tui-style-guide
TUI style guide for consistent terminal interface design
Best use case
tui-style-guide is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
TUI style guide for consistent terminal interface design
Teams using tui-style-guide should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/tui-style-guide/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How tui-style-guide Compares
| Feature / Agent | tui-style-guide | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
TUI style guide for consistent terminal interface design
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# TUI Style Guide
Premium styling patterns for agents-in-a-box TUI components.
## Color Palette
### Primary Colors
```rust
// Core accent colors
const CORNFLOWER_BLUE: Color = Color::Rgb(100, 149, 237); // Primary accent, borders, section titles
const GOLD: Color = Color::Rgb(255, 215, 0); // Important CTAs, emphasis, highlights
const SELECTION_GREEN: Color = Color::Rgb(100, 200, 100); // Active selections, success states
const WARNING_ORANGE: Color = Color::Rgb(255, 165, 0); // Warnings, alternate modes
// Background colors
const DARK_BG: Color = Color::Rgb(25, 25, 35); // Main UI background
const INPUT_BG: Color = Color::Rgb(35, 35, 45); // Input field backgrounds
const PANEL_BG: Color = Color::Rgb(30, 30, 40); // Panel/nested container backgrounds
const LIST_HIGHLIGHT_BG: Color = Color::Rgb(40, 40, 60); // List item hover/selection
// Text colors
const SOFT_WHITE: Color = Color::Rgb(220, 220, 230); // Primary text
const MUTED_GRAY: Color = Color::Rgb(120, 120, 140); // Secondary text, hints
const MEDIUM_GRAY: Color = Color::Rgb(180, 180, 180); // Tertiary text
const DARK_GRAY: Color = Color::Rgb(100, 100, 100); // Disabled/faded text
// Accent/status colors
const PROGRESS_CYAN: Color = Color::Rgb(100, 200, 230); // Loading/processing
const LIGHT_BLUE: Color = Color::Rgb(100, 200, 255); // Info highlights
const SUBDUED_BORDER: Color = Color::Rgb(60, 60, 80); // Separator lines, secondary borders
```
## Border Styles
### Standard Panel Border
```rust
Block::default()
.borders(Borders::ALL)
.border_type(BorderType::Rounded)
.border_style(Style::default().fg(CORNFLOWER_BLUE))
.style(Style::default().bg(DARK_BG))
```
### Active/Focused Border
```rust
.border_style(Style::default().fg(SELECTION_GREEN))
```
### Muted/Secondary Border
```rust
.border_style(Style::default().fg(SUBDUED_BORDER))
```
## Title Patterns
### Primary Title with Icon
```rust
.title(Line::from(vec![
Span::styled(" folder_icon ", Style::default().fg(GOLD)),
Span::styled("Section Title",
Style::default().fg(GOLD).add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD))
]))
```
### Title with Count Badge
```rust
.title(Line::from(vec![
Span::styled(" Section ", Style::default().fg(SOFT_WHITE)),
Span::styled(
format!("({})", count),
Style::default().fg(CORNFLOWER_BLUE).add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD)
)
]))
```
## List Item Patterns
### Selected Item
```rust
// Prefix
Span::styled(" > ", Style::default().fg(SELECTION_GREEN))
// Text
Span::styled(&item_text,
Style::default()
.fg(SELECTION_GREEN)
.add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD))
```
### Unselected Item
```rust
// Prefix (spacing to align with selected)
Span::raw(" ")
// Text
Span::styled(&item_text, Style::default().fg(SOFT_WHITE))
```
### List Highlight Style
```rust
.highlight_style(Style::default().bg(LIST_HIGHLIGHT_BG))
.highlight_symbol("> ")
```
## Status Indicators
### Icon Patterns
| Status | Icon | Color |
|--------|------|-------|
| Running | Green circle | Green |
| Stopped | Red circle | Red |
| Idle | Yellow circle | Yellow |
| Error | X mark | Red |
| Success | Checkmark | Green |
| Warning | Warning sign | Orange |
| Info | Info sign | Cyan |
| Loading | Refresh | Cyan |
### Status Badge Style
```rust
Span::styled(
format!("[{}]", status_symbol),
Style::default()
.fg(status_color)
.add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD)
)
```
## File/Folder Icons
```rust
fn get_file_icon(filename: &str) -> &'static str {
match filename {
f if f.ends_with(".rs") => "rust",
f if f.ends_with(".py") => "python",
f if f.ends_with(".js") || f.ends_with(".jsx") => "js",
f if f.ends_with(".ts") || f.ends_with(".tsx") => "ts",
f if f.ends_with(".md") => "markdown",
f if f.ends_with(".json") => "json",
f if f.ends_with(".toml") || f.ends_with(".yaml") || f.ends_with(".yml") => "config",
f if f.ends_with(".sh") || f.ends_with(".bash") => "shell",
f if f.ends_with(".html") => "html",
f if f.ends_with(".css") || f.ends_with(".scss") => "css",
f if f.ends_with(".go") => "go",
f if f.ends_with(".java") => "java",
_ => "file",
}
}
// Folder icons
const FOLDER_ICON: &str = "folder";
const FOLDER_OPEN_ICON: &str = "folder-open";
```
## Tree Characters
```rust
// Expand/collapse indicators
const EXPANDED: &str = "v";
const COLLAPSED: &str = ">";
const LEAF: &str = ">";
// Tree lines
const TREE_BRANCH: &str = "|-";
const TREE_LAST: &str = "`-";
const TREE_VERTICAL: &str = "|";
```
## Keyboard Help Text
### Standard Format
```rust
Line::from(vec![
Span::styled("Up/Down", Style::default().fg(GOLD).add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD)),
Span::styled(" Navigate", Style::default().fg(MUTED_GRAY)),
Span::styled(" | ", Style::default().fg(SUBDUED_BORDER)),
Span::styled("Enter", Style::default().fg(GOLD).add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD)),
Span::styled(" Select", Style::default().fg(MUTED_GRAY)),
])
```
## Input Fields
### Active Input
```rust
Block::default()
.borders(Borders::ALL)
.border_type(BorderType::Rounded)
.border_style(Style::default().fg(SELECTION_GREEN))
.style(Style::default().bg(INPUT_BG))
// Cursor character
Span::styled("_", Style::default().fg(SELECTION_GREEN))
```
## Mode/Card Selection
### Selected Card
```rust
Block::default()
.borders(Borders::ALL)
.border_type(BorderType::Rounded)
.border_style(Style::default().fg(SELECTION_GREEN))
.style(Style::default().bg(Color::Rgb(35, 45, 35))) // Green tint
```
### Unselected Card
```rust
Block::default()
.borders(Borders::ALL)
.border_type(BorderType::Rounded)
.border_style(Style::default().fg(Color::Rgb(70, 70, 90)))
.style(Style::default().bg(PANEL_BG))
```
## Git Status Colors
```rust
const GIT_ADDED: Color = Color::Green;
const GIT_MODIFIED: Color = Color::Yellow;
const GIT_DELETED: Color = Color::Red;
const GIT_RENAMED: Color = Color::Blue;
const GIT_UNTRACKED: Color = Color::Magenta;
```
## Diff View Colors
```rust
// Line prefixes
const DIFF_ADDITION: Color = Color::Green; // Lines starting with +
const DIFF_DELETION: Color = Color::Red; // Lines starting with -
const DIFF_HUNK: Color = Color::Cyan; // @@ lines
const DIFF_FILE_HEADER: Color = Color::Yellow; // +++ and --- lines
const DIFF_CONTEXT: Color = Color::White; // Unchanged lines
```
## Markdown Viewer Colors
```rust
const MD_HEADING1: Style = Style::default()
.fg(Color::Cyan)
.add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD | Modifier::UNDERLINED);
const MD_HEADING2: Style = Style::default()
.fg(Color::Cyan)
.add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD);
const MD_HEADING3: Style = Style::default()
.fg(Color::Blue)
.add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD);
const MD_CODE_BLOCK: Style = Style::default()
.fg(Color::Green)
.bg(Color::Rgb(30, 30, 30));
const MD_CODE_HEADER: Style = Style::default()
.fg(Color::Yellow)
.add_modifier(Modifier::BOLD);
const MD_LINK: Style = Style::default()
.fg(Color::Blue)
.add_modifier(Modifier::UNDERLINED);
const MD_BLOCKQUOTE: Style = Style::default()
.fg(Color::Gray)
.add_modifier(Modifier::ITALIC);
```
## Layout Guidelines
### Centered Modal (Standard)
- Width: 80% of terminal width
- Height: 70% of terminal height
### Split Pane Ratios
- Sessions/Logs: 40/60
- Equal split: 50/50
### Internal Spacing
- Panel margins: 1px
- Content padding: Use `Constraint::Length(N)` for headers/footers
- Flexible content: `Constraint::Min(0)`
## Common Imports
```rust
use ratatui::{
layout::{Constraint, Direction, Layout, Rect},
style::{Color, Modifier, Style},
text::{Line, Span},
widgets::{Block, Borders, BorderType, List, ListItem, ListState, Paragraph, Tabs, Wrap},
Frame,
};
```
---
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