HTCUT
Guide 2 of 10 · Set up Claude Code
  1. 1Install & first project
  2. 2Set up Claude Code
  3. 3Editing basics
  4. 4Text & motion graphics
  5. 5Sound
  6. 6Edit by transcript
  7. 7Look
  8. 8Shorts
  9. 9Publish
  10. 10CLI quick reference

Learn · Guide 2 of 10

Set up Claude Code

This is vibe editing: you say what you want, Claude Code makes the edits in your project from the terminal, and you watch them land while you keep working in the app. It’s optional: HTCUT is a complete editor without it.

You need Claude Code installed. Then:

  1. Choose HTCUT ▸ Set Up Claude Code…

    In the app menu choose HTCUT ▸ Set Up Claude Code…. It installs two things:

    • the htcut command, as a link at ~/.local/bin/htcut to the copy inside the app (update the app and the command updates too)
    • the HTCUT skill for Claude Code, in ~/.claude/skills/htcut

    If ~/.local/bin isn’t on your PATH yet, the dialog shows the line to add to ~/.zshrc, with a Copy PATH Line button:

    export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"

    Open a new terminal and check it works. htcut doctor lists what’s set up and what isn’t, each with the fix:

    $ htcut --version
$ htcut doctor

  2. Or install the plugin

    Prefer plugins? Add the HTCUT plugin inside Claude Code instead of the skill:

    /plugin marketplace add hanley-tech/htcut
/plugin install htcut@htcut

    Claude still needs the command itself: choose HTCUT ▸ Install Command Line Tool… once.

  3. Open your project in both places

    Open the project in HTCUT. In Terminal, go to the project folder and start Claude Code:

    $ cd ~/Movies/Demo
$ claude

    Projects made by HTCUT come with a CLAUDE.md and hooks that tell Claude the rules: every change goes through htcut commands, and the project files themselves are off limits.

  4. Point at the moment with ;;

    Move the playhead or select a clip, then end your prompt with ;;. HTCUT attaches what you’re looking at (the playhead time, the clips under it and your selection), so “tighten this;;” means exactly this. It works inside HTCUT project folders while the app has the project open. It’s opt-in because whatever is attached stays in the conversation.

  5. Watch the edits arrive

    Each thing Claude does is an edit in the same history as yours. It shows up in your window as it happens, and the History pane says who made each one.

  6. Undo from either side

    ⌘Z in the app or htcut undo in the terminal undoes the latest edit, whoever made it.

  7. Keep editing while Claude works

    Claude edits from the version of the project it last read. If you changed the same clips since then, its edit is refused with a conflict that lists your changes. Claude reads the project again and redoes its edit. It never forces over your work.

What Claude can and can’t do

It can read the timeline, transcripts and history, render any frame or a contact sheet and look at it, make edits with real commands (trims, ripples, captions, graphics, sound, colour, chapters), run the checks and export.

It can’t watch or hear your video the way you do. It works from frames, transcripts and measurements such as loudness. It doesn’t click around in your app. It only sees your screen through what ;; shares. Your ear and eye make the final call.