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Guide · Agent skill

How to use the RichFormat Terminal Renderer agent skill

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

RichFormat is an agent skill for Claude Code that changes how assistant replies look in your terminal. It redraws flow chains, bar and spark charts, trees, timelines, markdown tables, diffs and labels such as CHANGE, VERIFY and OPEN as boxes, bars and colours while the answer streams. This guide explains what it does, how to install it, what it needs, and how to check that it is working.

RichFormat Terminal Rendererdanielmiessler/LifeOS · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Download and unzip. Download the RichFormat ZIP from this page and unzip it. Place the RichFormat folder in ~/.claude/skills/ or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
  2. 2Or upload it in the Claude apps. In the Claude apps, open Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills, and upload the skill there.
  3. 3Install the plugin if you use a marketplace file. If your config root has a marketplace file, run the marketplace add and plugin install commands, then /reload-plugins in open sessions.
  4. 4Set up the terminal font and requirements. Install Bun and set your terminal to a Nerd Font such as Hack Nerd Font, so the section markers display.
  5. 5Check it is working. Run /plugin and confirm rich-format is listed as enabled, then ask a question that gets a flow, table or VERIFY list in reply.

What the RichFormat skill makes the agent do

An agent skill is a folder of instructions and scripts that Claude Code loads so it can do a specific job. RichFormat is a function-hooks plugin with one job: make assistant replies faster to read in the terminal. It hooks two events and nothing else. One adds a section to the system prompt that teaches the drawable conventions, in interactive terminal sessions only. The other receives each batch of finished lines while an answer streams and returns the text the terminal shows in their place.

The stored text does not change. The model, the transcript file and ctrl+o all still see plain markdown. Only what you see on screen is drawn.

  • A fenced flow block becomes rows of boxed nodes joined by arrows.
  • A fenced bar block becomes a horizontal bar chart; spark becomes a one-line trend; tree and timeline become outlines and event rails.
  • A fenced diff block shows numbered lines with removals in red and additions in green.
  • CHANGE, VERIFY and OPEN label lines get bold blue, green and yellow labels; VERIFY runs of checks show green and red marks.
  • Markdown tables are drawn as a framed grid with right-aligned numbers.

Install the RichFormat skill

Download the RichFormat ZIP from this page and unzip it. Put the RichFormat folder in ~/.claude/skills/ for all your projects, or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one project only. You can also upload the skill in the Claude apps under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills.

The source also says RichFormat is a Claude Code plugin. When a marketplace file exists at your config root, install it with the commands below, then run /reload-plugins in any open session. Without that marketplace file the plugin has no manifest, its enabled option is never set and the mod draws nothing. Check that /plugin lists rich-format as enabled.

/plugin marketplace add <configRoot> /plugin install rich-format@lifeos-local /reload-plugins

What you need before it works

RichFormat needs Claude Code with plugin support and the Bun runtime, because its tests and hook scripts are TypeScript run with bun. The optional USER Config.md and PREFERENCES.md files are described in Setup.md. The status band and workflow cards also depend on the HookBridge.ts script from the LifeOS install.

The drawn section markers are Nerd Font symbols. Set your terminal to a Nerd Font such as Hack Nerd Font. Without one, those markers show as empty boxes, but the text and charts still draw.

  • Claude Code with plugin support
  • Bun runtime
  • A Nerd Font in your terminal
  • Optional: USER Config.md and PREFERENCES.md (see Setup.md)
  • For status band and workflow cards: HookBridge.ts from the LifeOS install

How to trigger RichFormat with natural requests

You do not need a special command. The skill runs on its own in interactive terminal sessions. It is designed to be found by requests about how answers look, so you can ask in plain words. Phrases the skill is tagged for include rich format, flow diagram not drawn, chart not drawn, bar chart, sparkline, tree chart, timeline chart, diff not coloured, VERIFY marks plain, labels not coloured, turn off rich drawing and is the render mod loaded.

To check it is loaded, ask whether the render mod is loaded, or run /plugin and look for rich-format.

  • Ask for a diagram: Show the request flow as a flow diagram.
  • Ask for a chart: Give me a bar chart of these numbers.
  • Ask for a trend: Show the weekly counts as a sparkline.
  • Ask for a timeline: Lay out these events as a timeline.
  • Report a problem: My flow diagram is not drawn; is the render mod loaded?

Safety notes: scripts and network

RichFormat runs scripts. Its hook scripts are TypeScript run with bun. The source states that it does not use the network.

The workflow card and the LifeOS closer rule call HookBridge.ts with a 3 second timeout. Those calls only happen for the flush that closes a relevant fence or closer line. If the bridge is missing or fails, the text is left as written.

  • Runs scripts: yes (TypeScript hooks run with bun).
  • Uses network: no.
  • Off switch: the enabled option, default on. Turning it off draws every reply exactly as the engine does and adds no prompt section.

Tips for getting the best output

Keep chart blocks small. A chart block with any line that does not parse, more than 40 lines, or too little width stays plain code. Lists and tables are not split between renderers, so a bullet that mixes formats stays as plain text.

Use a wide terminal. Flow rows wrap to the terminal width, and the LifeOS rule is sized from it. If a diagram looks cramped, widen the window and ask again.

Do not use RichFormat for generated images or diagram files. It only redraws terminal text. Image work belongs to the separate Art skill. For the prompt's marker rules, edit the Format Rules in the system prompt; status line changes live in LifeOSHooks.

What people use it for

  • Reading a long architecture answer with a boxed flow diagram instead of a chain of arrows in plain text.
  • Scanning a comparison table as a framed grid with right-aligned numbers.
  • Reviewing a code change with a coloured diff that shows removals in red and additions in green.
  • Checking a list of tests or checks with green and red VERIFY marks at a glance.
  • Reading a project history as a timeline with an event dot per entry.

Frequently asked questions

How do I install the RichFormat skill?

Download the RichFormat ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload it in the Claude apps under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills. If your setup uses a marketplace file, install it as a plugin and run /reload-plugins.

What does RichFormat require?

It requires Claude Code with plugin support and the Bun runtime. The status band and workflow cards need HookBridge.ts from the LifeOS install, and the optional USER Config.md and PREFERENCES.md files are described in Setup.md. You also need a Nerd Font in your terminal for the section markers.

Is RichFormat free to use?

The source lists the licence as MIT. It does not state any price, so check the licence text on the source page for the full terms.

Why is my flow diagram or chart not drawn?

A chart block stays plain code if any line does not parse, it has more than 40 lines, or the terminal is too narrow. A fence that is still open at the last flush also shows as written. Check that the plugin is enabled in /plugin and that you are in an interactive terminal session.

Why do my VERIFY marks show as plain text?

A VERIFY run is only drawn with green and red marks when all its bullets start with - ✓ or - ✗. Any unmarked or nested bullet keeps the run plain. Also make sure your terminal uses a Nerd Font.

Does RichFormat change the saved answer or the transcript?

No. The stored message stays plain markdown, so the model, the transcript file and ctrl+o see the original text. Only the on-screen display is drawn.

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Our verdict

RichFormat suits Claude Code users who read long answers in the terminal and want diagrams, tables, diffs and VERIFY marks that are easier to scan. Skip it if you need generated images or diagram files, if you mostly use headless or -p runs where drawing does not apply, or if you want to change the system prompt's marker rules or the status line.

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