Typonode is a terminal-based typing speed test application built in TypeScript/Node.js. The goal was to develop a terminal UI from scratch without any dependencies—purely using native Node.js capabilities and ANSI escape codes.
Links
Project Goal
The main challenge was:
Can I build a fully functional terminal application from scratch using just Node.js and TypeScript—no libraries?
It began as a toy project but evolved over three months into a feature-complete terminal app with real-time feedback, user settings persistence, and performance optimizations.
Project Structure
The application has three primary screens:
- Main – Typing test interface
- Result – Displays WPM and accuracy after completion
- Settings – User-adjustable test parameters
Each screen is a class under /src/view/screens/, inheriting from a common Base.ts screen class that provides methods like update, render, keyHandle, and resizeScreen.
Screen Manager
The ScreenManager.ts acts as the central controller. Its responsibilities include:
- Initializing and switching between screens
- Passing user input (keyboard, resize) to the active screen
- Providing FPS timing for smooth rendering
- Integrating with an internal EventBus for screen-to-screen communication
Buffer Handler
Direct terminal output caused flickering. To resolve this, I implemented a virtual screen buffer that builds the next frame off-screen and then flushes it at once.
Local Storage
User settings (FPS, test length, etc.) and WPM history are stored in a local JSON file (typonode.json) in the user’s home directory. This is handled by a small store utility in /src/utils/store.ts.
Word Source & Generation
The word list for the test is stored directly in /src/assets/commonwords.ts, allowing the application to function without internet access or external files. The list is used to dynamically generate test lines during runtime.
ANSI Rendering and chalky.ts
I avoided using libraries like chalk.js by implementing my own mini version, called chalky.ts. It replicates color formatting using raw ANSI escape codes.
Here’s an example:
console.log("\x1b[1mHello") // BoldThe chalky utility uses JavaScript Proxy to support chained styles like:
chalky.red.bold("Hello")This portion required in-depth understanding of JavaScript Proxies and type definitions, giving me huge respect for the actual chalk.js library.
Final Thoughts
Building Typonode was a slow, iterative process filled with both fun and frustration. I initially underestimated the time and complexity, but the end result turned out to be something I’m proud of.
If you’re interested: