Cap — An Open-Source Loom Alternative for Developers and Beyond
Why Another Screencast Tool?
Sound familiar? You need to quickly record a feature demo for colleagues or create a tutorial, but existing solutions are either too expensive or harvest your data. Cap offers a solution — a fully open-source alternative to the popular Loom service with self-hosting capabilities.
What makes it especially great — the project has already gathered over 12,000 stars on GitHub and is actively developing. Which means this isn't "just another startup", but a serious alternative with a community.
What Can Cap Do?
Cap's main feature is simplicity. It's a "record-and-share" tool that saves hours of explanations in chat. Here's what it can do:
- Instant screen recording — no complex settings, just a couple of clicks
- Basic editing — trimming right in the app
- Cloud and local hosting — use their server or deploy your own
- Cross-platform — versions for macOS, Windows, and a web interface
- Workflow integration — convenient links for quick access
Under the Hood
Cap is a great example of a modern tech stack:
- Frontend: React (Next.js) and SolidJS
- Backend: Rust via Tauri for desktop apps
- Database: MySQL (via Drizzle ORM)
- Styling: TailwindCSS
- Architecture: Turborepo-powered monorepo
Interestingly, the project uses different frameworks for different parts:
- Web version — Next.js
- Desktop — Tauri + SolidStart
This provides performance advantages and allows choosing optimal tools for each platform.
Practical Applications
Where will Cap come in handy?
- For developers — bug reports and demonstrating complex bugs
- For teams — quick idea sharing without long calls
- For educators — creating educational materials
- For podcasters — recording interviews with screen sharing
The self-hosting capability is especially valuable — you deploy a server on Railway or via Docker and get full control over your data.
Is It Worth Trying?
If you're tired of:
- Paying for subscriptions to similar services
- Worrying about the privacy of your recordings
- Installing heavy programs for simple screencasts
— then Cap definitely deserves attention. The project is actively developing, has a clear license (AGPLv3 for the main part) and a growing community.
For developers, it's also a great example of a modern monorepo with well-thought-out architecture. You can both use it and learn from the code!
Links to get started:
P.S. By the way, the project accepts contributors — if you want to participate in developing an open-source alternative to commercial services, now's the time to jump in!
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