OpenReelio CLI
Video editing for agents: openreelio-cli with JSON output and an MCP server cuts, captions, renders and verifies a clip
- 92 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Extended access
Why this level
- Reads video files and runs FFmpeg, MCP paths are confined to the project folder, and project media is read where it lives
- The `--allow-write` flag lets an MCP client change the project without confirmation
- The app installers are unsigned and the OS shows a warning
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add cli/openreelioDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- Reads video files and runs FFmpeg, MCP paths are confined to the project folder, and project media is read where it lives
- The `--allow-write` flag lets an MCP client change the project without confirmation
- The app installers are unsigned and the OS shows a warning
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
OpenReelio is a desktop video editor built on Tauri and Rust, and it has a windowless mode for agents. The `openreelio-cli` package keeps a project on disk as a command log plus a state snapshot, so every edit is recorded, undoable and replayable. Subcommands import media, cut and move clips on the timeline, add transitions and titles, start a render and print the result as a single JSON document on stdout. Progress goes to stderr. The agent gets eyes: `analysis shots`, `analysis silence` and `analysis audio` return shot boundaries, pauses and loudness, and `frame extract` returns frames. The `verify` loop runs 25 checks (timeline gaps, caption overlap, black frames, LUFS loudness) and exits with code 0, 1 or 2 depending on the `--fail-on` threshold. The same program is an MCP server: `npx openreelio-cli mcp --stdio --project <dir>`. By default sixteen read-only tools are available, and the `--allow-write` flag adds `openreelio.media.insert` and `openreelio.plan.apply`. Client paths are confined to the project folder. For Codex the repository includes an `openreelio-codex` plugin.
Who it is for. Creators of short videos and developers who ask Claude Code, Codex or Cursor to assemble, caption and verify a cut without hands-on editing.
Good fit when
- A vertical 1080x1920 clip has to be assembled from several sources with cuts on shot boundaries
- An agent should check the finished cut itself: gaps, caption overlaps, LUFS loudness
- Editing steps must be reproducible: the command log lets you roll back any step
- A vision model needs frames from the clip through MCP so it can judge the result
- From Codex you only want to read project state and validate an edit plan without writing
Not a fit when
- You want one-command editing from a description with no project on disk: the tool keeps a full timeline project
- You need a ready cloud app or collaboration: cloud project sync is only on the roadmap
- You need video generation by models such as Sora or Runway: it is listed as future work
- The MCP server must reach files outside the project folder: paths beyond it are rejected
Example request
Create a 1080x1920 OpenReelio project, import talk.mp4, cut pauses longer than half a second and run verifyLimitations
- The project is Pre-Alpha (versions before 0.5.0): scene detection, quality checks and plugins are described as early.
- OS code signing is not set up, and Windows and macOS show a first-run warning. Linux builds are glibc only.
- `--allow-write` drops the approval prompt for write tools and is meant for a locally trusted client.
- Transcription needs a separate build with the Whisper feature, which in turn needs libclang.
How to disable. `claude mcp remove openreelio` disconnects the server in Claude Code, and the `openreelio` entry is deleted from `.cursor/mcp.json`. `npm uninstall -g openreelio-cli` removes the global package. Projects on disk stay as ordinary folders and are deleted by hand.
FAQ
How do I connect OpenReelio to Claude Code as an MCP server?
Create a project with `openreelio-cli project create`, then add the server: `claude mcp add openreelio -- npx openreelio-cli mcp --stdio --project <dir>`. Without `--allow-write`, write tools are unavailable.
What does the read-only mode of the MCP server mean?
Sixteen tools read the project, validate a plan, extract frames and run verification. Writing to the command log is enabled with `--allow-write` or a single-call `OPENREELIO_MCP_APPROVAL_TOKEN`.
Can I undo an agent's edit?
Yes. Every edit is a command in the log, so undo and history work, and `plan execute` applies a batch of edits atomically.
Do I need FFmpeg separately?
The app installers bundle FFmpeg and FFprobe. For the CLI you can point to your own binaries with `OPENREELIO_FFMPEG_PATH` and `OPENREELIO_FFPROBE_PATH`.
Does it work without the desktop app?
Yes. The `openreelio-cli` package installs through npm and runs headless, with the platform binary delivered as an optional dependency.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
Related
CLI toolsAn open-source video editor with a Codex plugin: the agent opens a project in the side panel, imports media, edits in batches
Reelpack breaks a local video into transcript, cuts, on-screen text and music beats so an agent reads it without watching.
A video editor with a local MCP server: an agent reviews the cut, edits the timeline and starts exports, ComfyUI generates
Local video editing for agents: typed tools over FFmpeg, quality checks and a provenance receipt before you publish
Ralphy: CLI for agent-made video and content
Ralphy Video CLI
Ralphy gives Claude Code, Cursor and Codex commands for making video: templates, frame generation with a cost preview, mp4 render
An MCP server with 59 tools for CapCut and OpenCut editing: tracks, clips, text, transitions and voiceover from Cursor and Codex.
Comparison with similar tools
Cards that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Tool | Official | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenReelio (this card) | no | 92 | |
| ffmpeg-skill | no | 5,244 | a skill and MCP over FFmpeg with no project of its own, while OpenReelio keeps a timeline project with a command log |
| video-use | no | 30,994 | an editing skill for Claude Code and Codex, while OpenReelio adds a desktop editor, an MCP server and a verify loop |
README in short
The README presents OpenReelio as a video editor for creators with a prompt-first approach. It lists editing features, AI integration, WASM plugins, quality control and GPU-accelerated encoding. The agent section shows how to start `openreelio-cli` and the MCP server and explains how paths are confined. It also covers installing from builds or source, the project structure and a roadmap.