Ncursesbased

Ncursesbased, or ncurses-based software, refers to programs whose user interfaces are implemented using the ncurses library. These applications run in terminal or console environments and rely on text rather than graphical widgets. The term highlights dependence on ncurses to render UI elements and manage input across different terminal types.

Ncurses is a free, portable library that provides an API for creating text-based user interfaces. It enables developers to create multiple windows, draw text with colors and attributes, and handle input from keyboards and, in many cases, mouse devices. It also offers widgets and utilities for menus, forms, panels, and other common TUI components. By using the terminfo database, ncurses aims to maintain portability across diverse terminal capabilities and environments.

Software described as ncursesbased is typically lightweight, platform-independent within Unix-like systems, and designed to work in environments without a graphical desktop. Such programs emphasize keyboard navigation, predictable layouts, and robust text rendering. They are common on servers, in rescue environments, and on minimalist installations where graphical toolkits are undesirable or unavailable.

The ncurses ecosystem includes a wide range of well-known ncursesbased applications, such as system monitors, file managers, text editors, and console media players. Examples often cited include terminal-based tools that prioritize accessibility and low resource usage while remaining functional across many terminal emulators.

Development and maintenance of ncurses-based programs generally rely on the ncurses library, which is widely distributed with POSIX-like environments. The library provides consistent behavior across terminals and platforms, though real-world appearance may vary with terminal support for color, bold/underline styles, and mouse events. See also curses, terminfo, and text-based user interfaces.