TL;DR
Charm Ruby highlights Bubbletea, a Ruby library for building terminal user interfaces using the Elm Architecture. The library handles keyboard, mouse and window events and exposes commands for managing side effects; it is available as the gem "bubbletea" and linked from GitHub and RubyGems.
What happened
Charm Ruby's site features Bubbletea, a terminal UI toolkit for Ruby that applies the Elm Architecture to console applications. According to the site, Bubbletea provides an event-driven structure for user interfaces, handling input like keyboard and mouse interactions as well as window events. The framework also exposes a concept of commands to encapsulate side effects separately from UI logic. The project is distributed as a Ruby gem named "bubbletea" and the site provides links to its GitHub repository and its RubyGems page. Beyond these items, the source material focuses on Bubbletea as an example of the kind of polished terminal libraries showcased on the Charm Ruby site.
Why it matters
- Gives Ruby developers a structured approach (Elm Architecture) for building complex terminal interfaces.
- Explicit handling of keyboard, mouse and window events simplifies interactive console applications.
- Commands for side effects can help separate UI logic from external interactions, improving maintainability.
- Availability as a Ruby gem and links to GitHub/RubyGems lower the barrier to trying the toolkit.
Key facts
- Charm Ruby highlights terminal libraries for the Ruby ecosystem.
- Bubbletea is presented as a toolkit for building terminal UIs using the Elm Architecture.
- The library handles keyboard, mouse and window events.
- Bubbletea uses commands to manage side effects distinct from UI logic.
- The project is distributed as a Ruby gem named "bubbletea".
- Links to the project's GitHub repository and RubyGems page are provided on the site.
- Source URL: https://charm-ruby.dev/
- Publication timestamp in source metadata: 2025-12-30T07:36:38+00:00
What to watch next
- Adoption and community uptake of Bubbletea among Ruby developers: not confirmed in the source
- Release cadence and maintenance activity on the GitHub repository: not confirmed in the source
- Compatibility with other Ruby TUI libraries and frameworks: not confirmed in the source
Quick glossary
- TUI: Terminal User Interface — an application interface that runs in a text terminal rather than a graphical environment.
- Elm Architecture: A pattern for building user interfaces that separates state, view rendering and updates, often using messages and commands to handle changes and side effects.
- Gem: A packaged library or application for the Ruby programming language that can be installed and managed via RubyGems.
- Command (in UI frameworks): An abstraction used to describe operations that produce side effects, allowing UI logic to remain pure while effects are performed separately.
Reader FAQ
What is Bubbletea?
Bubbletea is a Ruby toolkit for building terminal user interfaces that applies the Elm Architecture and handles input events and side effects.
How do I get Bubbletea?
The source indicates the project is available as the Ruby gem named "bubbletea" and links to its GitHub and RubyGems pages.
Does Bubbletea handle mouse and window events?
Yes — the site states it handles keyboard, mouse and window events.
Is Bubbletea production-ready?
not confirmed in the source

🫧 Bubbletea Build terminal UIs from the future, today. A powerful TUI framework using the Elm Architecture. Handle keyboard, mouse, and window events with commands for side effects. gem "bubbletea"…
Sources
- Charm Ruby – Glamorous Terminal Libraries for Ruby
- Charm Ruby – Glamorous Terminal Libraries for Ruby
- Glamorous Christmas: Bringing Charm to Ruby | Marco Roth
- charmbracelet/bubbletea: A powerful little TUI framework
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