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Created December 29, 2025 14:06
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Claude Code Interview command by Thariq
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interview.md
description argument-hint model
Interview me about the plan
plan
opus

Read this plan file $1 and interview me in detail using the AskUserQuestionTool about literally anything: technical implementation, UI & UX, concerns, tradeoffs, etc. but make sure the questions are not obvious.

Be very in-depth and continue interviewing me continually until itโ€™s complete, then write the spec to the file.

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abodacs commented Dec 29, 2025

Terminal UI Skill that I use, bookmark it ๐Ÿ“‚

name: terminal-ui-design
description: Create distinctive, production-grade terminal user interfaces with high design quality. Use this skill when the user asks to build CLI tools, TUI applications, or terminal-based interfaces. Generates creative, polished code that avoids generic terminal aesthetics.

Create distinctive, production-grade terminal user interfaces with high design quality. Use this skill when building CLI tools, TUI applications, or terminal-based interfaces. Generate creative, polished code that avoids generic terminal aesthetics.

Design Thinking

Before coding, understand the context and commit to a BOLD aesthetic direction:

1- Purpose: What problem does this interface solve? Who uses it? What's the workflow?
2- Tone: Pick an extreme: hacker/cyberpunk, retro-computing (80s/90s), minimalist zen, maximalist dashboard, synthwave neon, monochrome brutalist, corporate mainframe, playful/whimsical, matrix-style, steampunk terminal, vaporwave, military/tactical, art deco, paper-tape nostalgic
3- Constraints: Technical requirements (Python Rich, Go bubbletea, Rust ratatui, Node.js blessed/ink, pure ANSI escape codes, ncurses)
4- Differentiation: What makes this UNFORGETTABLE? What's the one thing someone will remember about this terminal experience?

Choose a clear conceptual direction and execute it with precision. A dense information dashboard and a zen single-focus interface both workโ€”the key is intentionality, not intensity.

Box Drawing & Borders

Choose border styles that match your aesthetic:

  • Single line: โ”Œโ”€โ”โ”‚โ””โ”˜ โ€” Clean, modern
  • Double line: โ•”โ•โ•—โ•‘โ•šโ• โ€” Bold, formal, retro-mainframe
  • Rounded: โ•ญโ”€โ•ฎโ”‚โ•ฐโ•ฏ โ€” Soft, friendly, modern
  • Heavy: โ”โ”โ”“โ”ƒโ”—โ”› โ€” Strong, industrial
  • Dashed/Dotted: โ”„โ”† โ€” Light, airy, informal
  • ASCII only: +-+| โ€” Retro, universal compatibility
  • Block characters: โ–ˆโ–€โ–„โ–Œโ– โ€” Chunky, bold, brutalist
  • Custom Unicode: Mix symbols like โ—ขโ—ฃโ—คโ—ฅ, โ—โ—‹โ—โ—‘, โ–ฒโ–ผโ—€โ–ถ for unique frames

Avoid defaulting to simple single-line boxes. Consider asymmetric borders, double-thick headers, or decorative corners like โ—†, โ—ˆ, โœฆ, โฌก.

Color & Theme

Commit to a cohesive palette. Terminal color strategies:

  • ANSI 16: Classic, universal. Craft distinctive combinations beyond default red/green/blue
  • 256-color: Rich palettes. Use color gradients, subtle background variations
  • True color (24-bit): Full spectrum. Gradient text, smooth color transitions
  • Monochrome: Single color with intensity variations (dim, normal, bold, reverse). Elegant constraint

Create atmosphere with:

  • Background color blocks for sections
  • Gradient fills using block characters โ–‘โ–’โ–“โ–ˆ
  • Color-coded semantic meaning (but avoid clichรฉ red=bad, green=good)
  • Inverted/reverse video for emphasis
  • Dim text for secondary information, bold for primary

Palette examples (invent your own):

  • Cyberpunk: Hot pink #ff00ff, electric cyan #00ffff, deep purple #1a0a2e background
  • Amber terminal: #ffb000 on black, like vintage CRTs
  • Nord-inspired: Cool blues and muted greens on dark blue-gray
  • Hot Dog Stand: Intentionally garish yellow/red (for playful/ironic UIs)

Typography & Text Styling

The terminal is ALL typography. Make it count:

  • ASCII art headers: Use figlet-style banners, custom letterforms, or Unicode art
  • Text weight: Bold, dim, normal โ€” create visual hierarchy
  • Text decoration: Underline, strikethrough, italic (where supported)
  • Letter spacing: Simulate with spaces for headers: H E A D E R
  • Case: ALL CAPS for headers, lowercase for body, mixed for emphasis
  • Unicode symbols: Enrich text with โ†’ โ€ข โ—† โ˜… โšก ฮป โˆด โ‰ก โŒ˜
  • Custom bullets: Replace - with โ–ธ โ—‰ โœ“ โฌข โ€บ or themed symbols

ASCII Art Styles:
Block: โ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ•—โ–ˆโ–ˆโ•—โ–ˆโ–ˆโ•— โ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ•—
Slant: /___ / / // / / ____/
Small: โ•”โ•โ•—โ”Œโ”€โ”โ”Œโ”€โ”
Minimal: [ HEADER ]

Layout & Spatial Composition

Break free from single-column output:

  • Panels & Windows: Create distinct regions with borders
  • Columns: Side-by-side information using careful spacing
  • Tables: Align data meaningfully, use Unicode table characters
  • Whitespace: Generous padding inside panels, breathing room between sections
  • Density: Match to purpose โ€” dashboards can be dense, wizards should be sparse
  • Hierarchy: Clear visual distinction between primary content, secondary info, and chrome
  • Asymmetry: Off-center titles, weighted layouts, unexpected alignments

Motion & Animation

Terminals support dynamic content:

  • Spinners: Beyond basic |/-. Use Braille patterns โ ‹โ ™โ นโ ธโ ผโ ดโ ฆโ งโ ‡โ , dots โฃพโฃฝโฃปโขฟโกฟโฃŸโฃฏโฃท, custom sequences
  • Progress bars: โ–“โ–‘, โ–ˆโ–’, [=====> ], or creative alternatives like โ—โ—“โ—‘โ—’
  • Typing effects: Reveal text character-by-character for drama
  • Transitions: Wipe effects, fade in/out with color intensity
  • Live updates: Streaming data, real-time charts

Data Display

  • Sparklines: โ–โ–‚โ–ƒโ–„โ–…โ–†โ–‡โ–ˆ for inline mini-charts
  • Bar charts: Horizontal bars with block characters
  • Tables: Smart column sizing, alternating row colors, aligned numbers
  • Trees: โ”œโ”€โ”€ โ””โ”€โ”€ โ”‚ for hierarchies
  • Status indicators: โ— green, โ—‹ empty, โ— partial, โœ“ complete, โœ— failed
  • Gauges: [โ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ–ˆโ–‘โ–‘] with percentage

Decorative Elements

  • Add character without clutter:
  • Dividers: โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€ โ•โ•โ•โ•โ• โ€ขโ€ขโ€ขโ€ขโ€ขโ€ข โ–‘โ–‘โ–‘โ–‘โ–‘โ–‘ โ‰‹โ‰‹โ‰‹โ‰‹โ‰‹โ‰‹
  • Section markers: โ–ถ SECTION, [ SECTION ], โ”€โ”€โ”€ SECTION โ”€โ”€โ”€, โ—† SECTION
  • Background textures: Patterns using light characters like ยท โˆ™ โ–‘
  • Icons: Nerd Font icons if available: ๓ฐŠข

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

NEVER use generic terminal aesthetics like:

  • Plain unformatted text output
  • Default colors without intentional palette
  • Basic [INFO], [ERROR] prefixes without styling
  • Simple ---- dividers
  • Walls of unstructured text
  • Generic progress bars without personality
  • Boring help text formatting
  • Inconsistent spacing and alignment

Library Quick Reference
Python: Rich, Textual Go: Bubbletea, Lipgloss
Rust: Ratatui Node.js: Ink, Blessed

ANSI Escape Codes:
\x1b[1m Bold
\x1b[3m Italic
\x1b[4m Underline
\x1b[31m Red foreground
\x1b[38;2;R;G;Bm True color
\x1b[2J Clear screen

The terminal is a canvas with unique constraints and possibilities. Don't just print textโ€”craft an experience.

Match implementation complexity to the aesthetic vision. A dense monitoring dashboard needs elaborate panels and live updates. A minimal CLI needs restraint, precision, and perfect alignment. Elegance comes from executing the vision well.

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