> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.vezel.dev/cathode/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.vezel.dev/cathode/index.md).

# Home

**Cathode** is a toolkit for writing terminal-based applications. It is\
effectively a complete replacement for the .NET console APIs.

With Windows Terminal having replaced the old Windows console host, it makes\
little sense for console interaction to still be centered around the old console\
host and the many limitations it had. **Cathode** provides an API centered\
around a [VT100 terminal](https://vt100.net) with some extensions from later\
models and modern terminal emulators. It works on all desktop platforms that\
.NET supports.

Please note that, since **Cathode** replaces a very fundamental component of the\
framework, the use of certain framework APIs (e.g. `System.Console`) becomes\
problematic. An analyzer will automatically diagnose usage of such APIs and\
suggest working replacements.

## Terminals

**Cathode** aims to have excellent support for the following terminal emulators,\
multiplexers, and libraries:

* [Alacritty](https://alacritty.org)
* [Black Box](https://gitlab.gnome.org/raggesilver/blackbox)
* [ConEmu](https://conemu.github.io)
* [Contour](https://contour-terminal.org)
* [foot](https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot)
* [Ghostty](https://ghostty.org)
* [GNOME Terminal](https://help.gnome.org/users/gnome-terminal/stable)
* [Guake](http://guake.org)
* [hterm](https://hterm.org)
* [iTerm2](https://iterm2.com)
* [kitty](https://sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty)
* [Konsole](https://konsole.kde.org)
* [mintty](https://mintty.github.io)
* [mlterm](http://mlterm.sourceforge.net)
* [PuTTY](https://www.putty.org)
* [rxvt-unicode](http://software.schmorp.de/pkg/rxvt-unicode.html)
* [sakura](https://www.pleyades.net/david/projects/sakura)
* [Terminal.app](https://support.apple.com/guide/terminal/welcome/mac)
* [Terminology](https://terminolo.gy)
* [Tilix](https://gnunn1.github.io/tilix-web)
* [tmux](https://github.com/tmux/tmux/wiki)
* [VTE](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/vte)
* [Warp](https://www.warp.dev)
* [WezTerm](https://wezfurlong.org/wezterm)
* [Windows Terminal](https://aka.ms/terminal)
* [Xfce Terminal](https://docs.xfce.org/apps/terminal/start)
* [Xterm.js](https://xtermjs.org)
* [xterm](https://invisible-island.net/xterm)
* [Yakuake](https://apps.kde.org/yakuake)

Even if you are using a terminal emulator that is not listed here, chances are\
that it will work just fine; these are just the ones that are tested regularly\
during development.


---

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