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SPECIFICTION
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Clapshot

github.com

Free plan WebWindowsmacOSLinuxSelf-hosted
Visit github.com
Spec score 8.9 #4 of 36 in Video Review Software

What it is

Clapshot is a self-hosted tool for teams reviewing video, audio, and image files, including subtitle tracks. It is aimed at organizations that want to keep media outside commercial cloud services. Reviewers can watch together with synchronized playback and seeking, share review links, and discuss time-coded comments in threads. The browser player includes frame-by-frame navigation, loop controls, editable SMPTE timecode fields, waveform visualization for audio, timeline pins, and drawing annotations with seven colors.

Media can be uploaded through the web interface or read from a monitored folder, which can assign users based on file ownership or folder names. FFmpeg handles transcoding, thumbnails, and metadata extraction; custom scripts and hardware acceleration are supported. Authentication can connect through a reverse proxy to OAuth, LDAP, Kerberos, or SAML, and notification hooks can connect to email, Slack, or other systems. Deployment options include Docker Compose and a Debian package for Debian 12 or 13. The server and client are GPLv2 licensed. Clapshot is free at free. Mobile browser support is limited, and desktop Chrome or Chromium is recommended.

Spec sheet

Purpose
Clapshot is an open-source, self-hosted tool for collaborative video and media review and annotation, aimed mainly at organizations that cannot or will not put media in commercial cloud services.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
Intended users
The project advises users who do not need local hosting or are not comfortable with networking and Linux to consider commercial cloud services instead.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
Deployment
The project documents Docker Compose deployments and a Debian package installer for Debian 12/13 hosts.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
Integrations
Authentication can be connected through a reverse proxy to systems such as OAuth, LDAP, Kerberos, or SAML, and custom Organizer plugins support external integrations.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
Security
The project recommends HTTPS through a reverse proxy for internet-facing deployments and warns that monitored-folder file ownership must match the intended access model.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
License
The Clapshot Server and Client are licensed under GPLv2, while the gRPC/proto3 libraries and example organizer plugins use MIT licenses.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
Audience and prerequisites
The project advises people who do not need local hosting or are not comfortable with networking and Linux to consider commercial cloud services instead.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Collaboration
Users can share remote viewing sessions with synchronized playback, seeking, and annotations, and generate shareable review links.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Extensibility
Organizer plugins communicate over gRPC and can be written in Python, Rust, TypeScript, or other languages for custom workflows and integrations.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Licensing
The Clapshot server and client are licensed under GPLv2, while gRPC/proto3 libraries and example organizer plugins are MIT-licensed.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Media ingestion
Media can be uploaded through the web interface or processed from a monitored folder; folder ingestion can assign users based on file ownership or folder names.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Media processing
Clapshot uses FFmpeg for transcoding, thumbnails, and metadata extraction, with configurable scripts and hardware acceleration support.Read 11 Oct 2026 · raw.githubusercontent.com
Media types
It supports video, audio, and image files, including subtitle track management.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Mobile limitation
Mobile browser support is limited; the feature overview reports iOS/iPad player-control issues and failed drawing annotation submission on mobile browsers.Read 11 Oct 2026 · raw.githubusercontent.com
Platform limitations
The project says Windows, macOS, and Linux are supported operating systems, while mobile support is limited and desktop Chrome or Chromium is recommended.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Player tools
The player includes loop controls, frame-by-frame navigation, editable SMPTE timecode fields, and audio waveform visualization.Read 11 Oct 2026 · raw.githubusercontent.com
Processing
Clapshot uses FFmpeg for transcoding and thumbnail generation, and supports custom processing scripts and hardware acceleration.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Review features
Reviewers can synchronize playback in real time, add drawing annotations, and discuss time-coded comments in threads.Read 11 Oct 2026 · raw.githubusercontent.com
Review tools
The browser client includes frame stepping, loop controls, time-coded threaded comments, timeline pins, and drawing annotations with a seven-color palette.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Security setup
The project recommends HTTPS through a reverse proxy for internet-facing deployments and warns that monitored-folder file ownership must match the intended access model.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Slack
An optional companion bot posts rich Clapshot link previews in Slack channels using Socket Mode and a channel allowlist.Read 11 Oct 2026 · raw.githubusercontent.com
Storage
Clapshot stores metadata in SQLite and media in the file system.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com
Supported media
It supports video, audio, and image files, with subtitle track management.Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com

Plans and prices

Clapshot (open-source self-hosted) Free Self-hosted deployment · GPLv2 server and client Read 11 Oct 2026 · github.com

Every Clapshot plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Synchronized playback, seeking, and shareable review links.
  • Supports video, audio, images, and subtitle tracks.
  • Custom scripts and hardware acceleration are supported.
  • Authentication can connect through a reverse proxy.

Limits

  • Mobile browser support is limited.
  • Internet-facing deployments are advised to use HTTPS through a reverse proxy.
  • Folder ownership must match the intended access model.

Who it suits

Clapshot suits organizations that need locally hosted collaborative media review and have the networking and Linux knowledge to deploy it. Teams relying on mobile browsers should account for the limited mobile support.

Verdict

Clapshot combines collaborative review tools with self-hosted media storage and processing. Its setup and limited mobile support are important considerations for teams choosing it.

Where Specifiction places it

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