ZigTUI

A TUI library for Zig, inspired by Ratatui. Works on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

zig-tui-showcase.mp4

Documentation

https://adxdits.github.io/zigtui/ full docs and guides.

Quick install

zig fetch --save git+https://github.com/adxdits/zigtui.git

// build.zig
const zigtui = b.dependency("zigtui", .{ .target = target, .optimize = optimize });
exe.root_module.addImport("zigtui", zigtui.module("zigtui"));

Examples

zig build run-dashboard      # System monitor demo
zig build run-kitty          # Image display demo
zig build run-themes         # Theme showcase
zig build run-mouse          # Mouse input demo
zig build run-widgets-demo   # Interactive showcase of all widgets

Layout

Constraints are solved against the full extent, and the solved sizes never overflow the area they are given.

const layout = zigtui.Layout{
    .direction = .vertical,
    .constraints = &.{ .{ .fixed = 3 }, .{ .fill = 1 }, .{ .fixed = 1 } },
};

var rows: [3]zigtui.Rect = undefined;
_ = layout.splitInto(area, &rows);

Constraint	Meaning
.fixed / .length	exactly n cells
.percentage / .ratio	a share of the full extent
.min	a floor, and absorbs leftover space when no .fill is present
.max	a ceiling, and gives space back first when space runs short
.fill	takes leftover space, split by weight against other .fills

splitInto writes into storage you own and needs no allocator; split keeps the allocating form. Space left over by constraints that cannot stretch stays unallocated, so use .fill for the pane that should take up the slack.

Leaving the terminal usable

Signal handlers are installed when raw mode is entered, so SIGINT, SIGTERM and a segfault all restore the terminal before the process dies. Opt into the matching panic handler from your root source file:

pub const panic = zigtui.panic;

Unicode

Buffer cells track display width, so CJK and emoji occupy the two columns they actually take up on screen, and combining marks take none. Measure text with zigtui.stringWidth and cut it with zigtui.truncateToWidth.

Date picker

DatePicker provides calendar rendering and keyboard navigation. Arrow keys move by a day or week, Page Up/Down move by month, and Home/End select the first or last day.

var picker = try zigtui.DatePicker.init(.{
	.year = 2026,
	.month = 8,
	.day = 29,
});

_ = picker.handleKey(key_event);
picker.render(area, buffer);
const selected_date = picker.selected;

License

MIT see LICENSE