terminal-ui-design

# Terminal UI Design

Create distinctive, production-grade terminal user interfaces with high design quality. Use this skill when building CLI tools, TUI applications, or terminal-based interfaces. Generate creative, polished code that avoids generic terminal aesthetics.

## Design Thinking

Before coding, understand the context and commit to a BOLD aesthetic direction:

1. **Purpose**: What problem does this interface solve? Who uses it? What's the workflow?
2. **Tone**: Pick an extreme: hacker/cyberpunk, retro-computing (80s/90s), minimalist zen, maximalist dashboard, synthwave neon, monochrome brutalist, corporate mainframe, playful/whimsical, matrix-style, steampunk terminal, vaporwave, military/tactical, art deco, paper-tape nostalgic
3. **Constraints**: Technical requirements (Python Rich, Go bubbletea, Rust ratatui, Node.js blessed/ink, pure ANSI escape codes, ncurses)
4. **Differentiation**: What makes this UNFORGETTABLE? What's the one thing someone will remember about this terminal experience?

Choose a clear conceptual direction and execute it with precision. A dense information dashboard and a zen single-focus interface both work—the key is intentionality, not intensity.

## Box Drawing & Borders

Choose border styles that match your aesthetic:

- Single line: ┌─┐│└┘ — Clean, modern
- Double line: ╔═╗║╚╝ — Bold, formal, retro-mainframe
- Rounded: ╭─╮│╰╯ — Soft, friendly, modern
- Heavy: ┏━┓┃┗┛ — Strong, industrial
- Dashed/Dotted: ┄┆ — Light, airy, informal
- ASCII only: +-+| — Retro, universal compatibility
- Block characters: █▀▄▌▐ — Chunky, bold, brutalist
- Custom Unicode: Mix symbols like ◢◣◤◥, ●○◐◑, ▲▼◀▶ for unique frames

Avoid defaulting to simple single-line boxes. Consider asymmetric borders, double-thick headers, or decorative corners like ◆, ◈, ✦, ⬡.

## Color & Theme

Commit to a cohesive palette. Terminal color strategies:

- **ANSI 16**: Classic, universal. Craft distinctive combinations beyond default red/green/blue
- **256-color**: Rich