# FTXUI — Functional Terminal User Interface Library for C++

> A modern C++ library for building interactive terminal UIs with a functional and declarative API. Supports animations, flexbox-style layouts, and works across platforms without external dependencies.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# FTXUI — Functional Terminal User Interface Library for C++

## Quick Use
```cpp
#include <ftxui/dom/elements.hpp>
#include <ftxui/screen/screen.hpp>
using namespace ftxui;

int main() {
  auto doc = hbox({ text("Hello "), text("FTXUI") | bold | color(Color::Green) });
  auto screen = Screen::Create(Dimension::Fit(doc));
  Render(screen, doc);
  screen.Print();
}
```

## Introduction
FTXUI is a header-friendly C++ library for creating rich terminal user interfaces. It uses a functional, declarative approach inspired by modern UI frameworks, making TUI development in C++ feel as natural as building web layouts.

## What FTXUI Does
- Provides a declarative DOM-like API for composing terminal UI elements
- Supports interactive components like buttons, inputs, menus, and toggles
- Implements flexbox-style layout with hbox, vbox, and flex for responsive design
- Renders smooth animations and transitions in the terminal
- Compiles to WebAssembly for running TUI apps in the browser

## Architecture Overview
FTXUI is organized into three modules: dom (layout and rendering), component (interactive widgets), and screen (terminal output). The dom layer builds a virtual element tree that is diffed and rendered efficiently. Components handle input events through a simple event loop. The library uses only the C++ standard library with no external dependencies.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Add as a CMake dependency via FetchContent or install system-wide
- Header-only option available for simpler integration
- Works on Linux, macOS, Windows (MSVC, GCC, Clang)
- WebAssembly builds supported via Emscripten for browser deployment
- No runtime configuration files needed; everything is set in code

## Key Features
- Zero external dependencies beyond the C++ standard library
- Functional composition model for building complex layouts from simple elements
- Built-in color support including true color (24-bit) terminals
- Canvas element for drawing graphics, charts, and plots in the terminal
- Thread-safe screen updates for concurrent applications

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **ncurses** — C API with manual memory management; FTXUI is modern C++ with RAII and composition
- **Textual (Python)** — Python-based TUI framework; FTXUI targets native C++ performance
- **Ratatui (Rust)** — Rust TUI library; FTXUI fills the same niche for C++ developers
- **Dear ImGui** — immediate mode GUI for graphics; FTXUI is terminal-only and declarative
- **Terminal.Gui (.NET)** — .NET TUI framework; FTXUI serves the C++ ecosystem

## FAQ
**Q: Does FTXUI support mouse input?**
A: Yes. It handles mouse clicks, scroll events, and hover detection on supported terminals.

**Q: Can I run FTXUI apps in the browser?**
A: Yes. FTXUI compiles to WebAssembly via Emscripten, with a DOM-based rendering backend.

**Q: Is it header-only?**
A: It can be used as a compiled library or fetched via CMake FetchContent. It is not strictly header-only but integrates easily.

**Q: What terminals are supported?**
A: Any terminal supporting ANSI escape codes, including xterm, iTerm2, Windows Terminal, and Alacritty.

## Sources
- https://github.com/ArthurSonzogni/FTXUI
- https://arthursonzogni.github.io/FTXUI/


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Author: AI Open Source