OpenSlides Offers Open-Source Offline Code Presentation App Built with Svelte 5 and Rust
OpenSlides launched as an open-source, offline-first desktop application for creating animated code slide decks. Built with Svelte 5 runes, Rust, and Shiki Magic Move, it provides step-by-step code highlighting without cloud subscriptions.
Impact: Medium
Why it matters
Developers and tech leads can present refactoring steps and technical demos locally without transmitting proprietary code to cloud presentation services.
TL;DR
- 01OpenSlides delivers smooth code transitions powered by Shiki Magic Move in an offline desktop client.
- 02Keeps code assets local with SQLite storage on top of a Rust binary.
- 03Available as free native builds for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Key facts
- License
- Open-Source (Free)
- Frontend Framework
- Svelte 5 (runes) + Vite 7
- Backend / Database
- Rust + SQLite (sqlx)
- Code Highlighting Engine
- Shiki + shiki-magic-move
Offline-First Animated Code Presentations
OpenSlides is a free open-source desktop application that converts source code into structured slide decks featuring smooth line transitions. Utilizing Shiki and shiki-magic-move, OpenSlides automatically animates code state diffs, enabling developers to explain complex refactorings, algorithms, and features line by line.
Architecture and Technical Stack
The desktop application combines a Rust backend with a Svelte 5 frontend:
- Frontend UI: Svelte 5 (runes), Vite 7, Tailwind CSS 4, and
@tanstack/svelte-query. - Code Highlighting:
Shikiandshiki-magic-move. - Local Storage: SQLite managed via
sqlxon the Rust process. - Cross-Platform Installers: Native packages for macOS (Universal), Linux (
.deband.rpm), and Windows.
Linux Installation
Linux users on Debian or Ubuntu distributions can install runtime dependencies and the package directly:
sudo apt install -y libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0 libgtk-3-0 libscrypt0 libayatana-appindicator3-1 librsvg2-common
sudo apt install ./OpenSlides_version_amd64.debTry it in 2 minutes
sudo apt install -y libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0 libgtk-3-0 libscrypt0 libayatana-appindicator3-1 librsvg2-common && sudo apt install ./OpenSlides_version_amd64.debbash
✓ When to use
- Creating code walkthrough slides for technical presentations, tutorials, or internal tech talks
- Presenting proprietary codebase diffs without uploading code to third-party cloud tools
- Offline presentation environments without reliable internet connectivity
✕ When NOT to use
- Real-time collaborative slideshow editing across remote distributed teams
- General non-technical pitch decks requiring rich multimedia video embeds
What to do today
- Download the latest OpenSlides release installer for your platform from GitHub.
- Import your code snippets to build animated step-by-step diff presentations.
Sources