opentui

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?"

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