OpenCut

OpenCut is an experimental desktop video tool written in Rust with GPUI. The rust workspace contains shared libraries under rust/libs and these applications under rust/apps:

• editor: a non-destructive, folder-based multi-track editor.
• player: a debugging player for a video, audio, or timeline file.
• cli: a headless tool for probing, validating, and exporting timelines; see its README.

The project is an active prototype rather than a production-ready editor.

Devlog: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRz1nfZl0jMU

Requirements

• Latest stable Rust (edition 2024)
• Existing FFmpeg development libraries in rust/vendor/ffmpeg-8.1.2/; do not build FFmpeg locally
• On macOS: Xcode command line tools and pkg-config (brew install pkg-config)

Build and run

Run commands from rust. Each command selects a platform explicitly:

cargo editor-mac                 # Windows: cargo editor-win
cargo player-mac <file>          # Windows: cargo player-win <file>
cargo build-editor-mac
cargo build-player-mac
cargo test-mac                   # Windows: cargo test-win

Editor, build, and test aliases accept extra Cargo flags such as --release. Player aliases already include Cargo's -- separator, so pass the file directly. For a release player run, use cargo run --config .cargo/cli.toml -p player --release -- <file> on macOS. These are native host commands, not cross-compilation commands. Editor aliases load .cargo/macos.toml or .cargo/windows.toml; player aliases use the FFmpeg-only .cargo/cli.toml or .cargo/ffmpeg-windows.toml. Small shell runners set the runtime library paths for the vendored FFmpeg.

For other Cargo operations, pass the platform configuration:

cargo check --config .cargo/macos.toml -p editor   # Windows: .cargo/windows.toml

Documentation

• Design spec: user stories and acceptance criteria for the editor, including supported files, shortcuts, and project data.
• Rust style: naming, syntax, and source organization.
• OpenCut conventions: GPUI, timeline, and vendored-code rules.
• Architecture: state, events, execution, and mutation boundaries.
• General rules: workflow, validation, and general correctness.
• UI design: design new UI first as static pages in design/system.
• Thoughts: essays on the project.

Development

cargo test-mac # Windows: cargo test-win
cargo check --config .cargo/macos.toml --all-targets --all-features
cargo clippy --config .cargo/macos.toml --all-features

Use .cargo/windows.toml on Windows. Plain cargo test loads no platform configuration; use test-mac or test-win for the editor and its native media dependencies.