sdk

---

[!WARNING] JSX/TSX videos are deprecated. vargai/react (<Render>, <Clip>, <Video>…), vargai/studio and the JSX runtime still work but get no new features, and render() prints a DeprecationWarning (code VARGAI_JSX). The CLI no longer renders: vargai render, preview, frame, storyboard, studio and hello were removed.

Generate with the varg API or the varg MCP tools and edit with the ffmpeg tool, from the terminal:

curl -fsSL https://varg.ai/install | sh
vargai login
vargai generate_video --prompt "waves at dusk" --duration 5
vargai get_tool ffmpeg          # the ffmpeg tool's input, for call_tool

The rest of this README describes the deprecated JSX API.

varg is an open-source TypeScript SDK for AI video generation. One API key, one API — generate images, video, speech, music, lipsync, and captions through varg.* providers. Write videos as JSX components (like React), render locally or in the cloud.

Get started

For AI agents (recommended)

Install the varg skill into Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, or any agent that supports skills. Zero code — just prompt.

# 1. Install the varg skill
npx -y skills add vargHQ/skills --all --copy -y

# 2. Set your API key (get one at app.varg.ai)
export VARG_API_KEY=varg_live_xxx

# 3. Create your first video
claude "create a 10-second product video for white sneakers, 9:16, UGC style, with captions and background music"

The agent writes declarative JSX, varg handles AI generation + caching + rendering.

For developers

# Install with bun (recommended)
bun install vargai ai

# Or with npm
npm install vargai ai

# Set up project (auth, skills, cache dirs)
bunx vargai init

vargai init signs you in, installs the agent skill and sets up your project structure.

Or ask your AI agent to create something from scratch.

How it works

Your prompt / JSX code
        |
   varg API (api.varg.ai/v2)
   /     |      \        \
 Kling  Flux  ElevenLabs  Wan ...   (AI providers)
   \     |      /        /
    varg render engine
        |
   output.mp4

• One API key (VARG_API_KEY) routes to all providers through the varg API
• Declarative JSX — compose videos like React components with <Clip>, <Video>, <Music>, <Captions>
• Automatic caching — same props = instant cache hit at $0. Re-render without re-generating
• Local or cloud — render with render() from vargai/react locally, or submit via the cloud render endpoint (POST https://api.varg.ai/v2/render)

Quick examples

Image to video

/** @jsxImportSource vargai */
import { Render, Clip, Image, Video } from "vargai/react";
import { varg } from "vargai/ai";

const character = Image({
  prompt: "cute kawaii orange cat, round body, big eyes, Pixar style",
  model: varg.imageModel("nano-banana-pro"),
  aspectRatio: "9:16",
});

export default (
  <Render width={1080} height={1920}>
    <Clip duration={5}>
      <Video
        prompt={{ text: "cat waves hello, bounces happily", images: [character] }}
        model={varg.videoModel("kling-v3")}
      />
    </Clip>
  </Render>
);

// render.ts — the CLI no longer renders, so call render() yourself.
// hello.tsx needs the JSX pragma on its first line (see above).
import { render } from "vargai/react";
import video from "./hello.tsx";
await render(video, { output: "output/hello.mp4" });

With music and captions

import { Render, Clip, Image, Video, Speech, Captions, Music } from "vargai/react";
import { varg } from "vargai/ai";

const character = Image({
  model: varg.imageModel("nano-banana-pro"),
  prompt: "friendly robot, blue metallic, expressive eyes",
  aspectRatio: "9:16",
});

const voiceover = Speech({
  model: varg.speechModel("eleven_v3"),
  voice: "adam",
  children: "Hello! I'm your AI assistant. Let me show you something cool!",
});

export default (
  <Render width={1080} height={1920}>
    <Music prompt="upbeat electronic, cheerful" model={varg.musicModel()} volume={0.15} />
    <Clip duration={5}>
      <Video
        prompt={{ text: "robot talking, subtle head movements", images: [character] }}
        model={varg.videoModel("kling-v3")}
      />
    </Clip>
    <Captions src={voiceover} style="tiktok" color="#ffffff" withAudio />
  </Render>
);

Talking head with lipsync

import { Render, Clip, Image, Video, Speech, Captions, Music } from "vargai/react";
import { varg } from "vargai/ai";

const voiceover = Speech({
  model: varg.speechModel("eleven_v3"),
  voice: "josh",
  children: "With varg, you can create any videos at scale!",
});

const baseCharacter = Image({
  prompt: "woman, sleek black bob hair, fitted black t-shirt, natural look",
  model: varg.imageModel("nano-banana-pro"),
  aspectRatio: "9:16",
});

const animatedCharacter = Video({
  prompt: {
    text: "woman speaking naturally, subtle head movements, friendly expression",
    images: [baseCharacter],
  },
  model: varg.videoModel("kling-v3"),
});

export default (
  <Render width={1080} height={1920}>
    <Music prompt="modern tech ambient, subtle electronic" model={varg.musicModel()} volume={0.1} />
    <Clip duration={5}>
      <Video
        prompt={{ video: animatedCharacter, audio: voiceover }}
        model={varg.videoModel("sync-v2-pro")}
      />
    </Clip>
    <Captions src={voiceover} style="tiktok" color="#ffffff" withAudio />
  </Render>
);

Components

Component	Purpose	Key props
<Render>	Root container	width, height, fps
<Clip>	Time segment	duration, transition, cutFrom, cutTo
<Image>	AI or static image	prompt, src, model, zoom, aspectRatio, resize
<Video>	AI or source video	prompt, src, model, volume, cutFrom, cutTo
<Speech>	Text-to-speech	voice, model, volume, children
<Music>	Background music	prompt, src, model, volume, loop, ducking
<Title>	Text overlay	position, color, start, end
<Subtitle>	Subtitle text	backgroundColor
<Captions>	Auto-generated subs	src, srt, style, color, activeColor, withAudio
<Overlay>	Positioned layer	left, top, width, height, keepAudio
<Split>	Side-by-side	direction
<Slider>	Before/after reveal	direction
<Swipe>	Tinder-style cards	direction, interval
<TalkingHead>	Animated character	character, src, voice, model, lipsyncModel
<Packshot>	End card with CTA	background, logo, cta, blinkCta

Caption styles

<Captions src={voiceover} style="tiktok" />     // word-by-word highlight
<Captions src={voiceover} style="karaoke" />    // fill left-to-right
<Captions src={voiceover} style="bounce" />     // words bounce in
<Captions src={voiceover} style="typewriter" /> // typing effect

Transitions

67 GL transitions available:

<Clip transition={{ name: "fade", duration: 0.5 }}>
<Clip transition={{ name: "crossfade", duration: 0.5 }}>
<Clip transition={{ name: "wipeleft", duration: 0.5 }}>
<Clip transition={{ name: "cube", duration: 0.8 }}>

Models

All models are accessed through varg.* — one API key, one provider.

import { varg } from "vargai/ai";

Video

Model	Use case	Credits (5s)
varg.videoModel("kling-v3")	Best quality, latest	150
varg.videoModel("kling-v3-standard")	Good quality, cheaper	50
varg.videoModel("kling-v2.5")	Previous gen, reliable	50
varg.videoModel("wan-2.5")	Good for characters	50
varg.videoModel("minimax")	Alternative	50
varg.videoModel("sync-v2-pro")	Lipsync (video + audio)	50

Image

Model	Use case	Credits
varg.imageModel("nano-banana-pro")	Versatile, fast	5
varg.imageModel("nano-banana-pro/edit")	Image-to-image editing	5
varg.imageModel("flux-schnell")	Fast generation	5
varg.imageModel("flux-pro")	High quality	25
varg.imageModel("recraft-v3")	Alternative	10

Audio

Model	Use case	Credits
varg.speechModel("eleven_v3")	Text-to-speech	25
varg.speechModel("eleven_multilingual_v2")	Multilingual TTS	25
varg.musicModel()	Music generation	25
varg.transcriptionModel("whisper")	Speech-to-text	5

1 credit = $0.01. Cache hits are always free.

CLI

bunx vargai login                              # sign in (email OTP or API key)
bunx vargai init                               # set up project (auth + skills)
bunx vargai balance                            # check credit balance
bunx vargai topup                              # add credits
bunx vargai run image --prompt "sunset"        # generate a single image
bunx vargai run video --prompt "ocean waves"   # generate a single video
bunx vargai list                               # list available models and actions

Everything the varg MCP server does is a command too, tool for tool. The standalone vargai (one file, no Node or Bun) installs with:

curl -fsSL https://varg.ai/install | sh        # macOS, Linux
irm https://varg.ai/install.ps1 | iex          # Windows
vargai update                                  # later: the latest release

vargai search "captions for reels"             # varg how to: skills, guides, presets (no key)
vargai install remotion-captions               # install a skill into your agent (no key)
vargai version                                 # this version and the latest (no key)
vargai tools                                   # every MCP tool; ○ = no key needed
vargai login                                   # then: account, balance, every model
vargai generate_image "a red fox"              # any MCP tool, options from its schema
vargai help generate_video                     # a tool's options

From the npm package (bunx vargai …) the same commands work as vargai mcp <tool>, and they use the installed binary when there is one. The SDK commands (init, run, list…) run on Bun either way. The CLI does not render JSX/TSX any more. Releases: cli-v*.

Environment

# Required — one key for everything
VARG_API_KEY=varg_live_xxx

Get your API key at app.varg.ai. Bun auto-loads .env files.

You can use provider keys directly if you prefer:

FAL_API_KEY=fal_xxx                # fal.ai direct
ELEVENLABS_API_KEY=xxx             # ElevenLabs direct
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk_xxx              # OpenAI / Sora
REPLICATE_API_TOKEN=r8_xxx         # Replicate
KREA_API_KEY=xxx                   # Krea direct (krea.imageModel("krea"))

See the BYOK docs for details.

Pricing

Action	Model	Credits	Cost
Image	nano-banana-pro	5	$0.05
Image	flux-pro	25	$0.25
Video (5s)	kling-v3	150	$1.50
Speech	eleven_v3	25	$0.25
Music	music_v1	25	$0.25
Cache hit	any	0	$0.00

A typical 3-clip video costs $2-5. Cache hits are always free.

Star History

Discord

https://discord.com/channels/1463766525117861922/1463766526250188824

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md for development setup.

License

Apache-2.0 — see LICENSE.md