RunTUI — Modern Terminal UI Framework for Python

Build beautiful, interactive, mouse-aware terminal applications in pure Python — no curses, no ncurses, no external dependencies.

runtui is a full-featured, cross-platform TUI (Text User Interface) library written in 100% pure Python.
It brings modern desktop-like experience into your terminal: windows, dialogs, forms, image rendering, embedded terminals, mouse support, theming, layout managers and even a visual RAD (Rapid Application Development) designer.

Works seamlessly on Linux, macOS, and Windows

✨ Highlights

• Pure Python — zero compiled dependencies
• Cross-platform (Linux, macOS, Windows)
• Rich set of widgets — Button, Input, Password, TextArea, Dropdown, ListBox, CheckBox, Radio, Calendar, ColorPicker, ProgressBar, Image, real Terminal, etc.
• Multiple layout engines: Absolute, Box, Dock, Grid
• Theme engine with built-in themes: Dark, Light, Nord, Solarized, Turbo Vision / Borland style
• Mouse support (click, drag, scroll, hover)
• Window manager with floating & tiled windows + taskbar
• Dialogs: MessageBox, File Open/Save, Custom Forms
• Visual RAD designer (rad_designer.py) — drag & drop UI building + code generation
• Embedded terminal widget with PTY support (run vim, htop, bash, python REPL, … inside your app!)
• Browser under Text UI (can browse any website, a full chrome mirror)
• Clean event loop, timers, key bindings, context menus

Installation

pip install runtui

Run

python -m runtui.tui_os

python -m runtui.rad_designer

More examples in the examples/ folder:

• cal.py — Calendar
• calc.py — Calculator
• chatbox.py — LLM Chat App
• clock.py — A basic clock program
• demo_app.py — widget showcase
• mine.py - window's mine game
• notes.py — mac os like personal notes
• rad_designer.py — visual designer (very cool!)
• puzzle.py — mac os like puzzle game
• trome.py — a Text UI browser via chrome mirror (very cool!)
• tui_os.py — tui desktop / OS-like interface

It is highly recommended to run everything inside tui_os.py by browse these python files in Finder.

Why choose runtui over other TUI libraries?

Feature	runtui	Textual	urwid	py_cui	rich + textual
Pure Python	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Cross-platform (good)	✓	✓	△	✓	✓
Mouse support	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓
Built-in themes	✓ (many)	✓ (CSS)	✗	✗	✓
Embedded terminal widget	✓ (PTY)	✗	✗	✗	✗
Visual RAD designer	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗
Image rendering	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓
Floating windows + taskbar	✓	△	✗	✗	✗
LLM Chat App	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗

License

MIT

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Made with ❤️ in the terminal
Start building your next TUI masterpiece today!