Vasak Terminal: a Tauri-based terminal

The Vasak OS ecosystem keeps growing. After presenting new applications such as the file manager, today we want to show another fundamental component of the system: Vasak Terminal.

Vasak Terminal: a Tauri-based terminal

The Vasak OS ecosystem keeps growing. After presenting new applications such as the file manager, today we want to show another fundamental component of the system: Vasak Terminal.

This is the terminal that will accompany Vasak Desktop, designed to integrate fully with the environment and to offer a modern, simple and powerful experience for Linux users.

Although there is still a lot to improve, we want to show a first version in BETA state of what will be the official terminal of the Vasak OS ecosystem.

A terminal designed to integrate with the system#

One of the goals of Vasak OS is to offer a complete ecosystem of applications that work coherently with each other.

Vasak Terminal follows that philosophy: it is not simply another terminal, but an application designed specifically to integrate with the desktop environment.

Among other things, this makes it possible to have:

  • Integration with the desktop theme system
  • Automatic support for light and dark mode
  • Reactive behavior when the system’s visuals change
  • Use of the same ecosystem core (VAPP Core) that other applications such as the file manager use

This makes it possible to keep a consistent visual experience across the whole system.

Technologies used#

Vasak Terminal is part of the new architecture of the Vasak OS ecosystem, which is based on modern technologies. The application is built with:

  • Tauri for the application framework
  • Vue.js for the interface
  • TypeScript for the frontend logic
  • Rust in the backend
  • xterm.js for the terminal rendering
  • pty in Rust for the integration with the system shell

Using pty in Rust makes it possible to interact directly with the system shell, offering a real terminal experience while keeping the efficiency and safety that Rust provides.

This approach also makes it easier for the project to evolve and scale over time.

Modular architecture#

Following the same approach we use with other applications of the system, Vasak Terminal is developed in its own repository. This makes it possible to:

  • Evolve the application without affecting the desktop
  • Make it easier for new developers to collaborate
  • Keep a modular architecture within the ecosystem

Project repository:

  https://github.com/Vasak-OS/vasak-terminal

Current features#

Although we are still at an early development stage, the terminal already includes some important features. Among them:

  • Support for multiple tabs
  • Opening new tabs
  • Closing tabs
  • Interface integrated with the desktop design
  • Support for transparency
  • Automatic adaptation to light and dark mode

The tabs work with the same logic as other applications in the ecosystem, such as the file manager, keeping a consistent experience across the whole system.

An interface integrated with the ecosystem#

Vasak Terminal shares the same overall design as the other applications of the system. It includes:

  • Top navigation bar
  • Integrated tab system
  • Reactive behavior when the system’s visuals change
  • Support for transparency

The goal is for the terminal not to feel like a foreign application, but like a natural part of the environment.

A terminal for everyone#

Although the terminal is a tool traditionally associated with advanced users, the goal of Vasak Terminal is to offer an experience that works both for:

  • New users
  • Intermediate users
  • Advanced users

The idea is that users should not need to install external terminals, since the ecosystem itself will provide all the necessary tools. As development goes on we will be adding new features that improve productivity and expand the capabilities of the application.

Project status#

Currently Vasak Terminal is in BETA state.

The application will be included in the next Vasak OS ISO, which will bring several important changes to the ecosystem.

There is still a lot of work to do, but this first version already shows the direction the project is taking.

Screenshot#

Here you can see a preliminary view of Vasak Terminal running inside the environment:

Vasak Terminal running inside the VasakOS desktop.

A project open to the community#

Like every component of Vasak OS, Vasak Terminal is an open source project. If you are interested in contributing to the development, you can do it from the official repository:

  https://github.com/Vasak-OS/vasak-terminal

We are also looking for contributors in different areas:

  • Development
  • UI/UX
  • Testing
  • Documentation

The project is still at an early stage and every contribution can make a big difference.

We keep building the VasakOS ecosystem step by step. And this is just the beginning.