Extract text from Terminal recordings (CAST)
To convert CAST Recordings to another format, you need Asciinema or other Data software.
To convert other file formats to the "Terminal Session Log" file type, you need software like Asciinema or a similar tool.
The .cast file extension is primarily associated with Asciinema Terminal Recordings (also known as asciicasts). These files store command-line terminal sessions. Unlike traditional video captures, an Asciinema file is a plain JSON structured text file containing timestamped terminal input, output, and metadata. The .cast extension is also heavily utilized as a Presentation Asset Package for Prezi, an animation file for Adobe Animate, and a 3D model or animation file used in Apex Legends modding via PorterLib.
The primary disadvantage of the .cast format is compatibility. Asciinema files are not actual videos; they require the dedicated Asciinema command-line player or a specialized web JavaScript library to render. This means users cannot natively play a .cast file on mobile devices, standard media players, or share them easily on social media platforms. Similarly, Prezi and Apex Legends .cast files are proprietary asset containers. They lock content into specific software ecosystems, making it frustrating to access raw textures, 3D meshes, or images without a paid subscription or complex modding tools.
To make Asciinema terminal recordings universally playable, the best conversion targets are MP4 (for standard video playback) or GIF (for embedding in GitHub readmes or web pages). Converting to TXT is ideal if you only need the raw terminal logs. For Prezi or Apex Legends files, users typically aim to extract underlying assets like PNG or OBJ files, though preserving the original animations is rarely possible.
Because Prezi and Apex Legends files are closed, proprietary formats, standard online converters usually fail to process them. Often, only the original software can properly read or export the data. However, convert.guru serves as a pragmatic workaround. Just drag and drop your file to identify the format, view it, and convert it when possible. Our engine can inspect the file, reveal the text-based JSON data of an Asciinema recording, or attempt to extract the underlying assets embedded inside proprietary packages.
Convert.Guru analyzes your CAST file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted AS, XFL and ANA files.
If you want to convert CAST file to TXT, RTF, DOC, DOCX, ODT, PAGES, TEX, LATEX, MD, MARKDOWN, LOG or NFO, you can use Asciinema or similar software from the "Terminal Session Recording" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert PDF, DOC, ASC, TODO, NFO, MEMO, README, DOCX, JPG, TXT, NOTE or RTF files to CAST, try Asciinema or another comparable tool in the "Terminal Session Recording" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our CAST converter.