# egui_ratatui : egui widget + ratatui backend
[](https://crates.io/crates/egui_ratatui)
[](https://docs.rs/egui_ratatui/latest/egui_ratatui/)
[](https://github.com/bevyengine/bevy/blob/master/LICENSE)
[](https://crates.io/crates/egui_ratatui)
`RataguiBackend` is a combined **ratatui Backend** and **egui Widget** that lets you render a full Ratatui terminal inside an egui UI. Because egui is WASM-friendly, this makes it easy to run terminal-style TUI apps in desktop GUIs or in the browser.
## Highlights
`egui_ratatui` builds on top of the [`soft_ratatui`] library and inherits its features:
* **Multiple font backends**: `embedded-graphics`, `embedded-ttf`, `bdf-parser`, `cosmic-text`.
* **High performance**: optimized for real-time UIs (hundreds of FPS on normal workloads).
* **WASM compatible**: run your ratatui apps in the browser via egui.
* **Bevy & GUI friendly** — bevy and eframe examples included.
---
## Installation
Add the crate to your project:
```bash
cargo add egui_ratatui
```
You will typically also add `soft_ratatui` (the rendering backends) and `ratatui`:
```bash
cargo add soft_ratatui
cargo add ratatui
```
Or clone and run the included examples:
```bash
git clone https://github.com/gold-silver-copper/egui_ratatui.git
cd egui_ratatui
cd bevy_example
cargo run --release
```
---
## Quick usage
### Minimal example
```rust
use eframe::egui;
use egui_ratatui::RataguiBackend;
use ratatui::Terminal;
use ratatui::prelude::Stylize;
use ratatui::widgets::{Block, Borders, Paragraph, Wrap};
use soft_ratatui::embedded_graphics_unicodefonts::{
mono_8x13_atlas, mono_8x13_bold_atlas, mono_8x13_italic_atlas,
};
use soft_ratatui::{EmbeddedGraphics, SoftBackend};
fn main() -> eframe::Result {
let options = eframe::NativeOptions {
viewport: egui::ViewportBuilder::default().with_inner_size([320.0, 240.0]),
..Default::default()
};
let font_regular = mono_8x13_atlas();
let font_italic = mono_8x13_italic_atlas();
let font_bold = mono_8x13_bold_atlas();
let soft_backend = SoftBackend::<EmbeddedGraphics>::new(
100,
50,
font_regular,
Some(font_bold),
Some(font_italic),
);
let mut backend = RataguiBackend::new("soft_rat", soft_backend);
let mut terminal = Terminal::new(backend).unwrap();
eframe::run_simple_native("My egui App", options, move |ctx, _frame| {
terminal
.draw(|frame| {
let area = frame.area();
let textik = format!("Hello eframe! The window area is {}", area);
frame.render_widget(
Paragraph::new(textik)
.block(Block::new().title("Ratatui").borders(Borders::ALL))
.white()
.on_blue()
.wrap(Wrap { trim: false }),
area,
);
})
.expect("epic fail");
egui::CentralPanel::default().show(ctx, |ui| {
ui.add(terminal.backend_mut());
});
})
}
```
---
## Feature Flags (set these on `soft_ratatui` dependency)
`soft_ratatui` (and therefore `egui_ratatui`) is modular. Enable only the backends you need to reduce binary size and dependencies. (Note: these features flags must be set on the soft_ratatui dependency, I am only mentioning them here for visibility)
| `unicodefonts` | [`embedded_graphics_unicodefonts`] | Embedded-graphics fonts with Unicode support. Automatically enables `embedded-graphics`. Enabled by default. |
| `embedded-graphics` | [`EmbeddedGraphics`] | Uses embedded-graphics font atlases for TUI rendering. |
| `bdf-parser` | [`Bdf`] | Bitmap Distribution Format font support. |
| `embedded-ttf` | [`EmbeddedTTF`] | TrueType font rendering via RustType. Automatically enables `embedded-graphics`. |
| `cosmic-text` | [`CosmicText`] | Advanced text shaping, layout, and Unicode support using CosmicText engine. |
> Tip: Only enable the font backends you actually use in `Cargo.toml` to keep compile times and binary size down.
## Integration notes
* The crate is designed so `RataguiBackend<R>` is generic over any `R: RasterBackend`. That means you can use the same `RataguiBackend` code with `SoftBackend<EmbeddedGraphics>`, `SoftBackend<EmbeddedTTF>`, `SoftBackend<Bdf>`, or whichever backend you enable.
* `RataguiBackend` implements Ratatui's `Backend` trait, so it can be used anywhere a `ratatui::Terminal` is expected.
* For web/WASM deployment, remember to enable the appropriate features and follow the host GUI / wasm backend guide (see links below).
## Examples
* `bevy_example/` — embedding Ratagui inside Bevy (with bevy_egui).
* `eframe_example/` — minimal eframe example.
* See the `soft_ratatui` repo for font/backend-specific examples (BDF, TTF, CosmicText, embedded-graphics).
## Useful links
* [`soft_ratatui`](https://github.com/gold-silver-copper/soft_ratatui) — software rendering backends used by egui_ratatui.
* [`ratatui`](https://github.com/ratatui/ratatui) — terminal UI crate.
* [`egui`](https://github.com/emilk/egui) — immediate mode GUI used to embed the widget.
* [`bevy_ratatui`](https://github.com/cxreiff/bevy_ratatui) — Bevy integration for Ratatui.
* [`mousefood`](https://github.com/j-g00da/mousefood) - a no-std embedded-graphics backend for Ratatui!
* [`ratzilla`](https://github.com/orhun/ratzilla) - Build terminal-themed web applications with Rust and WebAssembly.
* [`ratatui-wgpu`](https://github.com/Jesterhearts/ratatui-wgpu) - A wgpu based rendering backend for ratatui.
* [`bevy_ratatui_camera`](https://github.com/cxreiff/bevy_ratatui_camera) - A bevy plugin for rendering your bevy app to the terminal using ratatui.
WASM & platform guides:
* Bevy WASM guide: [https://bevy-cheatbook.github.io/platforms/wasm.html](https://bevy-cheatbook.github.io/platforms/wasm.html)
* Macroquad WASM: [https://macroquad.rs/articles/wasm/](https://macroquad.rs/articles/wasm/)
* eframe (egui desktop + wasm): [https://github.com/emilk/eframe_template](https://github.com/emilk/eframe_template)
Font and text engine links:
* [`embedded-graphics`](https://github.com/embedded-graphics/embedded-graphics)
* [`embedded_graphics_unicodefonts`](https://github.com/j-g00da/embedded-graphics-unicodefonts)
* [`bdf-parser`](https://github.com/embedded-graphics/bdf)
* [`embedded-ttf`](https://github.com/peckpeck/embedded-ttf)
* [`cosmic-text`](https://github.com/pop-os/cosmic-text)
## Cool BDF fonts
* [`spleen`](https://github.com/fcambus/spleen) — many sizes, perfect block drawing.
* [`cozette`](https://github.com/the-moonwitch/Cozette) — pretty font.
## License
Dual-licensed under **MIT** or **Apache 2.0**.