react-linux-terminals

A React component that renders a Linux-style terminal window with a macOS-like title bar, themeable colors, and optional typewriter animation. Perfect for portfolios, docs, or landing pages.

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Install

npm install react-linux-terminals

Peer dependencies: React 18 or 19.

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Quick example

import { Terminal, themes } from "react-linux-terminals";

function App() {
  return (
    <Terminal
      theme={themes.ubuntu}
      username="alice"
      hostname="dev-box"
      workingDirectory="~/projects"
      commands={[
        "ls -la",
        {
          input: "cat /etc/os-release",
          output: ["PRETTY_NAME=\"Ubuntu 24.04 LTS\"", "NAME=\"Ubuntu\""],
        },
      ]}
      cursorBlink
      typewriterEffect
      showHeader
    />
  );
}

Don’t forget to keep the default styles: the package ships CSS that is applied when you import the component (side-effect).

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Props

Prop	Type	Default	Description
theme	"ubuntu" | "arch" | "kali" or TerminalTheme	—	Preset name or custom theme object.
commands	Array<string | CommandEntry>	[]	Commands to show. Strings = input only; objects can include output and isError.
username	string	"user"	Username in the prompt.
hostname	string	"localhost"	Hostname in the prompt.
workingDirectory	string	"~"	Current path in the prompt.
showPrompt	boolean	true	Show user@host:path$ before each command.
showHeader	boolean	true	Show the window bar with red/yellow/green buttons.
cursorBlink	boolean	true	Blink the cursor.
typewriterEffect	boolean	false	Animate the last command character-by-character.
typewriterSpeed	number	40	Delay per character (ms) when typewriterEffect is on.
className	string	—	Extra class on the root element.
style	React.CSSProperties	—	Inline styles on the root element.

CommandEntry

interface CommandEntry {
  input: string;        // The command line
  output?: string[];    // Lines of output
  isError?: boolean;    // Style output as error (e.g. red)
}

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Themes

Three built-in themes: Ubuntu, Arch, Kali.

import { Terminal, themes } from "react-linux-terminals";

// By name
<Terminal theme="ubuntu" commands={["neofetch"]} />
<Terminal theme={themes.arch} commands={["pacman -Syu"]} />
<Terminal theme={themes.kali} commands={["whoami"]} />

Optional subpath for themes only:

import { getTheme, themes } from "react-linux-terminals/themes";

const ubuntu = getTheme("ubuntu");

You can pass a full custom theme object (see TerminalTheme in the types) for your own colors and labels.

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useTypewriter hook

For custom UIs that need the same typing effect:

import { useTypewriter } from "react-linux-terminals";

const { displayedText, isTyping, reset } = useTypewriter({
  text: "Hello, world!",
  speed: 50,
  autoStart: true,
});

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Development

# Build library → dist/
npm run build

# Build demo → preview/
npm run build:demo

# Serve demo at http://localhost:4173/demo.html
npm run demo:serve

# Type-check
npm run typecheck

See PUBLISH.md for publishing and npm link / unlink steps.

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License

MIT