pear-rec: Capture Screenshots and Record Screen, Audio, and Video

Overview

pear-rec brings screenshots, screen recording, audio and video recording, and animated GIF creation into one cross-platform application. It addresses the need to switch between separate capture and preview tools by combining those workflows with image editing and media playback.

The project uses Electron for its desktop application and React for its interface, with WebRTC and WebCodecs for capture and media processing. It may suit users looking for an open-source capture utility with both desktop and web versions. See the official site for documentation and the repository for source and releases.

Key Features

• Capture and annotate screenshots, with cropping, drawing tools, shapes, filters, and a color picker.
• Record the screen and capture still images, with options such as custom size and mute.
• Record audio and video, then download recorded audio.
• Create and edit GIFs from recordings.
• Preview and manage images, including zoom, rotation, printing, and QR code recognition.
• Preview video and audio, and edit images with integrated tools.
• Use the interface in Chinese, English, or German.

Use Cases

• A developer or support specialist can capture a screen, mark up an issue, and share the image without opening a separate editor.
• A teacher or presenter can record a screen walkthrough or video and use screenshots to document steps.
• A user making quick demonstrations can create short GIFs from recordings.
• Someone who needs occasional audio capture can record and download audio from the same application.

Getting Started

Requires Git, Node.js, and pnpm. To install dependencies and run the web app:

git clone https://github.com/027xiguapi/pear-rec.git
cd pear-rec
pnpm install
pnpm run dev:web

For desktop and server commands, platform downloads, and further setup details, see the README.

Alternatives

• openscreen: OpenScreen focuses on polished product demos with cursor effects and annotations, and is archived; pear-rec also covers screenshots, audio, and GIFs.
• Recordly: Recordly centers on polished screen-recorded walkthroughs and timeline editing, while pear-rec also offers screenshots, audio recording, and broader capture tools.

Considerations

The README describes features that may be in development and not included in the latest release. The feature checklist also marks some screenshot, recording, and editing capabilities as unfinished, so check current releases before relying on a specific feature. Running from source requires Node.js and pnpm; the project also depends on Electron and browser media technologies such as WebRTC and WebCodecs.