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1. Get ClipAsm running

This chapter installs the CLI, creates a standalone project, and renders the included video. The following chapters will build a new source file one concept at a time.

Before you start

Install Rust 1.95 or newer. Rendering also requires ffmpeg and ffprobe on PATH.

rustc --version
cargo --version
ffmpeg -version
ffprobe -version

The exact output differs by system. rustc must report version 1.95 or newer.

1. Install the CLI

cargo install clipasm --locked

2. Create a project

clipasm init hello-video

3. Enter the project

cd hello-video

The new project contains:

.gitignore
README.md
clipasm.toml
main.clipasm
assets/
  morning.png
  meadow.png
  evening.png

These are ordinary files you control. init does not run Git, inspect media, render, or contact the network, and ClipAsm does not rewrite the project later.

4. Render the starter

clipasm render

ClipAsm checks the source, opens the three images, verifies the required media tools, and writes:

generated/scenic-sequence.mp4
generated/scenic-sequence.mp4.manifest.json

5. Check the video

Open the MP4 with your usual file manager or media player. You should see the morning, meadow, and evening scenes in that order.

You have confirmed that the CLI and media tools work. Leave main.clipasm unchanged. It remains a useful finished example while you build the same idea from an empty file.

Next, go from one image to a sequence.