hyperframes-cli

HyperFrames CLI dev loop — `npx hyperframes` for scaffolding (init), validation (lint, inspect), preview, render, and environment troubleshooting (doctor, browser, info, upgrade). Use when running any of these commands or troubleshooting the HyperFrames build/render environment. For asset preprocessing commands (`tts`, `transcribe`, `remove-background`), invoke the `hyperframes-media` skill instead.

npx skills add https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes --skill hyperframes-cli

Plugin installs: Before setup or freshness commands, follow plugin execution rules when this skill is inside a HyperFrames plugin.

HyperFrames CLI

Run npx hyperframes <command> unless the project gives a wrapper; then use the wrapper. It needs Node.js 22+ and FFmpeg. Every command has --help; most take --json, and a failure prints ✗ …, a Fix: line and exits non-zero.

Commands by job

JobCommands
Startinit <dir> (blank; --example <name> only when asked), capture <url>
Read a projectinfo, compositions, timeline --json, docs <topic>
Check itlint while writing; check --json as the gate (lint, runtime, layout, contrast)
Look at itsnapshot (--at <t,…>, --range START,END, --composition <id>, --zoom, --angle, --against <video>), keyframes, compare, audio
Edit the timelinetimeline with move, trim, split, set, duplicate, delete, apply, undo, ids
Reusecatalog, add (/hyperframes-registry)
Media and soundmedia-treatment, grade-compare, remove-background, tts, transcribe, beats, normalize-audio (/media-use)
Show and shippreview, present (/slideshow), render, publish, cloud, lambda, cloudrun
Desktop appopen, catch-up
Upkeepdoctor, browser, upgrade, skills, usage, clean, feedback

validate, inspect and layout are deprecated aliases of check; events is telemetry for skills' own scripts. Don't run them.

The loop

  1. Write, then npx hyperframes lint after the first pass and after structural changes.
  2. npx hyperframes check --json and fix every error. While a lint error remains the layout and contrast audits don't run; "0 samples" means nothing was checked. Contrast failures carry a suggestedColor. A finding at a single sample (an entrance in flight) is info; a 3 s+ video with no visible change fails sweep_static.
  3. npx hyperframes snapshot and read the PNGs (under .hyperframes/artifacts/snapshots/): that is how you see the video. With sub-compositions, snapshot a midpoint of every scene; tiny unstyled content or a missing hero is a mount defect (../hyperframes/references/format.md).
  4. npx hyperframes preview --background, check the URL answers 200, give the person the project URL and wait, unless they asked for the file or for no stops. Passing checks alone is not a reason to render.
  5. When it is time to render (step 4): npx hyperframes render --quality looks --output out.mp4 (draft while iterating, delivery for the final). Confirm the file is non-empty and its ffprobe duration matches the root data-duration, then look at decoded frames.

"This element" or the current selection: npx hyperframes preview --context --json --context-fields selection; no-selection means ask them to click it.

Edit the timeline

These are the edits Studio itself makes, so the result stays in Studio's shape.

  • timeline --json lists clips with absolute absStart/absEnd, owning file and the #id ref the edit commands take (timeline ids stamps missing ids).
  • timeline move|trim|split|set|duplicate|delete <ref> … --plan --json previews one edit; run it again without --plan. --start, --end, --duration set one edge or the length.
  • An edit is refused when the clip would overlap a neighbour (--overwrite, or move the neighbour first) or end past its composition: raise the root's data-duration first. No command changes data-duration.
  • Several edits at once: a JSON file such as [{"verb": "move", "ref": "#outro", "time": "9"}], then timeline apply plan.json --json. Each run prints a receipt; save it and timeline undo receipt.json reverts it.

Project history

Every write is kept and can be undone. At the start of a turn, npx hyperframes history begin --who <you> --label "<plan>", then history --since mine --who <you> to see what the person changed; build on their edits. A check failed or they say it got worse: history undo --who <you>, never hand-edit back. End the turn with history end.

Render where

NeedCommand
Localrender --quality looks --output out.mp4 (draft, delivery)
Reproducible containerrender --docker --strict --output out.mp4
Batch from variablesrender --batch rows.json --output "renders/{name}.mp4"
Hosted, no local Chrome or FFmpegcloud render (references/cloud.md)
Your own AWS or GCPlambda render, cloudrun render (references/lambda.md, references/cloudrun.md)

A 30 s film renders in a minute or two: run it in the foreground. Detach only a render longer than your tool's timeout (HYPERFRAMES_RENDER_DETACHED=1, its own group, output to a log) and wait with until grep -qE 'Render (complete|failed)' render.log; do sleep 5; done, never pgrep -f, which matches its own loop and waits until the tool times out.

After a verified render, send one feedback --rating, plus a report for anything the person asked for that HyperFrames can't do, unless telemetry is off: references/feedback.md.

When a command fails

SymptomFix
Chrome missing or won't startnpx hyperframes browser ensure; doctor --json always exits 0, gate on .ok
A heavy page isn't ready in timeRaise --timeout on check or snapshot
Unusual codec looks blankKeep --proxy on (the default)
Render slow on LinuxThe summary's second line says screenshot + software gpu: the slow path
capture fails or writes BLOCKED.mdTake nothing from its partial files; retry into a new -o folder
Disk tightclean --dry-run, then clean; never delete .hyperframes (it holds history)

References

Read the row before running its command.

CommandsRead
init, capture, skillsreferences/init-and-scaffold.md
lint, check, motion sidecars, snapshotreferences/lint-validate-inspect.md
compare, grade-compare, render --batchreferences/compare-and-batch.md
beatsreferences/beats.md
preview, play, render, publish, Studio contextreferences/preview-render.md
doctor, browserreferences/doctor-browser.md
auth, cloud, template variablesreferences/cloud.md
lambda, cloudrunreferences/lambda.md, references/cloudrun.md
info, upgrade, compositions, timeline, docs, usage, telemetryreferences/upgrade-info-misc.md
--strict flags, run ids, clean, shader lint, JSON pathsreferences/conventions.md
keyframes../hyperframes/references/motion.md (Seeing motion)

More skills from heygen-com

hyperframes-audio
heygen-com
Use when audio already placed in a HyperFrames composition needs to be mixed: a music bed that fights a voiceover (voiceover carve), effects on a track (EQ, compressor, limiter, gate, saturation, delay, reverb, chorus, phaser, bitcrush), or automation envelopes drawn on a track's volume or any effect parameter. Don't use for sourcing or generating audio — finding BGM, SFX, or making a voiceover is `/media-use`. Don't use for clip timing or track layout, which is `/hyperframes-core`.
hyperframes-animation
heygen-com
All animation knowledge for HyperFrames — atomic motion rules, multi-phase scene blueprints, scene transitions, broader motion-design techniques, AND the seven runtime adapters (GSAP default, plus Lottie, Three.js, Anime.js, CSS keyframes, Web Animations API, TypeGPU). Use for any motion or animation task: pick 2-4 rules and compose, or load a blueprint, or look up runtime-specific API (e.g. GSAP eases / Lottie player / Three.js mixer). HyperFrames-native: single paused timeline, seek-safe,...
creativedevelopmentdesign
hyperframes-core
heygen-com
HyperFrames HTML composition contract. Use for composition structure, data attributes, clips, tracks, sub-compositions, variables, media playback, deterministic render rules, and validation of minimal renderable projects.
developmentmediacreative
hyperframes-media
heygen-com
Asset preprocessing for HyperFrames compositions — multi-provider TTS (HeyGen / ElevenLabs / Kokoro local), multi-provider BGM (Google Lyria / local MusicGen), Whisper transcription, background removal, and caption authoring. Use for npx hyperframes tts, bgm, transcribe, remove-background, voice/provider selection, music-mood prompting, captions / subtitles / lyrics / karaoke / per-word styling.
mediaaudiovideo
hyperframes-registry
heygen-com
Install and wire registry blocks and components into HyperFrames compositions. Use when running hyperframes add, installing a block or component, wiring an installed item into index.html, or working with hyperframes.json. Covers the add command, install locations, block sub-composition wiring, component snippet merging, registry discovery, and authoring a new block or component to contribute upstream (idea → scaffold → validate → PR).
developmentapicode-review
general-video
heygen-com
Use as the fallback for custom HyperFrames HTML video composition authoring when no specialized workflow fits. Covers longer or multi-scene pieces, brand/sizzle reels, montages, title cards, motion posters at length, static loops, and freeform compositions at any length or format. Not for marketed product promos (product-launch-video), general website-to-video capture (website-to-video), topic explainers (faceless-explainer), GitHub PR videos (pr-to-video), captioning existing footage...
videocreativemedia
motion-graphics
heygen-com
Use when the user wants a short, design-led motion graphic where motion is the message: kinetic typography, stat or number count-up, chart/data-viz hit, logo sting, brand lockup, lower-third, callout, social overlay, animated headline/tweet/news item, motion poster, or quick captured-page highlight. Usually under 10s and up to ~30s, with no narration arc, voice-over, or live-action subject. Can render to MP4 or transparent overlay. Not for longer, multi-scene, narrated, or brand-reel pieces...
creativevideodesign
hyperframes-read-first
heygen-com
START HERE for any request to make, create, generate, edit, animate, or render a video, animation, motion graphic, explainer, title card, overlay, captioned video, product promo, website video, PR or changelog video, data montage, motion poster, or HyperFrames HTML composition. Use before other video or animation skills when the user wants HyperFrames to author or render a finished MP4/web video, choose a workflow, or route between product-launch-video, faceless-explainer, website-to-video,...
creativevideomedia