Python Academy · Lesson

Rich Terminal Output

Style CLI output with rich.

Rich Terminal Output is a free Python Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 4 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Python Academy learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

What Is rich?

rich is a third-party library for beautiful terminal output: colors, styles, tables, progress bars, and more. Install it with pip install rich.

from rich import print

print('Hello, [bold magenta]world[/bold magenta]!')

The Console Object

The central class is Console. Its print method understands style markup and handles wrapping and color detection.

from rich.console import Console

console = Console()
console.print('Styled output here')

Style Markup

rich uses bracket markup like [bold], [red], [italic] to style spans of text inline, closed with a matching tag.

from rich.console import Console

console = Console()
console.print('[bold red]Error:[/bold red] something failed')
console.print('[green]Success[/green]')

Style Argument

Instead of markup you can pass a style argument that applies to the whole line.

from rich.console import Console

console = Console()
console.print('Important notice', style='bold yellow on blue')

Tables

The Table class renders neat bordered tables. Add columns, then rows, then print the table.

from rich.console import Console
from rich.table import Table

table = Table(title='Users')
table.add_column('Name')
table.add_column('Age')
table.add_row('Ana', '30')
table.add_row('Bob', '25')
Console().print(table)

Panels

A Panel draws a box around content, useful for highlighting messages or grouping output.

from rich.console import Console
from rich.panel import Panel

Console().print(Panel('All systems go', title='Status'))

Progress Bars

rich can show live progress bars. track() wraps any iterable and renders progress as it is consumed.

from rich.progress import track
import time

for _ in track(range(5), description='Working'):
    time.sleep(0.1)

Pretty Printing Data

console.print renders dicts and lists with syntax highlighting and indentation, far clearer than plain print.

from rich.console import Console

data = {'name': 'Ana', 'roles': ['admin', 'user'], 'active': True}
Console().print(data)

Logging and Tracebacks

rich offers prettier tracebacks via rich.traceback.install() and a logging handler, making error output far easier to read.

from rich.traceback import install

install()
# Now uncaught exceptions print with rich, colorized formatting

Rules and Layout

A console.rule() draws a horizontal divider with an optional title, handy for sectioning long output.

from rich.console import Console

console = Console()
console.rule('[bold]Report[/bold]')
console.print('section content')

Combining rich With Click

rich pairs nicely with Click: Click structures the commands while rich styles the output, giving polished, professional CLIs.

import click
from rich.console import Console

console = Console()

@click.command()
@click.argument('name')
def hello(name):
    console.print('Hello [bold]' + name + '[/bold]!')

Quick Check

Test your understanding of rich.

Recap

You learned rich terminal output:

The Console prints with bracket style markup and a style argument.
Table, Panel, and rule structure output; track shows progress.
rich pretty-prints data and beautifies tracebacks.
It is an external library that combines well with Click.

You have completed the CLI tools course!

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Rich Terminal Output” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Rich Terminal Output” is free to read here on the web, and the Python Academy course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Python Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Rich Terminal Output”?

Style CLI output with rich. You practise Python Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start Python Academy?

No prior experience is required. Python Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 4 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Rich Terminal Output” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this Python Academy lesson?

Yes. Every Python Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

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