> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/OpenCut-app/OpenCut/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction

> A free, open-source video editor for web, desktop, and mobile with privacy-first design

<img className="block dark:hidden" src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/opencut-app-opencut/images/hero-light.svg" alt="OpenCut Hero Light" />

<img className="hidden dark:block" src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/opencut-app-opencut/images/hero-dark.svg" alt="OpenCut Hero Dark" />

## What is OpenCut?

OpenCut is a free, open-source video editor that runs on web, desktop, and mobile platforms. Built with privacy-first principles, your videos stay on your device — no uploads, no watermarks, no subscriptions.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Privacy-first" icon="shield-check" color="#8b5cf6">
    Your videos never leave your device. All processing happens locally in your browser.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Completely free" icon="hand-holding-dollar" color="#a78bfa">
    No paywalls, no subscriptions, no watermarks. All features are free forever.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Easy to use" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" color="#7c3aed">
    Simple, intuitive interface inspired by CapCut. Timeline-based editing made easy.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Open source" icon="code" color="#8b5cf6">
    MIT licensed. Contribute, customize, or self-host your own instance.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Why OpenCut?

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Your privacy matters" icon="lock">
    Unlike cloud-based editors, OpenCut processes everything locally. Your videos, projects, and edits never touch our servers. You maintain complete control over your content.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="No more paywalls" icon="money-bill-slash">
    Most basic features in popular editors like CapCut are now locked behind subscriptions. OpenCut gives you professional editing tools without the price tag.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Simplicity is key" icon="sparkles">
    Complex editors like DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro are powerful but overwhelming. OpenCut focuses on the features most people actually use, making video editing accessible to everyone.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Key features

* **Timeline-based editing** — Multi-track timeline with drag-and-drop support
* **Real-time preview** — See your changes instantly as you edit
* **Multi-track support** — Layer video, audio, text, and effects
* **Keyboard shortcuts** — Speed up your workflow with customizable shortcuts
* **Project management** — Save and organize your editing projects
* **Export options** — Export videos in multiple formats and qualities
* **No watermarks** — Your videos, your brand
* **Cross-platform** — Works on web, desktop, and mobile

## Technology stack

OpenCut is built with modern web technologies:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Next.js 16" icon="react">
    React-based framework with server-side rendering
  </Card>

  <Card title="TypeScript" icon="code">
    Type-safe development
  </Card>

  <Card title="FFmpeg.wasm" icon="film">
    Browser-based video processing
  </Card>

  <Card title="Zustand" icon="database">
    Lightweight state management
  </Card>

  <Card title="Drizzle ORM" icon="table">
    Type-safe database queries
  </Card>

  <Card title="Bun" icon="sparkles">
    Fast JavaScript runtime
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Get started

Ready to start editing? Choose your path:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quick start" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
    Get OpenCut running locally in under 5 minutes
  </Card>

  <Card title="Installation guide" icon="download" href="/installation">
    Detailed setup for development and self-hosting
  </Card>

  <Card title="Contributing" icon="code-branch" href="/development/contributing">
    Help build the future of open-source video editing
  </Card>

  <Card title="Core concepts" icon="book" href="/concepts/editor-core">
    Learn about OpenCut's architecture
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Open source

OpenCut is MIT licensed and welcomes contributions from the community. The source code is available on [GitHub](https://github.com/OpenCut-app/OpenCut).

<Note>
  **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 supporting open-source software.
</Note>