Skip to content

opentui

OpenTUI skill for building terminal user interfaces with the Core, React, or Solid APIs. Use for any TUI task including components, layout, keyboard and keymap handling, animations, and testing.

55,494
installs
In the catalog since
18 Sept 2026
From
msmps/opentui-skill
Get it through your agent npx skills add msmps/opentui-skill@opentui

Skill instructions

SKILL.md as published, 228 lines. 

# OpenTUI Platform Skill

Consolidated skill for building terminal user interfaces with OpenTUI. Use decision trees below to find the right framework and components, then load detailed references.

## Critical Rules

**Follow these rules in all OpenTUI code:**

1. **Use `create-tui` for new projects.** See framework `REFERENCE.md` quick starts.
2. **`create-tui` options must come before arguments.** `bunx create-tui -t react my-app` works, `bunx create-tui my-app -t react` does NOT.
3. **Never call `process.exit()` directly.** Use `renderer.destroy()` (see `core/gotchas.md`).
4. **Text styling requires nested tags in React/Solid.** Use modifier elements, not props (see `components/text-display.md`).

## How to Use This Skill

### Reference File Structure

Framework references follow a 5-file pattern. Cross-cutting concepts are single-file guides.

Each framework in `./references/<framework>/` contains:

| File | Purpose | When to Read |
|------|---------|--------------|
| `REFERENCE.md` | Overview, when to use, quick start | **Always read first** |
| `api.md` | Runtime API, components, hooks | Writing code |
| `configuration.md` | Setup, tsconfig, bundling | Configuring a project |
| `patterns.md` | Common patterns, best practices | Implementation guidance |
| `gotchas.md` | Pitfalls, limitations, debugging | Troubleshooting |

Cross-cutting concepts in `./references/<concept>/` have `REFERENCE.md` as the entry point.

### Reading Order

1. Start with `REFERENCE.md` for your chosen framework
2. Then read additional files relevant to your task:
   - Building components -> `api.md` + `components/<category>.md`
   - Setting up project -> `configuration.md`
   - Layout/positioning -> `layout/REFERENCE.md`
   - Keyboard/input handling -> `keyboard/REFERENCE.md`
   - Layered keybindings/commands -> `keymap/REFERENCE.md`
   - Animations -> `animation/REFERENCE.md`
   - Troubleshooting -> `gotchas.md` + `testing/REFERENCE.md`

### Example Paths

```
./references/react/REFERENCE.md           # Start here for React
./references/react/api.md              # React components and hooks
./references/solid/configuration.md    # Solid project setup
./references/components/inputs.md      # Input, Textarea, Select docs
./references/core/gotchas.md           # Core debugging tips
```

### Runtime Notes

OpenTUI runs on Bun and uses Zig for native builds. Read `./references/core/gotchas.md` for runtime requirements and build guidance.

## Quick Decision Trees

### "Which framework should I use?"
Show the whole skill (168 more lines) 
```
Which framework?
├─ I want full control, maximum performance, no framework overhead
│  └─ core/ (imperative API)
├─ I know React, want familiar component patterns
│  └─ react/ (React reconciler)
├─ I want fine-grained reactivity, optimal re-renders
│  └─ solid/ (Solid reconciler)
└─ I'm building a library/framework on top of OpenTUI
   └─ core/ (imperative API)
```

### "I need to display content"

```
Display content?
├─ Plain or styled text -> components/text-display.md
├─ Container with borders/background -> components/containers.md
├─ Scrollable content area -> components/containers.md (scrollbox)
├─ Standalone scrollbar -> components/containers.md (scrollbar)
├─ ASCII art banner/title -> components/text-display.md (ascii-font)
├─ PNG/JPEG/WebP/GIF image -> components/text-display.md (image)
├─ First-draw diagnostic -> components/text-display.md (time-to-first-draw)
├─ QR code -> components/text-display.md (qr-code, @opentui/qrcode)
├─ Embedded child terminal/VT output -> components/containers.md (Core only)
├─ Data table with borders/wrapping -> components/code-diff.md (TextTable)
├─ Code with syntax highlighting -> components/code-diff.md
├─ Diff viewer (unified/split, hunk nav) -> components/code-diff.md
├─ Line numbers with diagnostics -> components/code-diff.md
└─ Markdown content (streaming) -> components/code-diff.md (markdown)
```

### "I need user input"

```
User input?
├─ Single-line text field -> components/inputs.md (input)
├─ Multi-line text editor -> components/inputs.md (textarea)
├─ Select from a list (vertical) -> components/inputs.md (select)
├─ Tab-based selection (horizontal) -> components/inputs.md (tab-select)
├─ Value slider -> components/inputs.md (slider)
├─ Declarative/layered keybindings -> keymap/REFERENCE.md (@opentui/keymap)
└─ Custom keyboard shortcuts -> keyboard/REFERENCE.md
```

### "I need layout/positioning"

```
Layout?
├─ Flexbox-style layouts (row, column, wrap) -> layout/REFERENCE.md
├─ Absolute positioning -> layout/patterns.md
├─ Responsive to terminal size -> layout/patterns.md
├─ Centering content -> layout/patterns.md
└─ Complex nested layouts -> layout/patterns.md
```

### "I need animations"

```
Animations?
├─ Timeline-based animations -> animation/REFERENCE.md
├─ Easing functions -> animation/REFERENCE.md
├─ Property transitions -> animation/REFERENCE.md
└─ Looping animations -> animation/REFERENCE.md
```

### "I need to handle input"

```
Input handling?
├─ Keyboard events (keypress, release) -> keyboard/REFERENCE.md
├─ Layered bindings, commands, leader keys -> keymap/REFERENCE.md
├─ Focus management -> keyboard/REFERENCE.md
├─ Paste events -> keyboard/REFERENCE.md
├─ Mouse events -> components/containers.md
├─ Text selection & copy-on-select -> keyboard/REFERENCE.md (selection)
└─ Host/terminal clipboard service or OSC 52 -> keyboard/REFERENCE.md (clipboard)
```

### "I need to test my TUI"

```
Testing?
├─ Snapshot testing -> testing/REFERENCE.md
├─ Interaction testing -> testing/REFERENCE.md
├─ Test renderer setup -> testing/REFERENCE.md
└─ Debugging tests -> testing/REFERENCE.md
```

### "I need platform capabilities (audio, images, clipboard, notifications, SSH)"

```
Platform capability?
├─ Play loaded sound or MP3/FLAC stream -> core/api.md (Audio)
├─ Capture microphone PCM / record WAV -> core/api.md (Audio)
├─ Decode, transform, or display images -> components/text-display.md (image)
├─ Read/write host or terminal clipboard -> keyboard/REFERENCE.md (clipboard)
├─ Desktop notifications (OSC 9/777/99) -> core/api.md (triggerNotification)
├─ Custom stdin/stdout (PTY, xterm.js) -> core/api.md (createCliRenderer)
└─ Serve a TUI over SSH -> core/REFERENCE.md (@opentui/ssh)
```

### "I need to debug/troubleshoot"

```
Troubleshooting?
├─ Runtime errors, crashes -> <framework>/gotchas.md
├─ Layout issues -> layout/REFERENCE.md + layout/patterns.md
├─ Input/focus issues -> keyboard/REFERENCE.md
└─ Repro + regression tests -> testing/REFERENCE.md
```

### Troubleshooting Index

- Terminal cleanup, crashes -> `core/gotchas.md`
- Text styling not applying -> `components/text-display.md`
- Input focus/shortcuts -> `keyboard/REFERENCE.md`
- Layout misalignment -> `layout/REFERENCE.md`
- Flaky snapshots -> `testing/REFERENCE.md`

For component naming differences and text modifiers, see `components/REFERENCE.md`.

## Product Index

### Frameworks
| Framework | Entry File | Description |
|-----------|------------|-------------|
| Core | `./references/core/REFERENCE.md` | Imperative API, all primitives |
| React | `./references/react/REFERENCE.md` | React reconciler for declarative TUI |
| Solid | `./references/solid/REFERENCE.md` | SolidJS reconciler for declarative TUI |

### Cross-Cutting Concepts
| Concept | Entry File | Description |
|---------|------------|-------------|
| Layout | `./references/layout/REFERENCE.md` | Yoga/Flexbox layout system |
| Components | `./references/components/REFERENCE.md` | Component reference by category |
| Keyboard | `./references/keyboard/REFERENCE.md` | Low-level keyboard input handling |
| Keymap | `./references/keymap/REFERENCE.md` | Declarative layered keybindings (`@opentui/keymap`) |
| Animation | `./references/animation/REFERENCE.md` | Timeline-based animations |
| Testing | `./references/testing/REFERENCE.md` | Test renderer and snapshots |

### Component Categories
| Category | Entry File | Components |
|----------|------------|------------|
| Text & Display | `./references/components/text-display.md` | text, ascii-font, image, time-to-first-draw, styled text, qr-code |
| Containers | `./references/components/containers.md` | box, scrollbox, scrollbar, embedded-terminal, borders |
| Inputs | `./references/components/inputs.md` | input, textarea, select, tab-select, slider |
| Code & Diff | `./references/components/code-diff.md` | code, line-number, diff, markdown, text-table |

### Additional Packages
| Package | Description | Docs |
|---------|-------------|------|
| `@opentui/keymap` | Layered keybinding/command engine (Bun or Node, no FFI) | `./references/keymap/REFERENCE.md` |
| `@opentui/qrcode` | QR code component | `./references/components/text-display.md` |
| `@opentui/ssh` | Serve a TUI over SSH | `./references/core/REFERENCE.md` |
| `@opentui/three` | Three.js WebGPU renderer (formerly `core/src/3d`) | upstream `packages/three` |
| `@opentui/examples` | Runnable examples (formerly `core/src/examples`) | upstream `packages/examples` |

Core also ships loaded/streaming/captured **Audio**, native **images**, host and terminal **clipboard** services, and OSC desktop **notifications**.

## Resources

**Repository**: https://github.com/anomalyco/opentui
**Core Docs**: https://github.com/anomalyco/opentui/tree/main/packages/core/docs
**Examples**: https://github.com/anomalyco/opentui/tree/main/packages/examples/src
**Awesome List**: https://github.com/msmps/awesome-opentui