docs: refocus readme on rewrite

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<table width="100%"> <table width="100%">
<tr> <tr>
<td align="left" width="120"> <td align="left" width="120">
<img src="apps/web/public/logos/opencut/icon.svg" alt="OpenCut Logo" width="100" /> <img src="https://assets.opencut.app/branding/symbol.svg" alt="OpenCut Logo" width="100" />
</td> </td>
<td align="right"> <td align="right">
<h1>OpenCut</h1> <h1>OpenCut</h1>
<h3 style="margin-top: -10px;">A free, open-source video editor for web, desktop, and mobile.</h3> <h3 style="margin-top: -10px;">A free and open source video editor for web, desktop, and mobile.</h3>
</td> </td>
</tr> </tr>
</table> </table>
[![Discord](https://img.shields.io/discord/1386309140057690133?label=Discord&logo=discord&logoColor=fff&color=5865F2&style=flat)](https://discord.gg/zmR9N35cjK)
[![X](https://img.shields.io/badge/follow-%40opencutapp-000?logo=x&logoColor=fff&style=flat)](https://x.com/opencutapp)
[![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/license-MIT-green?style=flat)](LICENSE)
## Status
**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](https://github.com/opencut-app/opencut-classic), which is the one to reach for today. [opencut.app](https://opencut.app) still runs the classic version; the rewrite will live at [new.opencut.app](https://new.opencut.app) until it's ready to take over.
## Sponsors ## Sponsors
Thanks to [Vercel](https://vercel.com?utm_source=github-opencut&utm_campaign=oss) and [fal.ai](https://fal.ai?utm_source=github-opencut&utm_campaign=oss) for their support of open-source software. OpenCut is supported by companies that believe in open source creator tools.
<a href="https://vercel.com/oss"> - [**fal.ai**](https://fal.ai?utm_source=github-opencut&utm_campaign=oss): Generative image, video, and audio models all in one place.
<img alt="Vercel OSS Program" src="https://vercel.com/oss/program-badge.svg" />
</a>
<a href="https://fal.ai"> Want your logo here? Reach out at [sponsor@opencut.app](mailto:sponsor@opencut.app).
<img alt="Powered by fal.ai" src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Powered%20by-fal.ai-000000?style=flat&logo=data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMjQiIGhlaWdodD0iMjQiIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAyNCAyNCIgZmlsbD0ibm9uZSIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj4KPHBhdGggZD0iTTEyIDJMMTMuMDkgOC4yNkwyMCAxMEwxMy4wOSAxNS43NEwxMiAyMkwxMC45MSAxNS43NEw0IDEwTDEwLjkxIDguMjZMMTIgMloiIGZpbGw9IndoaXRlIi8+Cjwvc3ZnPgo=" />
</a>
## Why?
- **Privacy**: Your videos stay on your device
- **Free features**: Most basic CapCut features are now paywalled
- **Simple**: People want editors that are easy to use - CapCut proved that
## Project Structure
- `apps/web/`: Next.js web application
- `apps/desktop/`: Native desktop app built with GPUI (in progress)
- `rust/`: Platform-agnostic core: GPU compositor, effects, masks, and WASM bindings. We're actively migrating business logic here from TypeScript.
- `docs/`: Architecture and subsystem documentation
## Getting Started
### Prerequisites
- [Bun](https://bun.sh/docs/installation)
- [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/) and [Docker Compose](https://docs.docker.com/compose/install/)
> **Note:** Docker is optional but recommended for running the local database and Redis. If you only want to work on frontend features, you can skip it.
### Setup
1. Fork and clone the repository
2. Copy the environment file:
```bash
# Unix/Linux/Mac
cp apps/web/.env.example apps/web/.env.local
# Windows PowerShell
Copy-Item apps/web/.env.example apps/web/.env.local
```
3. Start the database and Redis:
```bash
docker compose up -d db redis serverless-redis-http
```
4. Install dependencies and start the dev server:
```bash
bun install
bun dev:web
```
The application will be available at [http://localhost:3000](http://localhost:3000).
The `.env.example` has sensible defaults that match the Docker Compose config — it should work out of the box.
### Desktop setup
Desktop is opt-in. If you're only working on the web app, skip this entirely.
If you want to get ready for `apps/desktop`, see [`apps/desktop/README.md`](apps/desktop/README.md). It's a two-step setup: Rust toolchain first, then desktop native dependencies.
### Local WASM development
Only needed if you're editing `rust/wasm` and want the web app to use your local build instead of the published package.
**Prerequisites** — install these once before anything else:
```bash
# Rust toolchain
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
# build the WASM package
cargo install wasm-pack
# reruns the build on file changes, used by bun dev:wasm
cargo install cargo-watch
```
1. Build the package once from the repo root:
```bash
bun run build:wasm
```
2. Register the generated package for linking:
```bash
cd rust/wasm/pkg
bun link
```
3. Link `apps/web` to the local package:
```bash
cd apps/web
bun link opencut-wasm
```
4. Rebuild on changes while you work:
```bash
bun dev:wasm
```
To switch `apps/web` back to the published package, run:
```bash
cd apps/web
bun add opencut-wasm
```
### Self-Hosting with Docker
To run everything (including a production build of the app) in Docker:
```bash
docker compose up -d
```
The app will be available at [http://localhost:3100](http://localhost:3100).
## Contributing ## Contributing
We welcome contributions! While we're actively developing and refactoring certain areas, there are plenty of opportunities to contribute effectively. 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](https://discord.gg/zmR9N35cjK) or [open an issue](https://github.com/opencut-app/opencut/issues).
**🎯 Focus areas:** Timeline functionality, project management, performance, bug fixes, and UI improvements outside the preview panel.
**⚠️ Avoid for now:** Preview panel enhancements (fonts, stickers, effects) and export functionality - we're refactoring these with a new binary rendering approach.
See our [Contributing Guide](.github/CONTRIBUTING.md) for detailed setup instructions, development guidelines, and complete focus area guidance.
**Quick start for contributors:**
- Fork the repo and clone locally
- Follow the setup instructions in CONTRIBUTING.md
- Working on `apps/desktop`? See [`apps/desktop/README.md`](apps/desktop/README.md) for setup
- Create a feature branch and submit a PR
## License ## License
[MIT LICENSE](LICENSE) [MIT](LICENSE)
---
![Star History Chart](https://api.star-history.com/svg?repos=opencut-app/opencut&type=Date)

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@ -14,11 +14,4 @@ export const SPONSORS: Sponsor[] = [
description: "Generative image, video, and audio models all in one place.", description: "Generative image, video, and audio models all in one place.",
invertOnDark: true, invertOnDark: true,
}, },
{
name: "Vercel",
url: "https://vercel.com?utm_source=opencut",
logo: "/logos/others/vercel.svg",
description: "Platform where we deploy and host OpenCut.",
invertOnDark: true,
},
]; ];