Migration from Ink

BetterTUI is API-compatible with Ink. Migration is straightforward.

Install

# Remove Ink
pnpm remove ink react-reconciler

# Add BetterTUI
pnpm add @bettertui/react

Replace Imports

// Before (Ink)
import { Box, Text, useInput } from 'ink';

// After (BetterTUI)
import { Box, Text, useInput } from '@bettertui/react';

API Differences

Render

// Ink
import { render } from 'ink';
render(<App />);

// BetterTUI
import { render } from '@bettertui/react';
render(<App />);

useInput

// Ink
useInput((input, key) => {
  if (key.return) { /* ... */ }
});

// BetterTUI (same API)
useInput((input, key) => {
  if (key.return) { /* ... */ }
});

useApp

// Ink
import { useApp } from 'ink';
const { exit, isRawModeSupported } = useApp();

// BetterTUI
import { useApp } from '@bettertui/react';
const { exit, isRawModeSupported } = useApp();

What’s New

BetterTUI adds features not available in Ink:

• Flexbox layout via Taffy (CSS Flexbox, not custom DSL)
• Rust rendering engine (60fps, dirty rect diffing)
• Rich widget library (Table, Tree, Dialog)
• Animation engine (tweens, keyframes)
• Theme system (CSS variables, dark mode)
• Mouse support (click, scroll, drag)
• Clipboard integration (copy/paste)

Breaking Changes

None. BetterTUI is designed as a drop-in replacement for Ink.

Performance

Expect significant performance improvements:

• Rendering: Native Rust vs JavaScript
• Layout: Taffy flexbox vs custom implementation
• Memory: ~60% reduction in typical apps
• Startup: ~40% faster cold start