Tako
Portable terminal emulation core and native client UI for macOS and iOS.
The problem
Terminal software needs a native macOS application as well as components for embedded clients. Tako provides a macOS app with native tabs and split panes, plus an embeddable Rust engine and Swift and Metal components.
Example uses
01. Native macOS terminal
Use the native macOS terminal application with its tabs and split panes.
02. Embedded terminal
Embed a terminal in a macOS or iOS application with the provided components.
03. Shared headless state
Share headless terminal state with a native client as described in the related article.
Where it fits
Tako includes a native macOS app and embeddable terminal components. TakoTerminalNSView and TakoTerminalView are available for native interfaces.
Get started
Use the README for macOS app instructions with Rust, Xcode 15+, and Python 3.10+ on Apple Silicon macOS 14+, or follow its embedding guidance.
Authoritative installation steps, architecture diagrams, and full configuration references are maintained in the repository:
Read the Tako README on GitHub →
Limitations
- Native UI requires macOS 14+ or iOS 17+.
- Kitty image query replies are not implemented in the archived version, so kitten icat detection is limited.
- Embedding requires transport, input, and resize handling.
Cite this software
Alexander Panasenko (2026). Tako: Portable terminal emulation core and native client UI for macOS and iOS (v0.1.2). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23028534This record reflects the archived software version deposited on Zenodo for citation and reproducibility, which may differ from subsequent development releases.
