# Coloring and Theming in Nu Many parts of Nushell's interface can have their color customized. All of these can be set in the `config.nu` configuration file. If you see the hash/hashtag/pound mark `#` in the config file it means the text after it is commented out. 1. table borders 2. primitive values 3. shapes (this is the command line syntax) 4. prompt 5. LS_COLORS ## `Table borders` Table borders are controlled by the `$env.config.table.mode` setting in `config.nu`. Here is an example: ```nu > $env.config = { table: { mode: rounded } } ``` Here are the current options for `$env.config.table.mode`: - `rounded` # of course, this is the best one :) - `basic` - `compact` - `compact_double` - `light` - `thin` - `with_love` - `reinforced` - `heavy` - `none` - `other` ### `Color symbologies` --- - `r` - normal color red's abbreviation - `rb` - normal color red's abbreviation with bold attribute - `red` - normal color red - `red_bold` - normal color red with bold attribute - `"#ff0000"` - "#hex" format foreground color red (quotes are required) - `{ fg: "#ff0000" bg: "#0000ff" attr: b }` - "full #hex" format foreground red in "#hex" format with a background of blue in "#hex" format with an attribute of bold abbreviated. ### `attributes` --- | code | meaning | | ---- | ------------------- | | l | blink | | b | bold | | d | dimmed | | h | hidden | | i | italic | | r | reverse | | s | strikethrough | | u | underline | | n | nothing | | | defaults to nothing | ### `normal colors` and `abbreviations` | code | name | | ------ | ---------------------- | | g | green | | gb | green_bold | | gu | green_underline | | gi | green_italic | | gd | green_dimmed | | gr | green_reverse | | gbl | green_blink | | gst | green_strike | | lg | light_green | | lgb | light_green_bold | | lgu | light_green_underline | | lgi | light_green_italic | | lgd | light_green_dimmed | | lgr | light_green_reverse | | lgbl | light_green_blink | | lgst | light_green_strike | | r | red | | rb | red_bold | | ru | red_underline | | ri | red_italic | | rd | red_dimmed | | rr | red_reverse | | rbl | red_blink | | rst | red_strike | | lr | light_red | | lrb | light_red_bold | | lru | light_red_underline | | lri | light_red_italic | | lrd | light_red_dimmed | | lrr | light_red_reverse | | lrbl | light_red_blink | | lrst | light_red_strike | | u | blue | | ub | blue_bold | | uu | blue_underline | | ui | blue_italic | | ud | blue_dimmed | | ur | blue_reverse | | ubl | blue_blink | | ust | blue_strike | | lu | light_blue | | lub | light_blue_bold | | luu | light_blue_underline | | lui | light_blue_italic | | lud | light_blue_dimmed | | lur | light_blue_reverse | | lubl | light_blue_blink | | lust | light_blue_strike | | b | black | | bb | black_bold | | bu | black_underline | | bi | black_italic | | bd | black_dimmed | | br | black_reverse | | bbl | black_blink | | bst | black_strike | | ligr | light_gray | | ligrb | light_gray_bold | | ligru | light_gray_underline | | ligri | light_gray_italic | | ligrd | light_gray_dimmed | | ligrr | light_gray_reverse | | ligrbl | light_gray_blink | | ligrst | light_gray_strike | | y | yellow | | yb | yellow_bold | | yu | yellow_underline | | yi | yellow_italic | | yd | yellow_dimmed | | yr | yellow_reverse | | ybl | yellow_blink | | yst | yellow_strike | | ly | light_yellow | | lyb | light_yellow_bold | | lyu | light_yellow_underline | | lyi | light_yellow_italic | | lyd | light_yellow_dimmed | | lyr | light_yellow_reverse | | lybl | light_yellow_blink | | lyst | light_yellow_strike | | p | purple | | pb | purple_bold | | pu | purple_underline | | pi | purple_italic | | pd | purple_dimmed | | pr | purple_reverse | | pbl | purple_blink | | pst | purple_strike | | lp | light_purple | | lpb | light_purple_bold | | lpu | light_purple_underline | | lpi | light_purple_italic | | lpd | light_purple_dimmed | | lpr | light_purple_reverse | | lpbl | light_purple_blink | | lpst | light_purple_strike | | c | cyan | | cb | cyan_bold | | cu | cyan_underline | | ci | cyan_italic | | cd | cyan_dimmed | | cr | cyan_reverse | | cbl | cyan_blink | | cst | cyan_strike | | lc | light_cyan | | lcb | light_cyan_bold | | lcu | light_cyan_underline | | lci | light_cyan_italic | | lcd | light_cyan_dimmed | | lcr | light_cyan_reverse | | lcbl | light_cyan_blink | | lcst | light_cyan_strike | | w | white | | wb | white_bold | | wu | white_underline | | wi | white_italic | | wd | white_dimmed | | wr | white_reverse | | wbl | white_blink | | wst | white_strike | | dgr | dark_gray | | dgrb | dark_gray_bold | | dgru | dark_gray_underline | | dgri | dark_gray_italic | | dgrd | dark_gray_dimmed | | dgrr | dark_gray_reverse | | dgrbl | dark_gray_blink | | dgrst | dark_gray_strike | ### `"#hex"` format --- The "#hex" format is one way you typically see colors represented. It's simply the `#` character followed by 6 characters. The first two are for `red`, the second two are for `green`, and the third two are for `blue`. It's important that this string be surrounded in quotes, otherwise Nushell thinks it's a commented out string. Example: The primary `red` color is `"#ff0000"` or `"#FF0000"`. Upper and lower case in letters shouldn't make a difference. This `"#hex"` format allows us to specify 24-bit truecolor tones to different parts of Nushell. ## `full "#hex"` format --- The `full "#hex"` format is a take on the `"#hex"` format but allows one to specify the foreground, background, and attributes in one line. Example: `{ fg: "#ff0000" bg: "#0000ff" attr: b }` - foreground of red in "#hex" format - background of blue in "#hex" format - attribute of bold abbreviated ## `Primitive values` --- Primitive values are things like `int` and `string`. Primitive values and shapes can be set with a variety of color symbologies seen above. This is the current list of primitives. Not all of these are configurable. The configurable ones are marked with \*. | primitive | default color | configurable | | ------------ | --------------------- | ------------ | | `any` | | | | `binary` | Color::White.normal() | \* | | `block` | Color::White.normal() | \* | | `bool` | Color::White.normal() | \* | | `cellpath` | Color::White.normal() | \* | | `condition` | | | | `custom` | | | | `date` | Color::White.normal() | \* | | `duration` | Color::White.normal() | \* | | `expression` | | | | `filesize` | Color::White.normal() | \* | | `float` | Color::White.normal() | \* | | `glob` | | | | `import` | | | | `int` | Color::White.normal() | \* | | `list` | Color::White.normal() | \* | | `nothing` | Color::White.normal() | \* | | `number` | | | | `operator` | | | | `path` | | | | `range` | Color::White.normal() | \* | | `record` | Color::White.normal() | \* | | `signature` | | | | `string` | Color::White.normal() | \* | | `table` | | | | `var` | | | | `vardecl` | | | | `variable` | | | #### special "primitives" (not really primitives but they exist solely for coloring) | primitive | default color | configurable | | --------------------------- | -------------------------- | ------------ | | `leading_trailing_space_bg` | Color::Rgb(128, 128, 128)) | \* | | `header` | Color::Green.bold() | \* | | `empty` | Color::Blue.normal() | \* | | `row_index` | Color::Green.bold() | \* | | `hints` | Color::DarkGray.normal() | \* | Here's a small example of changing some of these values. ```nu > let config = { color_config: { separator: purple leading_trailing_space_bg: "#ffffff" header: gb date: wd filesize: c row_index: cb bool: red int: green duration: blue_bold range: purple float: red string: white nothing: red binary: red cellpath: cyan hints: dark_gray } } ``` Here's another small example using multiple color syntaxes with some comments. ```nu > let config = { color_config: { separator: "#88b719" # this sets only the foreground color like PR #486 leading_trailing_space_bg: white # this sets only the foreground color in the original style header: { # this is like PR #489 fg: "#B01455", # note, quotes are required on the values with hex colors bg: "#ffb900", # note, commas are not required, it could also be all on one line attr: bli # note, there are no quotes around this value. it works with or without quotes } date: "#75507B" filesize: "#729fcf" row_index: { # note, that this is another way to set only the foreground, no need to specify bg and attr fg: "#e50914" } } } ``` ## `Shape` values As mentioned above, `shape` is a term used to indicate the syntax coloring. Here's the current list of flat shapes. | shape | default style | configurable | | ---------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | ------------ | | `shape_block` | fg(Color::Blue).bold() | \* | | `shape_bool` | fg(Color::LightCyan) | \* | | `shape_custom` | bold() | \* | | `shape_external` | fg(Color::Cyan) | \* | | `shape_externalarg` | fg(Color::Green).bold() | \* | | `shape_filepath` | fg(Color::Cyan) | \* | | `shape_flag` | fg(Color::Blue).bold() | \* | | `shape_float` | fg(Color::Purple).bold() | \* | | `shape_garbage` | fg(Color::White).on(Color::Red).bold() | \* | | `shape_globpattern` | fg(Color::Cyan).bold() | \* | | `shape_int` | fg(Color::Purple).bold() | \* | | `shape_internalcall` | fg(Color::Cyan).bold() | \* | | `shape_list` | fg(Color::Cyan).bold() | \* | | `shape_literal` | fg(Color::Blue) | \* | | `shape_nothing` | fg(Color::LightCyan) | \* | | `shape_operator` | fg(Color::Yellow) | \* | | `shape_range` | fg(Color::Yellow).bold() | \* | | `shape_record` | fg(Color::Cyan).bold() | \* | | `shape_signature` | fg(Color::Green).bold() | \* | | `shape_string` | fg(Color::Green) | \* | | `shape_string_interpolation` | fg(Color::Cyan).bold() | \* | | `shape_table` | fg(Color::Blue).bold() | \* | | `shape_variable` | fg(Color::Purple) | \* | Here's a small example of how to apply color to these items. Anything not specified will receive the default color. ```nu > $env.config = { color_config: { shape_garbage: { fg: "#FFFFFF" bg: "#FF0000" attr: b} shape_bool: green shape_int: { fg: "#0000ff" attr: b} } } ``` ## `Prompt` configuration and coloring The Nushell prompt is configurable through these environment variables and config items: - `PROMPT_COMMAND`: Code to execute for setting up the prompt (block) - `PROMPT_COMMAND_RIGHT`: Code to execute for setting up the _RIGHT_ prompt (block) (see oh-my.nu in nu_scripts) - `PROMPT_INDICATOR` = "〉": The indicator printed after the prompt (by default ">"-like Unicode symbol) - `PROMPT_INDICATOR_VI_INSERT` = ": " - `PROMPT_INDICATOR_VI_NORMAL` = "v " - `PROMPT_MULTILINE_INDICATOR` = "::: " - `render_right_prompt_on_last_line`: Bool value to enable or disable the right prompt to be rendered on the last line of the prompt Example: For a simple prompt one could do this. Note that `PROMPT_COMMAND` requires a `block` whereas the others require a `string`. ```nu > $env.PROMPT_COMMAND = { build-string (date now | format date '%m/%d/%Y %I:%M:%S%.3f') ': ' (pwd | path basename) } ``` If you don't like the default `PROMPT_INDICATOR` you could change it like this. ```nu > $env.PROMPT_INDICATOR = "> " ``` If you're using `starship`, you'll most likely want to show the right prompt on the last line of the prompt, just like zsh or fish. You could modify the `config.nu` file, just set `render_right_prompt_on_last_line` to true: ```nu config { render_right_prompt_on_last_line = true ... } ``` Coloring of the prompt is controlled by the `block` in `PROMPT_COMMAND` where you can write your own custom prompt. We've written a slightly fancy one that has git statuses located in the [nu_scripts repo](https://github.com/nushell/nu_scripts/blob/main/modules/prompt/oh-my.nu). ### Transient prompt If you want a different prompt displayed for previously entered commands, you can use Nushell's transient prompt feature. This can be useful if your prompt has lots of information that is unnecessary to show for previous lines (e.g. time and Git status), since you can make it so that previous lines show with a shorter prompt. Each of the `PROMPT_*` variables has a corresponding `TRANSIENT_PROMPT_*` variable to be used for changing that segment when displaying past prompts: `TRANSIENT_PROMPT_COMMAND`, `TRANSIENT_PROMPT_COMMAND_RIGHT`, `TRANSIENT_PROMPT_INDICATOR`, `TRANSIENT_PROMPT_INDICATOR_VI_INSERT`, `TRANSIENT_PROMPT_INDICATOR_VI_NORMAL`, `TRANSIENT_PROMPT_MULTILINE_INDICATOR`. By default, the `PROMPT_*` variables are used for displaying past prompts. For example, if you want to make past prompts show up without a left prompt entirely and leave only the indicator, you can use: ```nu > $env.TRANSIENT_PROMPT_COMMAND = "" ``` If you want to go back to the normal left prompt, you'll have to unset `TRANSIENT_PROMPT_COMMAND`: ```nu > hide-env TRANSIENT_PROMPT_COMMAND ``` ## `LS_COLORS` colors for the [`ls`](/commands/docs/ls.md) command Nushell will respect and use the `LS_COLORS` environment variable setting on Mac, Linux, and Windows. This setting allows you to define the color of file types when you do a [`ls`](/commands/docs/ls.md). For instance, you can make directories one color, _.md markdown files another color, _.toml files yet another color, etc. There are a variety of ways to color your file types. There's an exhaustive list [here](https://github.com/trapd00r/LS_COLORS), which is overkill, but gives you an rudimentary understanding of how to create a ls_colors file that `dircolors` can turn into a `LS_COLORS` environment variable. [This](https://www.linuxhowto.net/how-to-set-colors-for-ls-command/) is a pretty good introduction to `LS_COLORS`. I'm sure you can find many more tutorials on the web. I like the `vivid` application and currently have it configured in my `config.nu` like this. You can find `vivid` [here](https://github.com/sharkdp/vivid). `$env.LS_COLORS = (vivid generate molokai | str trim)` If `LS_COLORS` is not set, nushell will default to a built-in `LS_COLORS` setting, based on 8-bit (extended) ANSI colors. ## Theming Theming combines all the coloring above. Here's a quick example of one we put together quickly to demonstrate the ability to theme. This is a spin on the `base16` themes that we see so widespread on the web. The key to making theming work is to make sure you specify all themes and colors you're going to use in the `config.nu` file _before_ you declare the `let config = ` line. ```nu # let's define some colors let base00 = "#181818" # Default Background let base01 = "#282828" # Lighter Background (Used for status bars, line number and folding marks) let base02 = "#383838" # Selection Background let base03 = "#585858" # Comments, Invisibles, Line Highlighting let base04 = "#b8b8b8" # Dark Foreground (Used for status bars) let base05 = "#d8d8d8" # Default Foreground, Caret, Delimiters, Operators let base06 = "#e8e8e8" # Light Foreground (Not often used) let base07 = "#f8f8f8" # Light Background (Not often used) let base08 = "#ab4642" # Variables, XML Tags, Markup Link Text, Markup Lists, Diff Deleted let base09 = "#dc9656" # Integers, Boolean, Constants, XML Attributes, Markup Link Url let base0a = "#f7ca88" # Classes, Markup Bold, Search Text Background let base0b = "#a1b56c" # Strings, Inherited Class, Markup Code, Diff Inserted let base0c = "#86c1b9" # Support, Regular Expressions, Escape Characters, Markup Quotes let base0d = "#7cafc2" # Functions, Methods, Attribute IDs, Headings let base0e = "#ba8baf" # Keywords, Storage, Selector, Markup Italic, Diff Changed let base0f = "#a16946" # Deprecated, Opening/Closing Embedded Language Tags, e.g. # we're creating a theme here that uses the colors we defined above. let base16_theme = { separator: $base03 leading_trailing_space_bg: $base04 header: $base0b date: $base0e filesize: $base0d row_index: $base0c bool: $base08 int: $base0b duration: $base08 range: $base08 float: $base08 string: $base04 nothing: $base08 binary: $base08 cellpath: $base08 hints: dark_gray # shape_garbage: { fg: $base07 bg: $base08 attr: b} # base16 white on red # but i like the regular white on red for parse errors shape_garbage: { fg: "#FFFFFF" bg: "#FF0000" attr: b} shape_bool: $base0d shape_int: { fg: $base0e attr: b} shape_float: { fg: $base0e attr: b} shape_range: { fg: $base0a attr: b} shape_internalcall: { fg: $base0c attr: b} shape_external: $base0c shape_externalarg: { fg: $base0b attr: b} shape_literal: $base0d shape_operator: $base0a shape_signature: { fg: $base0b attr: b} shape_string: $base0b shape_filepath: $base0d shape_globpattern: { fg: $base0d attr: b} shape_variable: $base0e shape_flag: { fg: $base0d attr: b} shape_custom: {attr: b} } # now let's apply our regular config settings but also apply the "color_config:" theme that we specified above. let config = { filesize_metric: true table_mode: rounded # basic, compact, compact_double, light, thin, with_love, rounded, reinforced, heavy, none, other use_ls_colors: true color_config: $base16_theme # <-- this is the theme use_grid_icons: true footer_mode: always #always, never, number_of_rows, auto animate_prompt: false float_precision: 2 use_ansi_coloring: true filesize_format: "b" # b, kb, kib, mb, mib, gb, gib, tb, tib, pb, pib, eb, eib, auto edit_mode: emacs # vi max_history_size: 10000 log_level: error } ``` if you want to go full-tilt on theming, you'll want to theme all the items I mentioned at the very beginning, including LS_COLORS, and the prompt. Good luck! ### Working on light background terminal Nushell's default config file contains a light theme definition, if you are working on a light background terminal, you can apply the light theme easily. ```nu # in $nu.config-path $env.config = { ... color_config: $dark_theme # if you want a light theme, replace `$dark_theme` to `$light_theme` ... } ``` You can just change it to light theme by replacing `$dark_theme` to `$light_theme` ```nu # in $nu.config-path $env.config = { ... color_config: $light_theme # if you want a light theme, replace `$dark_theme` to `$light_theme` ... } ``` ## Accessibility It's often desired to have the minimum amount of decorations when using a screen reader. In those cases, it's possible to disable borders and other decorations for both table and errors with the following options: ```nu # in $nu.config-path $env.config = { ... table: { ... mode: "none" ... } error_style: "plain" ... } ``` ## Line editor menus (completion, history, help…) Reedline (Nu’s line editor) style is not using the `color_config` key. Instead, each menu has its own style to be configured separately. See the [section dedicated to Reedline’s menus configuration](line_editor.md#menus) to learn more on this.