vhs

name	vhs
description	Create reproducible CLI demo recordings with Charmbracelet VHS. Use on 'vhs', 'tape', 'cli demo', 'terminal gif', 'terminal video'.

VHS Skill

Create polished CLI demos by writing .tape scripts for Charmbracelet VHS.

When to Use

• Recording CLI demos for docs or marketing
• Reproducible terminal GIF/MP4/WebM renders
• CLI integration testing via ASCII output

Prereqs (Read-Only Guidance)

• VHS requires ttyd and ffmpeg on PATH
• Fast local run: vhs demo.tape
• Docker run (no local deps):

  docker run --rm -v $PWD:/vhs ghcr.io/charmbracelet/vhs demo.tape
  

Tape Structure Rules

• Require and Set commands must appear before any non-setting command
• Use Output to define artifacts (.gif, .mp4, .webm, .ascii)
• Prefer deterministic outputs (no timestamps, no non-deterministic commands)

Recommended Defaults

Output demo.gif
Set Width 1200
Set Height 600
Set FontSize 34
Set TypingSpeed 80ms
Set CursorBlink false

Demo Flow Template

Output demo.gif
Set Width 1200
Set Height 600
Set FontSize 34
Set TypingSpeed 80ms
Set CursorBlink false

Require <your-cli>

Hide
Type "./your-cli --version"
Enter
Show

Type "./your-cli help"
Enter
Sleep 1s

Type "./your-cli demo"
Enter
Wait /Done/
Sleep 1s

Core Commands to Use

• Type, Enter, Sleep, Wait for pacing
• Hide/Show for setup/cleanup not shown on screen
• Require to fail fast if dependencies are missing
• Output for multiple formats when needed

Best Practices

• Use Wait /regex/ for long-running commands instead of fixed sleeps
• Use Hide for build/setup, Show for the visible demo
• Avoid spinners or long logs that bloat GIFs
• Prefer short demos with clear success output
• Use Output demo.ascii for golden-file testing in CI

Common Pitfalls

• Set commands placed after Type (ignored)
• Non-deterministic output (timestamps, random IDs)
• Missing Require for needed binaries
• Long-running commands without Wait

Output Format

When asked to create a tape, respond with:

Tape: <path>
Outputs: <list>
Notes: <assumptions or prerequisites>