Your First Demo

This guide walks you through preparing and delivering a complete live demo using Snipsy — from creating your project to presenting on stage.

Planning Your Demo

Before opening Snipsy, plan the flow of your presentation:

1. List the key moments where you need to show code, commands, or video
2. Choose hotkeys that are easy to remember in sequence (e.g., Ctrl+Shift+1, Ctrl+Shift+2, …)
3. Record or gather video for any segments you don’t want to do live

Setting Up

1. Create a new project — give it a descriptive name like “KubeCon 2026 Demo”

2. Add text snippets for every piece of text you’ll need:

   • Code blocks you’ll “type” on screen
   • Terminal commands
   • URLs or configuration values

3. Import videos for any pre-recorded segments:

   • Build processes, deployments, installations
   • Anything that takes time or might fail live

4. Create video clips from your imported videos:

   • Trim to the exact range you need
   • Set playback speed (2× for builds, 1× for important details)
   • Choose muted or with audio

5. Arrange your hotkey overview — drag cards into presentation order

Rehearsal

1. Enter demo mode — click the green play button
2. Open your target applications (IDE, terminal, browser)
3. Run through your entire flow pressing each hotkey in order
4. Verify timing — adjust video speeds, text delivery modes
5. Exit demo mode and make any adjustments

Tip

Rehearse at least twice. The first time to check that everything works technically. The second time to practice your narration timing with the hotkey triggers.

Presentation Day

1. Open your project in Snipsy
2. Connect your display and verify monitor settings (if using multi-monitor video playback)
3. Enter demo mode — Snipsy minimizes to the tray
4. Present! Trigger snippets with your hotkeys as you narrate
5. Exit demo mode when you’re done

Tips for Success

• Pin the tray icon so you can always see demo mode status
• Use fast-type for code — audiences love watching code “appear” naturally
• Use paste for boilerplate — no one needs to watch a long import block being typed
• Keep video clips short — 15-30 seconds is ideal, use higher speed for longer processes
• Have a backup plan — if a hotkey doesn’t fire, you can always show Snipsy and trigger manually