This is a RAD (Rapid Application Development) textual user interface library for Zsh. It in many aspects resembles typical CGI+(D)HTML setup. There are:

• generators ran on "server" side (basic Zshell-code that is just generating text!),
• event loop that turns the generated text into document with active elements (buttons, anchors, toggle buttons, text fields, list boxes),
• mechanism to regenerate document parts from the original generators.

So, a Zshell code generates text. It is then turned into document with hyperlinks. DHTML-like calls are possible that will regenerate document parts on the fly. Page can be also reloaded with input data, just like an HTML page.

A voiced video tutorial shows how to create an application – Nmap network scanner frontend.

See also ZSTYLES

# Started from Zle or from command line

-zui_std_cleanup deserialize:"zui-demo-hello-world"
-zui_std_init app:"zui-demo-hello-world" app_name:"ZUI Hello World"
emulate -LR zsh -o extendedglob -o typesetsilent -o warncreateglobal
-zui_std_init2 # after emulate -LR

-zui_std_store_default_app_config b:border 1

demo_generator_A() {
    local mod="$1" ice="$2"
    # Content, no hyper-links
    reply=( "Hello World from ${ZUI[YELLOW]}ZUI${ZUI[FMT_END]}! Module $mod, instance $ice." )
    # Non-selectable lines   Hops to jump with [ and ]   Local anchors
    reply2=( )               reply3=( 1 )                reply4=( )
}

## Start application ##
zui-event-loop 1:demo_generator_A

-zui_std_cleanup serialize

Other example which uses list-box: zui-demo-list-box

The API is described at the wiki.

The plugin is "standalone", which means that only sourcing it is needed. To install, unpack zui somewhere and add to zshrc:

source {where-zui-is}/zui.plugin.zsh

If using a plugin manager, then ZI is recommended, but you can use any other too, and also install with Oh My Zsh (by copying directory to ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/plugins).

Add zi load z-shell/zui to your .zshrc file. ZI will handle the rest automatically the next time you start zsh. To update (i.e. to pull from origin) issue zi update z-shell/zui.

Add antigen bundle z-shell/zui to your .zshrc file. Antigen will handle cloning the plugin for you automatically the next time you start zsh.

1. cd ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/plugins
2. git clone [email protected]:z-shell/zui.git
3. Add zui to your plugin list

Add zgen load z-shell/zui to your .zshrc file in the same place you're doing your other zgen load calls in.