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What is rio?

raphamorim/rio — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-06-24

★ 6,793RustAudience · developerComplexity · 2/5Setup · easy

In one sentence

A fast terminal emulator built in Rust that uses the GPU for rendering, running as a desktop app on macOS, Linux, and Windows, with features like split panes and visual effects.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((Rio Terminal))
    What it does
      GPU-accelerated rendering
      Desktop terminal app
      Cross-platform
    Platforms
      macOS
      Linux
      Windows
    Features
      Split panes
      CRT visual effect
      Blurred background
    Tech Stack
      Rust
      WebAssembly planned
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Code map

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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Replace your current terminal with a GPU-accelerated one that stays fast under heavy output

USE CASE 2

Use split panes to view multiple terminal sessions side by side in one window

USE CASE 3

Run a terminal with CRT-style visual effects or a blurred background for a customized look

USE CASE 4

Use a modern terminal on Linux, macOS, Windows, or a Steam Deck

What is it built with?

RustWebAssembly

How does it compare?

raphamorim/rioai-dynamo/dynamopostgresml/postgresml
Stars6,7936,7886,786
LanguageRustRustRust
Setup difficultyeasyhardmoderate
Complexity2/55/53/5
Audiencedeveloperops devopsdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 30min

Full setup and configuration docs live on the external rioterm.com site, not in the repository itself.

No license information found in the explanation.

So what is it?

Rio is a terminal emulator, which is the window where you type commands and run programs from the command line. It is built in Rust and uses the graphics card (GPU) to render text, which keeps it fast and responsive even with a lot of output on screen. The project runs on macOS, Linux, and Windows as a regular desktop application. A browser-based version via WebAssembly is listed as a platform goal, though the README notes that the browser port is not yet complete. Screenshots in the README show features like split panes, a CRT-style visual effect, and a blurred background on Linux, as well as the terminal running on a Steam Deck. The README is brief and mostly points to the external documentation site at rioterm.com for installation instructions, configuration options, and the changelog. The project is sponsored-supported, and the README includes a link for users who want to contribute financially to its development. Beyond confirming that it targets desktops and aims to run on multiple platforms, the README does not provide detailed information about features, configuration options, or how it compares to other terminals. Full details are on the documentation site.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
I just installed Rio terminal. Walk me through the basic configuration steps to set my preferred font, color scheme, and shell.
Prompt 2
How do I set up split panes in the Rio terminal emulator?
Prompt 3
Rio uses GPU rendering, show me how to confirm it is using hardware acceleration on my Linux machine.
Prompt 4
What are the main differences between Rio terminal and other Rust-based terminals like Alacritty or WezTerm?

Frequently asked questions

What is rio?

A fast terminal emulator built in Rust that uses the GPU for rendering, running as a desktop app on macOS, Linux, and Windows, with features like split panes and visual effects.

What language is rio written in?

Mainly Rust. The stack also includes Rust, WebAssembly.

What license does rio use?

No license information found in the explanation.

How hard is rio to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is rio for?

Mainly developer.

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