Cross-Platform Driver Model

Overview

The driver model is the mechanism by which Terminal.Gui supports multiple platforms. Windows, Mac, Linux, and unit test environments are all supported through a modular, component-based architecture.

Terminal.Gui v2 uses a sophisticated driver architecture that separates concerns and enables platform-specific optimizations while maintaining a consistent API. The architecture is based on the Component Factory pattern and uses multi-threading to ensure responsive input handling.

Available Drivers

Terminal.Gui provides console driver implementations optimized for different platforms:

DotNetDriver (dotnet) - A cross-platform driver that uses the .NET System.Console API. Works on all platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux). Best for maximum compatibility.
WindowsDriver (windows) - A Windows-optimized driver that uses native Windows Console APIs for enhanced performance and platform-specific features.
UnixDriver (unix) - A Unix/Linux/macOS-optimized driver that uses platform-specific APIs for better integration and performance.
FakeDriver (fake) - A mock driver designed for unit testing. Simulates console behavior without requiring a real terminal.

Automatic Driver Selection

The appropriate driver is automatically selected based on the platform when you call Application.Init():

Windows (Win32NT, Win32S, Win32Windows) → WindowsDriver
Unix/Linux/macOS → UnixDriver

Explicit Driver Selection

You can explicitly specify a driver in three ways:

// Method 1: Set ForceDriver property before Init
Application.ForceDriver = "dotnet";
Application.Init();

// Method 2: Pass driver name to Init
Application.Init(driverName: "unix");

// Method 3: Pass a custom IDriver instance
var customDriver = new MyCustomDriver();
Application.Init(driver: customDriver);

Valid driver names: "dotnet", "windows", "unix", "fake"

Architecture

Component Factory Pattern

The v2 driver architecture uses the Component Factory pattern to create platform-specific components. Each driver has a corresponding factory:

NetComponentFactory - Creates components for DotNetDriver
WindowsComponentFactory - Creates components for WindowsDriver
UnixComponentFactory - Creates components for UnixDriver
FakeComponentFactory - Creates components for FakeDriver

Core Components

Each driver is composed of specialized components, each with a single responsibility:

IInput<T>

Reads raw console input events from the terminal. The generic type T represents the platform-specific input type:

ConsoleKeyInfo for DotNetDriver and FakeDriver
WindowsConsole.InputRecord for WindowsDriver
char for UnixDriver

Runs on a dedicated input thread to avoid blocking the UI.

IOutput

Renders the output buffer to the terminal. Handles:

Writing text and ANSI escape sequences
Setting cursor position
Managing cursor visibility
Detecting terminal window size

IInputProcessor

Translates raw console input into Terminal.Gui events:

Converts raw input to Key events (handles keyboard input)
Parses ANSI escape sequences (mouse events, special keys)
Generates MouseEventArgs for mouse input
Handles platform-specific key mappings

IOutputBuffer

Manages the screen buffer and drawing operations:

Maintains the Contents array (what should be displayed)
Provides methods like AddRune(), AddStr(), Move(), FillRect()
Handles clipping regions
Tracks dirty regions for efficient rendering

IWindowSizeMonitor

Detects terminal size changes and raises SizeChanged events when the terminal is resized.

DriverFacade<T>

A unified facade that implements IDriver and coordinates all the components. This is what gets assigned to Application.Driver.

Threading Model

The driver architecture employs a multi-threaded design for optimal responsiveness:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│         ApplicationImpl.Init()              │
│  Creates MainLoopCoordinator<T> with        │
│  ComponentFactory<T>                        │
└────────────────┬────────────────────────────┘
                 │
                 ├──────────────────┬───────────────────┐
                 │                  │                   │
        ┌────────▼────────┐ ┌──────▼─────────┐ ┌──────▼──────────┐
        │  Input Thread   │ │  Main UI Thread│ │ Driver          │
        │                 │ │                 │ │   Facade        │
        │ IInput   │ │ ApplicationMain│ │                 │
        │ reads console   │ │ Loop processes │ │ Coordinates all │
        │ input async     │ │ events, layout,│ │ components      │
        │ into queue      │ │ and rendering  │ │                 │
        └─────────────────┘ └────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘

Input Thread: Started by MainLoopCoordinator, runs IInput.Run() which continuously reads console input and queues it into a thread-safe ConcurrentQueue<T>.
Main UI Thread: Runs ApplicationMainLoop.Iteration() which:
1. Processes input from the queue via IInputProcessor
2. Executes timeout callbacks
3. Checks for UI changes (layout/drawing)
4. Renders updates via IOutput

This separation ensures that input is never lost and the UI remains responsive during intensive operations.

Initialization Flow

When you call Application.Init():

ApplicationImpl.Init() is invoked
Creates a MainLoopCoordinator<T> with the appropriate ComponentFactory<T>
MainLoopCoordinator.StartAsync() begins:
- Starts the input thread which creates IInput<T>
- Initializes the main UI loop which creates IOutput
- Creates DriverFacade<T> and assigns to IApplication.Driver
- Waits for both threads to be ready
Returns control to the application

Shutdown Flow

When IApplication.Shutdown() is called:

Cancellation token is triggered
Input thread exits its read loop
IOutput is disposed
Main thread waits for input thread to complete
All resources are cleaned up

Component Interfaces

IDriver

The main driver interface that the framework uses internally. Provides:

Screen Management: Screen, Cols, Rows, Contents
Drawing Operations: AddRune(), AddStr(), Move(), FillRect()
Cursor Management: SetCursorVisibility(), UpdateCursor()
Attribute Management: CurrentAttribute, SetAttribute(), MakeColor()
Clipping: Clip property
Events: KeyDown, KeyUp, MouseEvent, SizeChanged
Platform Features: SupportsTrueColor, Force16Colors, Clipboard

Note: The driver is internal to Terminal.Gui. View classes should not access Driver directly. Instead:

Use Screen to get screen dimensions
Use @Terminal.Gui.ViewBase.View.Move for positioning (with viewport-relative coordinates)
Use @Terminal.Gui.ViewBase.View.AddRune and @Terminal.Gui.ViewBase.View.AddStr for drawing
ViewBase infrastructure classes (in Terminal.Gui/ViewBase/) can access Driver when needed for framework implementation

Platform-Specific Details

DotNetDriver (NetComponentFactory)

Uses System.Console for all I/O operations
Input: Reads ConsoleKeyInfo via Console.ReadKey()
Output: Uses Console.Write() and ANSI escape sequences
Works on all platforms but may have limited features
Best for maximum compatibility and simple applications

WindowsDriver (WindowsComponentFactory)

Uses Windows Console API via P/Invoke
Input: Reads InputRecord structs via ReadConsoleInput
Output: Uses Windows Console API for optimal performance
Supports Windows-specific features and better performance
Automatically selected on Windows platforms

Visual Studio Debug Console Support

When running in Visual Studio's debug console (VSDebugConsole.exe), WindowsDriver detects the VSAPPIDNAME environment variable and automatically adjusts its behavior:

Disables the alternative screen buffer (which is not supported in VS debug console)
Preserves the original console colors on startup
Restores the original colors and clears the screen on shutdown

This ensures Terminal.Gui applications can be debugged directly in Visual Studio without rendering issues.

UnixDriver (UnixComponentFactory)

Uses Unix/Linux terminal APIs
Input: Reads raw char data from terminal
Output: Uses ANSI escape sequences
Supports Unix-specific features
Automatically selected on Unix/Linux/macOS platforms

FakeDriver (FakeComponentFactory)

Simulates console behavior for unit testing
Uses FakeConsole for all operations
Allows injection of predefined input
Captures output for verification
Always used when IApplication.ForceDriver is fake

Important: View subclasses should not access Application.Driver. Use the View APIs instead:

View.Move(col, row) for positioning
View.AddRune() and View.AddStr() for drawing
View.App.Screen for screen dimensions

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