Question 1

What is TermUI?

Accepted Answer

TermUI is a TypeScript framework for building terminal apps. It is a full framework, not only a UI library: a layout engine, a JSX runtime, hooks, context, global state, theming, animations, routing, system data providers, a test renderer, and a hot-reload dev server. It uses no C extensions and runs in pure TypeScript.

Question 2

Is there a React alternative for terminal UIs in TypeScript?

Accepted Answer

Yes. TermUI ships its own JSX runtime, so you write JSX and React-style hooks without a React dependency. Ink is the React-based option; TermUI is the no-React option.

Question 3

What is the difference between TermUI and Ink?

Accepted Answer

Ink depends on React and Yoga to render React components to the terminal. TermUI ships its own JSX runtime, flexbox layout engine, TSS theming, a router, and a store, with no React dependency and no C extensions.

Question 4

How is TermUI different from Textual or Bubble Tea?

Accepted Answer

Textual targets Python and Bubble Tea targets Go. TermUI is the TypeScript-native option with a React-like JSX model, 230 components, and a built-in router, store, and theming system.

Question 5

How do I install TermUI?

Accepted Answer

Install TermUI with npm: run "npx create-termui-app my-app" to scaffold a new project, or install packages directly with "npm install @termuijs/core @termuijs/widgets @termuijs/jsx".

Question 6

Does TermUI support JSX?

Accepted Answer

Yes. TermUI includes @termuijs/jsx, a JSX runtime with useState, useEffect, useRef, useContext, useAsync, and memo(). It works like React in the browser but renders to the terminal.

Question 7

How many components does TermUI include?

Accepted Answer

TermUI ships 230 components. Most live in @termuijs/widgets (Box, Text, Table, ProgressBar, Spinner, Gauge, VirtualList, DataGrid, Calendar, Markdown, and more) and @termuijs/ui (Select, Tabs, Modal, Toast, Tree, MultiSelect, CommandPalette, Drawer, Wizard, RadioGroup, and more).

Question 8

Is TermUI free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes. TermUI is open-source and released under the MIT license. You can use it in personal and commercial projects without restrictions.

Question 9

What is the difference between TermUI and Ink?

Accepted Answer

TermUI and Ink both target terminal UIs with JSX. TermUI adds a full layout engine, Terminal Style Sheets (TSS) for CSS-like theming, a built-in router, spring animations, a Zustand-like global store, and a hot-reload dev server. It ships as 15 independent packages so you only install what you need.

Question 10

What is a TUI in Node.js?

Accepted Answer

A TUI (terminal user interface) is an interactive application that runs inside a terminal emulator. Unlike plain CLI output, a TUI renders a persistent, navigable UI using ANSI escape codes. In Node.js you build TUIs with frameworks like TermUI, which provides JSX components, a layout engine, keyboard input handling, and real-time rendering without a browser.

Question 11

How do I build a CLI dashboard in TypeScript?

Accepted Answer

Use TermUI. Run "npx create-termui-app my-dashboard", then add @termuijs/widgets for Box, Text, Table, ProgressBar, and Gauge components. Use @termuijs/data for live CPU, memory, disk, and network metrics. Use @termuijs/tss to theme the dashboard. The dev server reloads in under 200ms on every save.

Question 12

What is the best TypeScript terminal app framework?

Accepted Answer

TermUI is a TypeScript-first framework for terminal apps with 15 packages covering components, JSX, theming (TSS), routing, spring animations, global state, system data, hot reload, testing, and adapters. Ink is the main alternative; it reuses React but has no built-in router, animations, or hot reload.

Buildappsthat feel likemagicin the terminal.

Core Features

Full type inference,
end to end.

Physics-based
motion.

One command to start building

Ready toBUILDsomething.