Introduction
ratatui is based on the principle of immediate rendering with intermediate buffers. This means
that at each new frame you have to build all widgets that are supposed to be part of the UI. In
short, the ratatui library handles drawing to the terminal.
It is important to note that ratatui:
- does not handle keyboard input events
- does not modify the state of your application
- does not dicate how you want to structure your application
The ratatui crate is a library and not a framework.
The ratatui library provides widgets that allows a developer to imperatively declare what the view
of your application should look like, and then allows a developer to draw those widgets efficiently
to the terminal.
For these reasons, ratatui can be highly flexible and customizable. And while this can be
empowering, it also does put the onus on developers using ratatui to understand how to best
architect their applications, to tailor the experience for users as they see fit.
Who is ratatui for?
ratatui is designed for developers and enthusiasts who:
- appreciate the retro aesthetic of the terminal,
- want a lightweight alternative to graphical user interfaces (GUIs),
- need applications that are to be deployed in constrained environments, like on servers with limited resources, and
- prefer to have full control over input and events, allowing for a more customized and tailored user experience.
Who is this book for?
In this book, we will cover beginner guides to advanced patterns for developing terminal user interfaces.
Those new to the world of TUIs will find this book a comprehensive guide, introducing the
foundational concepts and walking through common patterns of using ratatui. Additionally,
developers who have worked with TUIs will understand the nuances and benefits of using ratatui.
We hope that this book can be a journey into creating beautiful and functional terminal-based applications.