Moment: instant replay for Linux, with a clip library and a simple editor
I wanted a simple way to save something that had already happened during a game on Linux. That's what I've been working on with Moment: leave it running in the tray, press F8 after a good moment, and save the previous seconds as a clip. I'm using it on CachyOS with KDE Plasma and Wayland, and I'm looking for people willing to try the current version and report what works on their setup. The…
A simple Linux application called Moment has been developed to capture and save moments during games. The app runs in the system tray and can be triggered to save a clip by pressing F8 after a noteworthy event. The current version is being tested on CachyOS with KDE Plasma and Wayland, but feedback from other desktop environments and GPUs is also welcome.
When Moment is active, it maintains a rolling replay buffer. To save a clip, the F8 key is pressed, and to take a screenshot, F9 is used. The duration and shortcuts for these actions can be customized. Saved clips are organized in a local library that allows searching, marking favorites, and playback. From there, the clips can be edited using a basic trimming tool and exported as an MP4 using one of four quality presets. The original media remains on the disk.
Moment is built using C++ and Qt Quick, and it utilizes the XDG ScreenCast portal for screen access, along with PipeWire for handling frames. The replay buffer stores recent video frames and optional audio in memory. When a clip is saved, it is exported to a video file. The local library index is managed by SQLite, and FFmpeg handles the editing and preparation of MP4 files for potential sharing on online platforms.
The app does not require an online account for local recording, and its integration with the desktop environment is facilitated through the compositor's portal backend, which controls screen permissions and global shortcuts. While Moment currently only runs on KDE Plasma with Wayland, it aims to have a dedicated X11 capture backend in the future.
To try Moment, users can clone the repository from the MIT-licensed GitHub project, install it using the provided PKGBUILD for Arch Linux and derivatives, or follow the manual CMake instructions in the README. Initial testing should focus on capturing, saving, browsing, and trimming clips. Users are encouraged to provide feedback on hotkey reliability while a game has focus, audio synchronization, replay memory usage, and long-session stability.
Detailed bug reports, including distribution, desktop environment, GPU information, and reproduction steps, are appreciated.
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