recordmydesktop

recordmydesktop [OPTIONS...] [OUTPUT_FILE]

Examples:
recordmydesktop --on-the-fly-encoding output.ogv
recordmydesktop --windowid 12345678 --no-sound my_window_recording.ogv

--output <file>
    Specifies the output filename. If not provided, it defaults to 'out.ogv'.

--no-sound
    Disables audio recording.

--windowid <id>
    Records a specific window identified by its X window ID.

--on-the-fly-encoding
    Encodes the video during recording, which might consume more CPU but provides the final file immediately upon stopping.

--fps <n>
    Sets the frames per second for video capture. Default is often 15.

--no-cursor
    Prevents the mouse cursor from being recorded in the video.

--pause <signal>
    Specifies a signal (e.g., SIGUSR1) to pause recording. Sending the same signal again resumes it.

--stop <signal>
    Specifies a signal (e.g., SIGUSR2) to stop recording.

recordmydesktop is a lightweight command-line tool designed for recording audio and video from a Linux desktop session. It captures screen activity and optionally audio inputs, saving the output to an
Ogg Theora video file (.ogv). Known for its efficiency and ease of use, it allows users to record the entire screen, specific windows, or defined regions. It supports on-the-fly encoding to reduce finalization time, or encoding upon exit.
It's a popular choice for creating tutorials, demonstrations, or capturing system behavior without significant system overhead.

The primary output format is Ogg Theora (.ogv), which may require specific players or conversion for broader compatibility. While efficient, 'on-the-fly-encoding' can be CPU-intensive. Files can become very large if recorded at high frame rates or resolutions for extended periods.

recordmydesktop can be controlled externally using standard Unix signals. For example, to pause/resume recording, you can send
SIGUSR1 (User-defined signal 1) to its process ID (PID). To stop, you can send
SIGUSR2 (User-defined signal 2) or
SIGTERM. This allows for scriptable control of the recording process.

Developed by John J. Cabello, recordmydesktop emerged as a lightweight, open-source solution for screen recording on Linux. It gained popularity for its simplicity and efficiency, especially in environments where more resource-intensive applications were not feasible. While newer, more feature-rich tools have appeared, it remains a reliable choice for basic screen capture.

ffmpeg(1), vlc(1), simplescreenrecorder(1)