sgr0

sgr0 is the shorthand name for the ANSI escape sequence ESC[0m, which resets all graphic rendition attributes in terminals that support ANSI escape codes. SGR stands for Select Graphic Rendition, and the sequence consists of the escape character, a left bracket, one or more numeric parameters separated by semicolons, and the letter m. The parameter 0 acts as the reset command: when present, it clears any style set by previous SGR sequences and returns colors to the terminal’s defaults.

The reset affects text attributes such as bold or bright, faint, italic, underlined, blinking, inverse, hidden, and strike-through, and it resets the foreground and background colors. In many terminals, it is possible to reset specific attributes with other SGR parameters, and 39 and 49 reset the foreground and background colors to their defaults, respectively.

sgr0 is widely supported across modern terminals, including xterm-compatible emulators and Windows consoles with ANSI support, and is commonly used after printing colored or styled text to restore normal appearance. Developers frequently use ESC[0m or its textual representation \033[0m to ensure that subsequent output is not affected by earlier formatting.

In practice, sgr0 serves as a universal, portable way to clear styles, though some terminal features may implement colors or attributes differently. It remains part of the standard set of ANSI escape sequences used for terminal control.