Terminal ui

DevEx Developer Experience TUI Best Practices

Comprehensive developer experience guide for building TypeScript terminal user interfaces using Ink (React for CLIs) and Clack prompts. Contains 42 rules across 8 categories, prioritized by impact to guide automated refactoring and code generation.

When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:

• Building CLI tools with interactive prompts using @clack/prompts
• Creating React-based terminal UIs with Ink
• Handling keyboard input and user interactions
• Optimizing terminal rendering and preventing flicker
• Designing developer-friendly CLI experiences

Rule Categories by Priority

Priority	Category	Impact	Prefix
1	Rendering & Output	CRITICAL	render-
2	Input & Keyboard	CRITICAL	input-
3	Component Patterns	HIGH	tuicomp-
4	State & Lifecycle	HIGH	tuistate-
5	Prompt Design	MEDIUM-HIGH	prompt-
6	UX & Feedback	MEDIUM	ux-
7	Configuration & CLI	MEDIUM	tuicfg-
8	Robustness & Compatibility	LOW-MEDIUM	robust-

Quick Reference

1. Rendering & Output (CRITICAL)

• render-single-write - Batch Terminal Output in Single Write
• render-overwrite-dont-clear - Overwrite Content Instead of Clear and Redraw
• render-synchronized-output - Use Synchronized Output Protocol for Animations
• render-60fps-baseline - Target 60fps for Smooth Animation
• render-partial-updates - Update Only Changed Regions
• render-escape-sequence-batching - Defer ANSI Escape Code Generation to Final Output

2. Input & Keyboard (CRITICAL)

• input-useinput-hook - Use useInput Hook for Keyboard Handling
• input-immediate-feedback - Provide Immediate Visual Feedback for Input
• input-modifier-keys - Handle Modifier Keys Correctly
• input-isactive-focus - Use isActive Option for Focus Management
• input-escape-routes - Always Provide Escape Routes

3. Component Patterns (HIGH)

• tuicomp-box-flexbox - Use Box Component with Flexbox for Layouts
• tuicomp-text-styling - Use Text Component for All Visible Content
• tuicomp-measure-element - Use measureElement for Dynamic Sizing
• tuicomp-static-for-logs - Use Static Component for Log Output
• tuicomp-percentage-widths - Use Percentage Widths for Responsive Layouts
• tuicomp-border-styles - Use Border Styles for Visual Structure

4. State & Lifecycle (HIGH)

• tuistate-useapp-exit - Use useApp Hook for Application Lifecycle
• tuistate-cleanup-effects - Always Clean Up Effects on Unmount
• tuistate-functional-updates - Use Functional State Updates to Avoid Stale Closures
• tuistate-usecallback-stable - Stabilize Callbacks with useCallback
• tuistate-usememo-expensive - Memoize Expensive Computations with useMemo

5. Prompt Design (MEDIUM-HIGH)

• prompt-group-flow - Use Clack group() for Multi-Step Prompts
• prompt-validation - Validate Input Early with Descriptive Messages
• prompt-cancellation - Handle Cancellation Gracefully with isCancel
• prompt-spinner-tasks - Use Spinner and Tasks for Long Operations
• prompt-custom-render - Build Custom Prompts with @clack/core

6. UX & Feedback (MEDIUM)

• ux-progress-indicators - Show Progress for Operations Over 1 Second
• ux-color-semantics - Use Colors Semantically and Consistently
• ux-error-messages - Write Actionable Error Messages
• ux-next-steps - Show Next Steps After Completion
• ux-intro-outro - Use Intro and Outro for Session Framing

7. Configuration & CLI (MEDIUM)

• tuicfg-sensible-defaults - Provide Sensible Defaults for All Options
• tuicfg-env-vars - Support Standard Environment Variables
• tuicfg-flags-over-args - Prefer Flags Over Positional Arguments
• tuicfg-help-system - Implement Comprehensive Help System
• tuicfg-json-output - Support Machine-Readable Output Format

8. Robustness & Compatibility (LOW-MEDIUM)

• robust-tty-detection - Detect TTY and Adjust Behavior Accordingly
• robust-signal-handling - Handle Process Signals Gracefully
• robust-exit-codes - Use Meaningful Exit Codes
• robust-terminal-restore - Always Restore Terminal State on Exit
• robust-graceful-degradation - Degrade Gracefully for Limited Terminals

How to Use

Read individual reference files for detailed explanations and code examples:

• Section definitions - Category structure and impact levels
• Rule template - Template for adding new rules
• render-single-write - Example rule file
• input-useinput-hook - Example rule file

Full Compiled Document

For the complete guide with all rules expanded: AGENTS.md