🎥 Linux Screen Recorder

A lightweight, dependency-free (except FFmpeg) command-line screen recorder for Linux (X11) with a simple interactive TUI menu.

Features

• Records at 60 FPS using libx264 (CRF 23 – good quality/size balance)
• Choice of resolution: 720p, 1080p, or native screen resolution
• Optional system audio capture (via PulseAudio monitor source)
• Clean stop with 'q' key (recommended) to avoid video corruption
• Very low CPU usage thanks to ultrafast preset
• Single-file C++17 source – easy to compile and run
• Colorful terminal interface with clear instructions

Requirements

• Linux with X11 (Wayland not supported)
• FFmpeg installed (libx264 and aac encoders must be available)
• xdpyinfo or xrandr (usually pre-installed) for resolution detection
• PulseAudio (for system audio capture)

Install FFmpeg (Ubuntu/Debian)

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ffmpeg

Installation

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/zenxSrc/screenRecorder.git
cd screenRecorder

Compile the single source file:

g++ -std=c++17 -O2 recorder.cpp -o screenrecorder

(You can also use -Wall -Wextra for stricter warnings if desired)

Usage

./screenrecorder

Follow the on-screen prompts:

• Choose video quality (720p / 1080p / Native)
• Choose whether to record system audio
• Enter output filename (defaults to recording.mp4)
• Press ENTER to begin recording
• Press q in the FFmpeg terminal window to stop gracefully

Important: Avoid using Ctrl+C to stop — it may result in a corrupted/incomplete video file.

Example Output Filename

• If you leave the filename blank → saves as recording.mp4
• You can also specify full paths: ~/Videos/my_gameplay.mp4

Known Limitations

• X11 only (no Wayland support yet)
• No microphone input (system audio only when enabled)
• No advanced encoding options (tuned for simplicity & performance)

Building on Other Distros

Fedora:

sudo dnf install ffmpeg gcc-c++

Arch:

sudo pacman -S ffmpeg gcc

Contributing

Feel free to open issues or pull requests — especially welcome are Wayland support or additional features while keeping it minimal.

License

MIT License