---
id: tcolorpy
version: "0.1.7"
license: MIT License
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# tcolorpy — tcolopy is a Python library to apply true color for terminal text.

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 2.9M/mo

## What it is and what it does

tcolorpy is a lightweight Python library for styling terminal text with true color and text effects. It wraps ANSI escape sequences, allowing you to colorize and format output using either hex color codes (like "#ee1177") or standard color names ("red", "green", etc.), combined with styles such as bold, italic, underline, and others.

The library has no external dependencies and works as both a Python module and a command-line tool. You import the tcolor function, pass a string along with color and style arguments, and get back a formatted string ready to print. It's designed for developers who want to add visual emphasis to terminal output without manually constructing ANSI escape codes.

Use it for:

- Colorize log output or status messages in CLI applications with semantic colors (red for errors, green for success).
- Add visual emphasis to terminal-based progress indicators, warnings, or debug output.
- Build styled help text or command-line interfaces with consistent color and formatting rules.
- Generate colored terminal output in scripts for better readability and user experience.
- Apply multiple text styles (bold + underline + color) to highlight important information in terminal output.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Applies ANSI true color and text styles (bold, italic, underline, etc.) to terminal output using hex color codes or named colors.

Yes. tcolorpy is a low-friction, dependency-free utility for terminal styling with active maintenance, no known vulnerabilities, and permissive licensing. Install it if you need to add true color and text effects to terminal output; skip it if your application doesn't interact with terminals or if you're already using a larger terminal UI framework.

## Install

pip install tcolorpy
uv add tcolorpy
poetry add tcolorpy

## Installing tcolorpy

Before you install: Low friction: pure Python wheel with no external dependencies and active maintenance (last commit 2026-04-13). Supports Python 3.9+ across CPython and PyPy.

License in practice: MIT License permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution with minimal obligations—suitable for commercial and private projects.

Quickstart:

pip install tcolorpy

from tcolorpy import tcolor

print(tcolor("Hello", color="#ee1177", styles=["bold", "italic"]))

Requires Python 3.9 or later.

Verify before relying:

- Whether terminal support for true color is automatically detected or requires manual configuration.
- Behavior on terminals that do not support true color or ANSI escape sequences.

## Package facts

- License: MIT License (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 2.9M/month (top 5,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

terminal text color, ANSI color codes, colored terminal output, terminal styling, truecolor terminal, terminal text formatting, cli-styling, ansi-colors

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/tcolorpy) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/tcolorpy/)