cartcut

CartCut is an open-source video editor focused on motion effects and versatility. It uses a layer-based editing model rather than traditional track-based editing, allowing multiple effects to be applied to individual assets with greater flexibility. Core editing capabilities include cut editing, animation (re-position, scale, opacity, rotation with keyframes), text overlays, shape drawing, chromakey, blur effects via WebGL, and a range of effects and transitions. It supports standard media formats (mp4, mov, mp3, wav, and others), audio mixing, and unlimited layers. Rendering is handled through FFmpeg, and the project supports resolutions up to 8K. Projects can be saved and loaded as files. Additional built-in tools include screen recording, audio recording, and AI auto-caption generation using Whisper. The software is cross-platform and offers multilingual support, with external extension support for added functionality. A notable feature is integration with AI agents through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). CartCut exposes its live timeline over MCP, enabling Claude Code to perform edits such as cutting from a transcript, adding subtitles, trimming, restaging clips, and applying motion, transitions, and effects. AI-driven edits are written into the application's undo history, so they can be reverted with standard undo commands. A Claude Code plugin is available for installation. Installation requires Node.js dependencies and native FFmpeg/ffprobe binaries placed in a platform-specific bin folder. macOS builds require native binaries with specific encoder support (libx264, libx265, libvpx-vp9, prores_ks, and VideoToolbox). The project is released under the MIT license.