Python Prompt Toolkit 3.0

Warning

Notice that this is the prompt_toolkit 3.0 documentation. It is mostly compatible with the 2.0 branch. The difference is that prompt_toolkit 3.0 requires at least Python 3.6. On the plus side, it uses asyncio natively (rather than it’s own event loop), and we have type annotations everywhere.

prompt_toolkit is a library for building powerful interactive command line and terminal applications in Python.

It can be a very advanced pure Python replacement for GNU readline, but it can also be used for building full screen applications.

Some features:

• Syntax highlighting of the input while typing. (For instance, with a Pygments lexer.)

• Multi-line input editing.

• Advanced code completion.

• Selecting text for copy/paste. (Both Emacs and Vi style.)

• Mouse support for cursor positioning and scrolling.

• Auto suggestions. (Like fish shell.)

• No global state.

Like readline:

• Both Emacs and Vi key bindings.

• Reverse and forward incremental search.

• Works well with Unicode double width characters. (Chinese input.)

Works everywhere:

• Pure Python. Runs on all Python versions starting at Python 3.6. (Python 2.6 - 3.x is supported in prompt_toolkit 2.0; not 3.0).

• Runs on Linux, OS X, OpenBSD and Windows systems.

• Lightweight, the only dependencies are Pygments and wcwidth.

• No assumptions about I/O are made. Every prompt_toolkit application should also run in a telnet/ssh server or an asyncio process.

Have a look at the gallery to get an idea of what is possible.

Getting started

Go to getting started and build your first prompt.

Thanks to:

A special thanks to all the contributors for making prompt_toolkit possible.

Also, a special thanks to the Pygments and wcwidth libraries.

Table of contents

• Gallery
  • Ptpython, a Python REPL
  • Pyvim, a Vim clone
  • Pymux, a terminal multiplexer (like tmux) in Python
• Getting started
  • Installation
  • Several use cases: prompts versus full screen terminal applications
  • A simple prompt
  • Learning prompt_toolkit
• Upgrading
  • Upgrading to prompt_toolkit 2.0
  • Upgrading to prompt_toolkit 3.0
• Printing (and using) formatted text
  • Printing plain text
  • Formatted text
• Asking for input (prompts)
  • Hello world
  • The PromptSession object
  • Syntax highlighting
  • Colors
  • Autocompletion
  • Input validation
  • History
  • Auto suggestion
  • Adding a bottom toolbar
  • Adding a right prompt
  • Vi input mode
  • Adding custom key bindings
  • Other prompt options
  • Prompt in an asyncio application
  • Reading keys from stdin, one key at a time, but without a prompt
• Dialogs
  • Message box
  • Input box
  • Yes/No confirmation dialog
  • Button dialog
  • Radio list dialog
  • Checkbox list dialog
  • Styling of dialogs
  • Styling reference sheet
• Progress bars
  • Simple progress bar
  • Multiple parallel tasks
  • Adding a title and label
  • Formatting the progress bar
  • Adding key bindings and toolbar
• Building full screen applications
  • A simple application
  • I/O objects
  • The layout
  • Key bindings
  • More about the Window class
  • More about buffers and BufferControl
• Tutorials
  • Tutorial: Build an SQLite REPL
• Advanced topics
  • More about key bindings
  • More about styling
  • Filters
  • The rendering flow
  • Running on top of the asyncio event loop
  • Unit testing
  • Input hooks
  • Architecture
  • The rendering pipeline
• Reference
  • Application
  • Formatted text
  • Buffer
  • Selection
  • Clipboard
  • Auto completion
  • Document
  • Enums
  • History
  • Keys
  • Style
  • Shortcuts
  • Validation
  • Auto suggestion
  • Renderer
  • Lexers
  • Layout
  • Widgets
  • Filters
  • Key binding
  • Eventloop
  • Input
  • Output
  • Patch stdout

Indices and tables

• Index

• Module Index

• Search Page

Prompt_toolkit was created by Jonathan Slenders.