Building cutting-edge interactive applications for the terminal is a lot of work. While powerful, terminal-based applications often require more sophisticated user interfaces, such as those found in web or desktop programs. Within the confines of a terminal, developers must create functional and aesthetically pleasing applications. The flexibility and ease of use that traditional tools must provide are necessary to build these complex interfaces quickly.
While some solutions allow for terminal-based UI development, they have many drawbacks. Many of these tools only support simple text-based interfaces or require deep knowledge of low-level programming. They can design basic applications, but need to improve when it comes to creating complex and dynamic user interfaces. In addition, they often need more modern features, such as color management, mouse support, and animations, which makes applications look dated.
Textual:A new framework addresses these issues. It is a Python rapid application development tool that makes it easy to create sophisticated terminal application user interfaces. Developers can use Textual to create applications that work in both web browsers and terminals. This framework provides a simple API influenced by contemporary web development techniques, allowing programmers to build interactive and graphically rich applications without requiring extensive knowledge of terminal user interface design.
Textual supports 16.7 million colors, allowing for colorful and intricate user interfaces. Additionally, the framework supports the mouse and has smooth, flicker-free animations not commonly found in traditional terminal applications. Creating user interfaces that compete with desktop and web applications is simple with Textual thanks to its robust layout engine and reusable components. Plus, it only requires Python 3.8 or later and works with Windows, Linux, and macOS. With just a pip install command, Textual is easy to install and even comes with development tools for building and testing applications.
Textual offers a comprehensive solution for developers looking to create sophisticated terminal-based applications. By addressing the limitations of traditional tools and providing modern features, the development process becomes more accessible and efficient. Whether for simple utilities or complex interactive applications, Textual opens up new possibilities for what can be achieved within the terminal environment.
Niharika is a Technical Consulting Intern at Marktechpost. She is pursuing her third year of Bachelor’s degree from Indian Institute of technology (IIT) Kharagpur. She is a very enthusiastic person with a keen interest in Machine Learning, Data Science, and artificial intelligence and an avid reader of the latest developments in these fields.
