terminaI Design Language

Core Identity

terminaI is a system-aware terminal operator. It is not just a chatbot; it is a tool that owns the shell. The design reflects this: utility-first, minimalist, precision-engineered.

Logo & Logotype

The logo consists strictly of the wordmark termina followed by a stylized I.

Construction

• Text: termina
• Suffix: I (Capital 'i')
• Font Family: Geist Mono (closest open-source alternative to modern proprietary console fonts) or JetBrains Mono.
• Weight:
  • termina: Regular / Medium (400/500)
  • I: Bold / ExtraBold (700/800)

The "Pulse" (The Red I)

The I at the end represents the cursor, the AI agent's presence, and the "Intelligence".

• Color: IBM ThinkPad Red
  • HEX: #E2231A
  • RGB: 226, 35, 26
• Animation:
  • State: Always blinking when active/thinking. Static when idle? Or always blinking like a terminal cursor.
  • Style: "Hard" cursor blink (on/off) to emphasize the terminal nature.
    • Duration: 1s loop (500ms ON, 500ms OFF).

Usage Variations

Dark Mode (Default)

• Background: #000000 (Pure Black) or #111111 (Near Black)
• termina Color: #FFFFFF (White)
• I Color: #E2231A (Red)

Light Mode

• Background: #FFFFFF (White)
• termina Color: #000000 (Black)
• I Color: #E2231A (Red)

Typography

Primary Typeface: Geist Mono

Used for the logo, code blocks, headers, and UI elements.

• Why: Geometric, legible at small sizes, "square" aesthetic fitting modern developer tools (Vercel, etc.).
• Fallback: JetBrains Mono, Roboto Mono.

Design Principles

1. Form Follows function: No decorative elements. If it doesn't convey status or data, remove it.
2. High Contrast: Adhere to strict Black/White + Accent Red. avoid greys unless for disabled states.
3. Monospace Everything: Even UI text should prefer monospace to reinforce the CLI-native identity.

References

Inspiration drawn from:

• factory.ai (Industrial minimalism)
• warp.dev (Modern terminal UI)
• opencode.ai