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Overview

Cap is an open source and privacy-focused alternative to Loom. It’s a video messaging tool built with a modern stack including Rust, React, Next.js, and Tauri.

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Prerequisites

Before setting up Cap, ensure you have the following installed:
  • Node.js version 20 or higher
  • Rust version 1.88.0 or higher
  • pnpm version 8.10.5 or higher (recommended: 10.5.2)
  • Docker (OrbStack recommended for macOS)

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Platform-Specific Requirements

Windows:
  • LLVM
  • Clang
  • VCPKG
macOS:
  • CMake
pnpm cap-setup does not yet install these platform-specific dependencies automatically.

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Installation

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1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/CapSoftware/Cap.git
cd Cap

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2. Install Dependencies

pnpm install

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3. Setup Native Dependencies

Install native dependencies including FFmpeg: 
pnpm cap-setup

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4. Configure Environment

Generate a .env file configured for your environment: 
pnpm env-setup
This interactive command will:
  • Ask which apps you intend to run
  • Configure Docker for local S3 (MinIO) and MySQL
  • Allow you to provide custom overrides

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5. Setup Database

Generate and push database schema: 
pnpm db:generate
pnpm db:push

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Running Cap

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Run Both Desktop and Web

pnpm dev
This starts both @cap/desktop and @cap/web together.

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Run Desktop Only

pnpm dev:desktop

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Run Web Only

pnpm dev:web
Or alternatively: 
cd apps/web
pnpm dev

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macOS Permissions

When running @cap/desktop from a terminal on macOS, permissions (screen recording, microphone, etc.) apply to the terminal application, not the Cap app.
If you run pnpm dev:desktop in macOS Terminal.app, grant permissions to Terminal.app, not Cap - Development.app.

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Recording Storage Locations

Your recordings are stored in the following locations: macOS: 
~/Library/Application Support/so.cap.desktop.dev/recordings
Windows: 
%programfiles%/so.cap.desktop.dev/recordings

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Docker Services

When running pnpm dev or pnpm dev:web, Docker will automatically start:
  • MySQL database
  • MinIO S3 server
To manage Docker services manually: 
pnpm docker:up
pnpm docker:stop
pnpm docker:clean

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Database Management

Open Drizzle Studio to view and manage your database: 
pnpm db:studio

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Quality Tools

Run code quality checks: 
pnpm lint
pnpm format
pnpm typecheck

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Next Steps

Architecture

Learn about the monorepo structure and codebase organization

Contributing

Guidelines for contributing to Cap

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