OpenCut (prev AppCut) A free, open-source video editor for web, desktop, and mobile.

Why?

• Privacy: Your videos stay on your device
• Free features: Every basic feature of CapCut is paywalled now
• Simple: People want editors that are easy to use - CapCut proved that

Features

• Timeline-based editing
• Multi-track support
• Real-time preview
• No watermarks or subscriptions
• Analytics provided by Databuddy, 100% Anonymized & Non-invasive.

Project Structure

• apps/web/ – Main Next.js web application
• src/components/ – UI and editor components
• src/hooks/ – Custom React hooks
• src/lib/ – Utility and API logic
• src/stores/ – State management (Zustand, etc.)
• src/types/ – TypeScript types

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed on your system:

• Bun
• Node.js (for npm alternative)

Additional requirements for full-stack development:

• Docker and Docker Compose (only needed for database/auth features)

Frontend-only Development (Recommended for UI work)

If you're working on the UI/frontend and don't need authentication or database features:

1. Fork the repository

2. Clone your fork locally

3. Navigate to the web app directory: cd apps/web

4. Copy .env.example to .env.local:

   # Unix/Linux/Mac
   cp .env.example .env.local
   
   # Windows Command Prompt
   copy .env.example .env.local
   
   # Windows PowerShell
   Copy-Item .env.example .env.local
   

5. Install dependencies: bun install

6. Start the development server: bun dev

The application will be available at http://localhost:3000.

Note: This setup runs without Docker and is perfect for frontend development, UI improvements, and most feature work.

Full Development Setup (Database + Auth)

Only follow this if you need to work with authentication, user accounts, or database features.

1. Start the database and Redis services:

   # From project root
   docker-compose up -d
   

2. Navigate to the web app directory:

   cd apps/web
   

3. Copy .env.example to .env.local:

   # Unix/Linux/Mac
   cp .env.example .env.local
   
   # Windows Command Prompt
   copy .env.example .env.local
   
   # Windows PowerShell
   Copy-Item .env.example .env.local
   

4. Configure required environment variables in .env.local:

   Required Variables:

   # Database (matches docker-compose.yaml)
   DATABASE_URL="postgresql://opencut:opencutthegoat@localhost:5432/opencut"
   
   # Generate a secure secret for Better Auth
   BETTER_AUTH_SECRET="your-generated-secret-here"
   BETTER_AUTH_URL="http://localhost:3000"
   
   # Redis (matches docker-compose.yaml)
   UPSTASH_REDIS_REST_URL="http://localhost:8079"
   UPSTASH_REDIS_REST_TOKEN="example_token"
   
   # Development
   NODE_ENV="development"
   

   Generate BETTER_AUTH_SECRET:

   # Unix/Linux/Mac
   openssl rand -base64 32
   
   # Windows PowerShell (simple method)
   [System.Web.Security.Membership]::GeneratePassword(32, 0)
   
   # Cross-platform (using Node.js)
   node -e "console.log(require('crypto').randomBytes(32).toString('base64'))"
   
   # Or use an online generator: https://generate-secret.vercel.app/32
   

5. Run database migrations: bun run db:migrate from (inside apps/web)

6. Start the development server: bun run dev from (inside apps/web)

The application will be available at http://localhost:3000.

Contributing

We welcome contributions! While we're actively developing and refactoring certain areas, there are plenty of opportunities to contribute effectively.

🎯 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 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
• Create a feature branch and submit a PR

Sponsors

Thanks to Vercel for their support of open-source software.

License

MIT LICENSE

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