Linux
A terminal/command prompt

Installing FFmpeg

FFmpeg is required for encoding videos and GIFs.

choco install ffmpeg

brew install ffmpeg

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ffmpeg

Verify installation:

bash

ffmpeg -version

Installing ttyd

ttyd (>= 1.7.2) is required for terminal emulation.

choco install ttyd

brew install ttyd

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ttyd

Verify installation:

bash

ttyd --version

Installation

Install VCR#

Install VCR# globally using the .NET CLI:

bash

dotnet tool install --global vcr

Verify Installation

Confirm all dependencies are installed correctly:

bash

# Check VCR# (lists the built-in themes)
vcr themes
  
# Check FFmpeg
ffmpeg -version
  
# Check ttyd
ttyd --version

vcr themes should print a table of built-in themes, and the other two commands should display version information. If any command isn't found, revisit the Prerequisites section above.

Your First Recording

Create a Tape File

Create a new file called hello.tape with this content:

tape

Output hello.gif
  
Set Cols 80
Set Rows 20
Set Theme "Dracula"
  
Type "echo 'Hello, VCR#!'"
Enter
Sleep 1s

Let's look at what each line does:

Output hello.gif - Names your output file
Set Cols/Rows - Sets terminal size (80 columns × 20 rows)
Set Theme - Chooses the Dracula color scheme
Type - Simulates typing text character-by-character
Enter - Presses the Enter key
Sleep 1s - Pauses for 1 second

Run the Recording

Now run VCR# with your tape file:

bash

vcr hello.tape

You'll see VCR# start a browser, execute your commands, and encode the video. This takes 10-20 seconds.

When it finishes, VCR# prints ✓ Recording complete, followed by a ✓ Videos rendered: list showing hello.gif and its file size.

View Your Output

Open hello.gif in your browser or image viewer. You should see something like this — an SVG recording produced by the same tape file rendering through VCR#'s SVG encoder:

An empty terminal appears
Text is typed: echo 'Hello, VCR#!'
The command executes
Output appears: Hello, VCR#!
The terminal pauses briefly

Notice how the typing appears character-by-character, just like a real terminal session. This creates the animated effect that makes your recordings look realistic.

What's Next?

Congratulations! You've created your first terminal recording.

Ready to build something more interesting? Try the Typing Demo tutorial to learn how to create realistic terminal interactions with navigation and editing.