Turn a whiteboard explanation into a video, with an optional webcam and a private teleprompter.
Free, local-first, and self-hostable. No account, credit card, or AI key is needed to sketch, record, edit, and download a take. Pre-1.0: download videos you care about; browser storage is not a backup.
Install Node.js 22.22.2 or newer within 22.x (with npm) and Git. Use desktop Chromium for the recording walkthrough; mobile is for project preparation.
git clone https://github.com/chelsea-hq/sketchcast.git
cd sketchcast
npm ci
npm run devWait for Next.js to print Ready, then open localhost:3000/studio. You should see Make your next idea clear., three teaching starters, and your local projects. No environment file is required. With nvm installed, nvm use selects the repo's Node version.
Features · First recording · Project files · Configuration · Self-hosting · Contributing · Roadmap
- Editable whiteboard: draw with Excalidraw, paste images, or turn a topic into a diagram and talk track. No-key generation uses templates; provider AI is optional.
- Three free teaching starters: explain a process, compare two ideas, or teach a concept with an original editable board and sample script. Each opens as a separate local project.
- Board + webcam recording: capture landscape (1920×1080), portrait (1080×1920), or square (1080×1080). Camera and microphone are optional.
- Private teleprompter: scroll your script over the stage without including it in the video.
- Local projects and files: autosave, actual board previews, search, sorting, and duplication. Download or import a
.sketchcastproject file to move boards, scripts, and layouts between browsers. Recordings stay in the local Recovery Vault and need separate downloads. - Edit and export: review takes, make manual cuts, and export in the selected format. Optional Deepgram transcription enables word-based cuts.
- Reusable layouts and post copy: save board/script layouts and draft hooks, titles, descriptions, and hashtags.
- Optional encrypted project sync: explicitly configured hosts can sync encrypted boards, scripts, and layouts between devices. Video takes are excluded.
For a prepared example, select Explain a process under Skip the blank canvas, then continue at step 4. The three starters use original boards and scripts included under this repository's MIT license; they need no account, key, or paid service.
- Choose Build a diagram, name your project, and select Create and prepare.
- Enter
Plant a seed -> Add water -> Give it light -> Watch it grow, then Generate diagram. Without a provider key, the result is labeled Template mode. - Select Add to board and optionally Use script. Position the diagram inside the recorded area.
- Select Record to check the frame and output format. Connect camera + mic if wanted, or leave them off for a silent board-only take.
- Select Start recording, wait for the countdown, and explain your idea. Select Stop & save when finished.
- Review the take, wait for its local-save confirmation, then download it or open the editor. Edited export runs locally in real time; keep the tab visible.
Clearing site data, changing browser profiles or site origins, and storage eviction can make local work unavailable. Use Download project to keep an unencrypted copy of your board, supported images, script, and layout, up to 10 MiB. Download final videos separately. See project files for import steps and format limits, and the release checklist for browser verification steps.
The default Community installation needs no hosted accounts or credentials.
| Action | Where data goes |
|---|---|
| Sketch, record, manually edit, download | This browser; drafts and takes use local storage/IndexedDB |
| Import, duplicate, or download a project file | This browser; no project content is uploaded. Files are unencrypted and exclude recordings, keys, recovery codes, and account state |
| Generate diagrams or copy without a key | The Sketchcast server receives the topic/notes and returns a template; no AI provider is called |
| Generate with your provider key | The browser sends the key and prompt to the Sketchcast server, which calls your selected provider without persisting the key |
| Load a transcript | Audio is sent through the Sketchcast server to Deepgram when you request transcription |
| Run encrypted sync | Encrypted project metadata goes to the host's private Blob store; the recovery code and video takes are excluded |
Open Keys in the studio to select Anthropic, OpenAI, OpenRouter, or Gemini and optionally set a model identifier. Optional Deepgram keys go in the same settings. Keys use session storage by default; remembering them on the device is an explicit opt-in.
Provider usage is billed by your provider. Browser storage can be read by a compromised device, extension, or injected script. Use a host you trust and separate provider keys with appropriate limits. Read SECURITY.md and the security model.
Local-first does not mean fully offline. The app and template generation need the Next.js server. Installation/build requires network access, including Google font downloads. Board fonts are served locally with a narrowly allowed Excalidraw CDN fallback.
All optional variables and defaults are in .env.example. Setting SKETCHCAST_ALLOW_SERVER_KEYS=true alone does not enable host-funded keys: an authenticated active Creator subscription and durable quota are also required, even locally. Community users should enter keys in the studio.
Run a production build with Node 22:
npm ci
npm run build
npm run startOpen localhost:3000/studio. Remote hosting needs HTTPS for device access and a Next.js-compatible server; this is not a static HTML export.
Keep SKETCHCAST_ALLOW_SERVER_KEYS=false and SKETCHCAST_ENABLE_CLOUD_SYNC=false for the default public BYOK experience. In-app rate limits are process-local; public hosts need their own durable platform limits. Firewall rules from another deployment do not transfer with a clone.
To offer encrypted sync, explicitly enable it, configure a private Vercel Blob store, and add durable rate limits and storage budgets. Consult the safe hosting profiles.
Creator Cloud is optional. The repository includes Clerk, Stripe, and Upstash integrations for a hosted service. Their presence does not mean checkout or funded features are enabled on a deployment. Follow Creator Cloud setup and verify the complete account/billing/quota flow before offering it. Community works without those services.
Read CONTRIBUTING.md, the Code of Conduct, and the roadmap.
npm run check
npm run audit:allcheck runs ESLint, standalone TypeScript checks, Vitest, and a production build. audit:all blocks high/critical advisories in runtime and contributor dependencies; audit:release checks runtime dependencies only. CI runs these checks and the production-mode Chromium suite; CodeQL and Dependabot are configured separately. Run the separate Chromium suite with npm run test:e2e after the browser-test setup. A successful build does not certify camera, recording, or export behavior in every browser.
Dependency status, October 16, 2026: the full and production audit gates pass, each reporting 0 critical, high, or moderate findings and 4 low affected package records in the KaTeX dependency family. Sketchcast temporarily replaces inherited braces with exact-pinned @dieub/braces-depth-guard@3.0.3-pn.3. Read the replacement guide for its reviewed source, depth protections, remaining limits, and retirement conditions. No advisory is suppressed; passing these gates does not mean the dependency tree has no vulnerabilities.
For branded forks, use the customization guide and optional Sketchcast Customizer skill. Report vulnerabilities privately through SECURITY.md.
Licensed under the MIT License. Built with Excalidraw, Next.js, and React; dependencies retain their own licenses.