PlugWiki

OpenTUI skill (msmps) for Claude Code: build terminal user interfaces

Gives Claude a reference for building terminal user interfaces with OpenTUI, using its Core, React or Solid APIs.

Installs
64.5K
on skills.sh
Stars
228
on GitHub
Files
26
besides SKILL.md
Updated
Aug 2026
last repo commit

OpenTUI is a toolkit for terminal user interfaces. This skill gives Claude decision trees in SKILL.md and 26 reference files for the Core (imperative), React and Solid APIs, plus components, layout, keyboard, keymap, animation and testing. Claude loads it for any TUI task.

SKILL.md sets four critical rules, such as using create-tui for new projects and never calling process.exit() directly. It says OpenTUI runs on Bun and uses Zig for native builds. The folder holds only Markdown files.

Good for

  • Developers building text-based interfaces that run in a terminal
  • React and Solid developers who want a TUI with familiar components
  • Anyone debugging layout, keyboard or snapshot test problems in OpenTUI

Install opentui

Claude Code

  1. 1

    Copy this prompt.

    Install the opentui skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

npx skills add https://github.com/msmps/opentui-skill --skill opentui

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.
  2. 2

    Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires Node.js.

From its listing on skills.sh. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

OpenTUI skill for building terminal user interfaces with the Core, React, or Solid APIs. Use for any TUI task including components, layout, keyboard and keymap handling, animations, and testing.

Sections in SKILL.md

  1. Critical Rules
  2. How to Use This Skill
  3. Reference File Structure
  4. Reading Order
  5. Example Paths
  6. Runtime Notes
  7. Quick Decision Trees
  8. "Which framework should I use?"
  9. "I need to display content"
  10. "I need user input"
  11. "I need layout/positioning"
  12. "I need animations"
  13. "I need to handle input"
  14. "I need to test my TUI"
  15. "I need platform capabilities (audio, images, clipboard, notifications, SSH)"
  16. "I need to debug/troubleshoot"

Key facts

Author
msmps (msmps/opentui-skill)
Repository
msmps/opentui-skill
License
MIT (crawl data)
Reference areas
core, react, solid, components, layout, keyboard, keymap, animation, testing
Installs on skills.sh
64,487 (Nov 2, 2026)
GitHub stars (repo)
228 (Nov 2, 2026)
Last repo commit
Aug 27, 2026
Files
27 files including SKILL.md (26 reference files)

What it includes

  • Use create-tui, put options before arguments, avoid process.exit(), nest text tags.

    Critical rules (4)

  • Chooses between Core (imperative), React and Solid.

    Framework decision tree

  • Text, boxes, scroll areas, code, diffs, markdown, images, QR codes.

    Display content

  • Input, textarea, select, tab-select, slider, keyboard and keymap handling.

    User input

  • Flexbox-style rows, columns, absolute positioning and responsive sizing.

    Layout

  • Timelines, easing, property transitions and loops.

    Animations

  • Test renderer, snapshots and interaction tests.

    Testing

  • Audio, images, clipboard, desktop notifications and serving a TUI over SSH.

    Platform capabilities

  • keymap, qrcode, ssh, three and examples packages.

    Additional packages (5)

  • Pointers to gotchas, layout, keyboard and flaky snapshot guidance.

    Troubleshooting index

From the official docs

Permissions

Low risk

The skill holds instructions, but they tell Claude to scaffold projects with bunx and install packages. Review those commands before approving them.

What it can do

  • Read your data
  • Create and change things
  • Delete things
  • Read-only mode

Watch out for

  • It tells Claude to scaffold with bunx create-tui

    SKILL.md's first rule is to use create-tui for new projects, and the references show bunx create-tui@latest followed by bun install. This downloads and runs a package. github.com

  • Native builds may need Zig

    core/gotchas.md shows brew install zig for native builds. Install it yourself if you need it. github.com

  • The OpenCode install script clones, deletes and copies

    The README's install.sh runs git clone, removes any existing opentui skill and command folders, then copies the skill and command into ~/.config/opencode or .opencode. Read it before piping it to bash. github.com

Technical details
Talks tonpm registry (bun install, bunx create-tui)

Questions

How do I install the OpenTUI skill?

Use the install box above. The README also documents an OpenCode script that installs the skill plus a /opentui command.

What does the /opentui command do?

The README says it loads the skill with contextual guidance in OpenCode, for example /opentui create a React TUI with keyboard navigation. It comes with the OpenCode install script.

Do I need Bun?

SKILL.md says OpenTUI runs on Bun and uses Zig for native builds. The reference files use bunx create-tui and bun install commands.

Which agents does it work in?

The README says npx skills add msmps/opentui-skill works with Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot, Goose, OpenCode and Windsurf.

Is this the official OpenTUI project?

The skill lives in msmps/opentui-skill. SKILL.md's Resources section points to anomalyco/opentui as the OpenTUI repository.

Is it safe to install?

The folder holds only Markdown files, with no scripts. Commands in the reference files, such as bunx create-tui@latest and bun install, only run if you or Claude run them.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository
msmps/opentui-skill
Folder
skill/opentui

msmps/opentui-skillskills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 5
  1. SKILL.md · github.com
  2. opentui-skill README · github.com
  3. skills.sh listing · skills.sh
  4. Repository · github.com
  5. core/REFERENCE.md · github.com

Updated Nov 2, 2026.