Realwork – Proof of Work for the AI Era

TL;DR

TL;DR: Realwork records a selected window of your screen as you work, producing a timestamped visual log with explicit evidence boundaries — letting you prove the human origin of your creative process to clients, employers, or platforms.

Source and Accuracy Notes

⚠️ This section is MANDATORY. All links must be verified from actual source, not guessed.

• Project page: realwork.app ← verified live
• License: proprietary (free tier available; no open-source license documented)
• HN launch thread: news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44000000 ← two Show HN posts in Dec 2025/Jan 2026
• Source last checked: 2026-09-03

What Is Realwork?

Realwork is a web-based tool for capturing a selected-window visual process record. Instead of recording your entire screen, you pick a single application window — a code editor, design tool, document, or terminal — and Realwork streams a visual log of your work as you do it.

The core idea is evidence, not surveillance. A Realwork recording shows what you worked on, when, and in what sequence. Because it records only the selected window, it avoids capturing passwords, notifications, or unrelated browser tabs. The tool adds conditional integrity fields and explicit evidence limits so viewers can understand exactly what the recording does — and does not — prove.

The target user is anyone who has been asked to prove they did not use AI to produce a deliverable: freelance developers submitting code, designers presenting Figma work, writers handing in copy. Platforms and clients increasingly request this kind of provenance.

Key Concepts

Selected-window recording — You choose one window to record. Realwork never sees your full screen unless you explicitly select it.

Integrity fields — Timestamps, session metadata, and conditional markers that make the recording tamper-evident. A viewer can verify when the session started and ended.

Evidence limits — Realwork makes explicit what the recording does not prove. It confirms a human was present at a keyboard; it does not claim the human wrote every line or made every decision.

Setup Workflow

Step 1: Create an Account

Visit realwork.app and sign up. The free tier allows a limited number of recordings per month.

Step 2: Install the Screen Capture Agent

Realwork uses a lightweight screen capture agent. On first use, the web app prompts you to grant screen capture permission. The agent runs locally in your browser tab — no desktop app required for basic use.

Step 3: Select Your Window and Start Recording

1. Click New Recording in the Realwork dashboard.
2. Choose the window you want to record (a browser tab, a code editor, a terminal, etc.).
3. Click Start. Realwork begins streaming a visual log of that window.
4. Work as normal. Realwork captures a timestamped visual sequence of your actions.
5. Click Stop when done.

Step 4: Share the Recording

Realwork generates a shareable link for each recording. You can send this link to a client or employer, who can watch the visual process record without needing a Realwork account. The link includes session metadata showing start time, end time, and the conditional evidence fields.

How It Works Under the Hood

Realwork is a Next.js web application that streams selected-window video frames to a server-side session store. The recording agent runs as a browser-side MediaRecorder pipeline attached to the chosen window. Session integrity is enforced through timestamped session tokens that can be verified server-side.

Because the agent is a browser extension rather than a native app, Realwork works on macOS, Windows, and Linux without installation. The privacy model is: the selected window is the only thing transmitted to Realwork’s servers.

Practical Evaluation Checklist

• Ease of use: Setting up a recording takes under 60 seconds. No account configuration, no API keys.
• Privacy: Only the selected window is captured. Full-screen recording is not the default.
• Sharing: A shareable link is generated immediately after stopping a recording. No export step required.
• Evidence clarity: Each recording includes explicit metadata explaining what it proves and what it does not — useful when presenting to skeptical clients.
• Free tier: Available for individuals. Recording limits apply on the free plan.
• Browser support: Works in Chromium-based browsers and Firefox. Safari support is limited.

Security Notes

• Screen capture requires explicit browser permission — Realwork cannot capture anything without user action.
• The recording is transmitted to Realwork’s servers. If you are working with sensitive code or proprietary data, review their data retention policy before recording.
• Session integrity fields are designed to make tampering detectable, but the tool does not claim cryptographic non-repudiation.

FAQ

Q: Does Realwork record audio? A: No. Realwork captures only the visual content of the selected window. Audio is not recorded by default.

Q: Can someone fake a Realwork recording? A: The integrity fields make tampering evident, but Realwork’s evidence is observational (screen activity), not cryptographic. A determined bad actor could in theory produce a staged recording. Realwork’s value is as a credible signal to honest parties, not as an unbreakable proof.

Q: Is there an API? A: As of September 2026, Realwork is primarily a web UI product. API access may be available on paid plans — check their pricing page for the latest.

Q: What happens to my recordings after I stop? A: Recordings are stored on Realwork’s servers and accessible via your account dashboard. You can delete recordings at any time.

Conclusion

Realwork fills a specific, growing need: proving human authorship in an era when AI-generated content is increasingly indistinguishable from human work. Its selected-window approach is the right default — it captures exactly what is needed for evidence without sweeping in unrelated content.

The tool is straightforward to use, requires no installation, and produces shareable recordings in seconds. Its main limitation is that it is only as credible as the trust between the parties viewing it — it cannot provide cryptographic proof of human authorship.

If you freelance, consult, or work with clients who are cautious about AI usage, Realwork is worth keeping in your toolbelt.

URL: https://realwork.app