TerminalWidget makes custom widget building easy
A TerminalWidget shortcut action and its output. I’m a huge fan of displaying ambient information in my computer interfaces, which on my Mac tends to involve putting data about weather, solar power and the like in my menu bar, so it’s available at a glance.…
TerminalWidget is a new tool that makes it easy to build custom widgets for both Mac and iOS devices. Created by Brett Terpstra for $20, it allows users to send data to widgets from a command-line script, Shortcut, AppleScript, or a URL scheme. This flexibility sets it apart from other widget-building tools like Scriptable.
With TerminalWidget, you can target specific widgets and generate design elements using a basic set of terminology. It also provides pre-filled functionality to create text, charts, images, progress bars, or tables without much hassle. For those using Shortcuts, TerminalWidget can be updated using a variety of template types, including Chart, Image, Progress, Table, and Text. Each Shortcuts action contains various variables, enabling customization of colors, fonts, captions, and titles.
While TerminalWidget may not be as flexible as Scriptable, its approachability is its strength. Users can easily fill in the blanks with their desired data, making it an ideal tool for creating glanceable widgets on iPad, iPhone, and Mac. The learning curve is gentle, especially when using Shortcuts, which displays all possible variables for tinkering and customization.
TerminalWidget has been used by Dr. Drang for planetary positions, showcasing its versatility and potential for users with diverse interests. With TerminalWidget, users can display any information they want on their devices' widgets, turning limitations into strengths and offering an approachable solution for custom widget creation.
Written by urgent.news from Six Colors's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
