Charmbracelet VHS Best Practices

Comprehensive best practices guide for VHS terminal recordings, maintained by Charmbracelet. Contains 47 rules across 8 categories, prioritized by impact to guide creation of professional, portable, and optimized terminal demos.

When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:

• Writing new VHS tape files
• Creating terminal demos for documentation
• Setting up CI/CD for automated GIF generation
• Optimizing recording file size and quality
• Troubleshooting tape file issues
• Reviewing tape files for best practices

Rule Categories by Priority

Priority	Category	Impact	Prefix
1	Configuration Structure	CRITICAL	config-
2	Dependency Management	CRITICAL	deps-
3	Command Syntax	HIGH	cmd-
4	Timing & Synchronization	HIGH	timing-
5	Output Optimization	MEDIUM-HIGH	output-
6	Visual Quality	MEDIUM	visual-
7	CI/Automation	MEDIUM	ci-
8	Advanced Patterns	LOW	advanced-

Quick Reference

1. Configuration Structure (CRITICAL)

• config-settings-order - Place all settings before commands
• config-output-first - Declare output at file start
• config-shell-explicit - Explicitly set shell type
• config-typing-speed-global - Set global TypingSpeed early
• config-dimensions-explicit - Set explicit terminal dimensions
• config-comments-document - Use comments to document tape structure

2. Dependency Management (CRITICAL)

• deps-require-early - Use Require for dependency validation
• deps-require-order - Place Require before settings
• deps-require-all - Require all external commands
• deps-system-requirements - Verify system dependencies

3. Command Syntax (HIGH)

• cmd-type-syntax - Use correct Type command syntax
• cmd-enter-explicit - Always follow Type with Enter
• cmd-key-repeat - Use key repeat counts
• cmd-ctrl-combinations - Use Ctrl combinations for terminal control
• cmd-hide-show - Use Hide/Show for sensitive operations
• cmd-env-variables - Use Env for environment variables
• cmd-screenshot - Use Screenshot for static captures
• cmd-multiline-type - Handle multiline commands properly

4. Timing & Synchronization (HIGH)

• timing-sleep-after-enter - Add Sleep after commands for output
• timing-wait-pattern - Use Wait for dynamic command completion
• timing-type-speed-override - Override TypingSpeed for emphasis
• timing-sleep-units - Use explicit time units
• timing-final-sleep - End recordings with final Sleep
• timing-natural-pauses - Add natural pauses between actions
• timing-wait-timeout - Set appropriate Wait timeouts
• timing-playback-speed - Use PlaybackSpeed for final adjustments

5. Output Optimization (MEDIUM-HIGH)

• output-format-selection - Choose output format based on use case
• output-framerate - Optimize framerate for file size
• output-dimensions-optimize - Right-size terminal dimensions
• output-loop-offset - Use LoopOffset for seamless loops
• output-multiple-formats - Generate multiple output formats
• output-relative-paths - Use relative paths for portability

6. Visual Quality (MEDIUM)

• visual-font-readable - Choose readable font settings
• visual-theme-selection - Select appropriate theme
• visual-window-decoration - Add window decorations for polish
• visual-spacing - Adjust letter and line spacing
• visual-padding-margin - Use padding and margins effectively
• visual-cursor-visibility - Ensure cursor visibility

7. CI/Automation (MEDIUM)

• ci-github-action - Use official VHS GitHub Action
• ci-auto-commit - Auto-commit generated assets
• ci-golden-files - Use golden files for integration testing
• ci-matrix-builds - Generate platform-specific demos
• ci-caching - Cache VHS dependencies in CI

8. Advanced Patterns (LOW)

• advanced-source-include - Use Source for reusable tape components
• advanced-clipboard - Use Copy and Paste for complex input
• advanced-recording-live - Record live sessions then edit
• advanced-server-mode - Use server mode for remote access

How to Use

Read individual reference files for detailed explanations and code examples:

• Section definitions - Category structure and impact levels
• Rule template - Template for adding new rules

Reference Files

File	Description
AGENTS.md	Complete compiled guide with all rules
references/_sections.md	Category definitions and ordering
assets/templates/_template.md	Template for new rules
metadata.json	Version and reference information