simple-term-menu
A Python package which creates simple interactive menus on the command line.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need an interactive terminal menu for a CLI tool. The package is stable, has no dependencies, and works on standard Linux and macOS systems. The dormant maintenance is a minor concern for new features, but the codebase is mature and unlikely to require frequent updates. Not suitable if you need Windows support or are building a graphical UI.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Linux or macOS; terminfo database must be available on the system.
- Low friction installation with no runtime dependencies.
- Maintenance is dormant—last release was 620 days ago—but the package is marked Production/Stable and the repository remains active with recent commits.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution in both open-source and commercial projects with minimal obligations.
last release 2024-12-02 (620 days) · last repo commit 2024-12-02 · 570 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 4,002,444 downloads/mo, #2,403 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
from simple_term_menu import TerminalMenu
options = ["entry 1", "entry 2", "entry 3"]
menu = TerminalMenu(options)
selected_index = menu.show()
print(f"Selected: {options[selected_index]}")- Whether the package works reliably on modern terminal emulators and recent OS versions given the dormant maintenance status.
- Performance characteristics with very large menu lists (thousands of entries).
What it is and what it does
simple-term-menu is a Python library that builds interactive selection menus for terminal applications. It lets users navigate and choose from a list of options using arrow keys, vim-style j/k keys, or emacs bindings, then returns the selected index. The package automatically detects terminal capabilities via the terminfo database and disables styling features that aren't supported.
The library supports search filtering with regex patterns, keyboard shortcuts (single-letter prefixes), multi-select mode, custom styling for cursors and highlights, and status bars. It runs on Linux and macOS with no external runtime dependencies, making it straightforward to add interactive choice prompts to command-line tools.
Use it for
- Build a CLI tool that prompts users to select from a list of configuration options or actions.
- Create an interactive installer or setup wizard that guides users through choices with keyboard navigation.
- Add a searchable menu to filter and select items from a large dataset in a terminal application.
- Implement multi-select functionality to let users toggle and confirm multiple choices before proceeding.
- Define keyboard shortcuts in a menu so power users can jump directly to frequently used options.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need an interactive terminal menu for a CLI tool.
The package is stable, has no dependencies, and works on standard Linux and macOS systems. The dormant maintenance is a minor concern for new features, but the codebase is mature and unlikely to require frequent updates. Not suitable if you need Windows support or are building a graphical UI.
Install
simple-term-menu on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction installation with no runtime dependencies. Maintenance is dormant—last release was 620 days ago—but the package is marked Production/Stable and the repository remains active with recent commits.
Requires Linux or macOS; terminfo database must be available on the system.
License in practice
MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution in both open-source and commercial projects with minimal obligations.
Quickstart
from simple_term_menu import TerminalMenu
options = ["entry 1", "entry 2", "entry 3"]
menu = TerminalMenu(options)
selected_index = menu.show()
print(f"Selected: {options[selected_index]}")Verify before relying
- Whether the package works reliably on modern terminal emulators and recent OS versions given the dormant maintenance status.
- Performance characteristics with very large menu lists (thousands of entries).
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release ~=3.5 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Dormant 620 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 4,002,444 / month, #2,403 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableEnvironment :: ConsoleLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: MacOSOperating System :: POSIX :: LinuxProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Topic :: TerminalsTopic :: Utilities |
Evidence: simple_term_menu-1.6.6-py3-none-any.whl
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