Cutlass App overview

What Cutlass is

Cutlass is a free, open-source desktop video editor written in Rust. It is built around a native timeline, GPU preview, platform media backends, MP4 export, and an optional assistant that turns plain-language edit requests into normal timeline operations.

The project is local-first: your footage, timeline state, settings, and exported files stay on your machine unless you explicitly point the assistant at a cloud model provider.

What works today

The current alpha is a real editor foundation, not a mockup:

• Import video, audio, and generated visual layers into a multi-lane timeline.
• Trim, split, move, duplicate, link, unlink, ripple-delete, and multi-select clips.
• Change transform, opacity, speed, crop, flip, audio volume, fades, and keyframes.
• Add text, solids, shapes, effects, transitions, and adjustment layers.
• Scrub and play a live GPU preview with audio sync.
• Export H.264/AAC MP4 on implemented native media backends.

The edit model is separate from the UI. User gestures, tests, scripts, and the assistant all flow toward structured commands, so timeline changes stay visible, undoable, and reviewable.

Alpha boundaries

Cutlass is still early alpha. The macOS media path is the real working desktop target today, using AVFoundation and VideoToolbox through the operating system. Windows and Linux packages are kept in shape, but their native media backends are not implemented yet, so those builds are preview/dormant for media work.

The assistant UI and provider settings are present in the native app line, but the model bridge is still being ported. Treat assistant docs as setup and behavior documentation for the intended native workflow, with the current status called out clearly.

Where to go next

• Install the alpha from the downloads page.
• Learn how Cutlass stores app-owned projects and exports MP4 files.
• Configure the assistant provider fields for OpenAI-compatible endpoints.
• Build the Rust workspace locally if you want to contribute.