A product walkthrough should show viewers what to do and explain why each step matters. For scripted walkthroughs built around product screens, explainroo uses a coding agent (a tool that writes and runs code from instructions) to create a narrated MP4.
That workflow differs from recording a live screen session. If you are considering Loom, decide whether you need to capture existing footage or want an agent to build a walkthrough from a script and product screens.
Plan the product walkthrough
Start by deciding what the viewer should learn or do. A walkthrough of a new feature, for example, might show where to find it, how to complete one task, and what result to expect. Keeping that sequence focused gives the narration and visuals a clear purpose.
Prepare differently depending on whether you record a walkthrough or have an agent build it. With explainroo, you describe the topic or product to a coding agent, which builds scenes around a written script. For a product demo, tell the agent which product to show and where it can find the product’s code or website.
How explainroo creates walkthrough videos
explainroo makes a video from a script and drawn scenes rather than editing a screen recording. A coding agent writes script.md, which contains the spoken words, and scenes.js, which describes what appears on screen and when. A scene can appear on a chosen word, so the visuals follow the narration.
Make a walkthrough with explainroo
Use explainroo with a coding agent that can run shell commands. It works with Claude Code, Codex, Pi, OpenCode, Gemini CLI, and other coding agents. Paste a prompt like this, replacing the bracketed topic:
Make me a short explainer video about [your topic]. Use explainroo: clone the explainroo repository, read its AGENTS.md, and follow the steps.
The agent sets up explainroo, creates and checks the video, then provides an MP4. For a product demo, include the product name and the location of its code or website. The agent rebuilds the product’s screens with their colors and fonts, including the button labels. It then animates a pointer clicking through the screens and typing into fields.
Narration, visuals, and revisions
Kokoro, an open voice model, reads the script in a choice of American or British English voices. Narration is English only and requires no account or API key. Whisper identifies spoken words and marks when each one occurs, so scenes can appear on cue.
Chrome draws each frame on an HTML canvas. Scenes can include charts, code, and screenshots; lines can look hand drawn, and a large icon library supplies other visuals. explainroo creates background music, lowers it while the narration plays, and adds small sound effects.
The agent cannot watch the finished video, so explainroo checks it in other ways. It provides scene stills and a contact sheet of small frames. It also checks layouts for cut-off or overlapping text and whether the voice pronounced the words correctly. Review the final MP4 yourself as well, especially when exact product details matter.
To revise a walkthrough, ask the agent to change the script or scenes. There is no drag-and-drop editor, and explainroo does not edit existing camera footage or create talking avatars or live-action AI footage. Its five visual looks are set in video.json: paper, clean, chalk, blueprint, and midnight. In that file, the pace setting adjusts how fast the voice and animation run and where pauses fall.
Share explainroo walkthrough videos
explainroo creates an MP4 for you to share through the channel you choose. It supports wide videos for YouTube and tall videos for YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels. Portrait videos work for Instagram and LinkedIn posts, and square videos are also supported. Tall, portrait, and square versions get captions that highlight words as they are spoken; the tall layout keeps text clear of the areas where social apps place buttons.
The documented explainroo output is a video file. If your walkthrough also needs hosted playback, access permissions, or viewer analytics, check that the place where you share the MP4 provides those features. Choose a video format based on where viewers will watch: use wide for a standard YouTube video, for example, or tall for a vertical feed.
Weigh the trade-offs
When explainroo fits
explainroo suits walkthroughs that benefit from a planned script, custom scenes, and product screens recreated from code or a website. It is especially useful when you want the pointer to demonstrate a sequence of clicks and field entries while narration explains each step. It also supports changing the video’s look, pace, and dimensions through settings.
You direct a coding agent and request revisions in words instead of editing on a visual timeline. Installing explainroo yourself requires Node.js, ffmpeg, and Chrome or Chromium. The first setup downloads the voice and timing models. A graphics card is not required. explainroo is developed and tested on Linux and has been tested less on macOS and Windows.
When a recording-first workflow matters
If your priority is capturing existing camera footage, explainroo does not cover that need. It also does not create talking-avatar or live-action AI footage. Those limits matter when a walkthrough depends on a real presenter or on footage that already exists.
For a scripted product demo, check whether the agent can build the screens and sequence you need. For a recording-first workflow, check that the tool you are considering supports the capture and editing controls you require. The information here does not support a feature-by-feature comparison with Loom.
Check price and plan limits
The explainroo kit is free, open source, and licensed under MIT. explainroo has no per-video charge; optional AI illustrations cost per image. The coding agent is a separate service with its own pricing, so the full cost depends on the agent you use.
There is no supported current price or plan-limit comparison for Loom here. Before choosing any recording service, verify its current limits for recording length, storage, exports, and editing access. For explainroo, account for setup and the coding agent’s separate cost, even though explainroo itself has no per-video charge.
Key Takeaways
- Choose explainroo for scripted product demos: A coding agent builds narrated scenes and product screens, then produces an MP4.
- Direct the agent with product details: Name the product and point the agent to its code or website so it can recreate the screens and demonstrate interactions.
- Plan for text-based revisions: explainroo has no drag-and-drop editor; request changes from the agent and inspect the finished MP4.
- Check the full cost and delivery needs: The kit is free per video, while the coding agent is separate. Hosting and access controls depend on where you share the MP4.
Conclusion
For product walkthroughs made from a script and product screens, explainroo turns instructions into a narrated MP4 with scenes timed to the voice. Choose it when you can request revisions from a coding agent and the MP4 meets your sharing needs.
If you need to edit existing camera footage or record a live presenter, explainroo does not provide those capabilities. Check the recording tool’s current plan limits before committing to that workflow.
