Termtyper is an open-source command line application written in python, using which you can type and improve your typing speeds from the Terminal itself.
Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of free and awesome websites which lets you do exactly that, but this tool works directly from your Terminal and you do not have to open a web browser (which can be heavy depending upon how many tabs you have opened or how many tasks your system is performing).
In this article, we will look at the installation procedure and features of Termtyper, and also try to improve our typing speeds across different difficulty settings.
Features of Termtyper
Termtyper allows you to do the following inside a terminal:
- Type inside a beautiful and minimal, distraction-free UI.
- Sounds are enabled by default and activate whenever you press a key (it can be disabled).
- Words and Time-based typing are available.
- Racebar themes are available and customizable.
- A Blind mode in which you would not be able to know your mistakes while typing.
- A Confidence mode that does not allow you to erase mistakes using the backspace key.
- Different difficulty levels can be customizable.
- A force-correct mode where you would not be able to go past your mistakes unless you correct them.
Installing Termtyper on Linux
Let’s now look at the steps for installing Termtyper on Linux. You can install this tool using pip and your system should also have Python version 3.10 or above for this program to work. You can check the Python version installed on your system by typing:
python3 --version
Now that we have verified the installed python version, you can type the following commands to install it:
python3 -m pip install git+https://github.com/kraanzu/termtyper.git
On Arch Linux-based distributions, you can directly install it from the AUR and you will not have to proceed with the step below:
yay -S termtyper
Adding a Path variable
Note that you might encounter an error like “package is installed in /home/USER/.local/bin is not on PATH”, to resolve this error, you can just add the Directory to $PATH by typing:
# For nano users
nano .bashrc
# For vim users
vim .bashrc
Now, at the end of the file, add the following lines, and do not forget to change the ‘USER’ to your username:
export PATH="/home/USER/.local/bin:$PATH"
Now, save and exit out of the Nano editor by pressing Ctrl+O and Ctrl+X respectively and press the Escape key and then type :wq to save and exit out of the file on Vim Editor. Finally, reload your shell’s config by typing:
source .bashrc
Now, to launch the application, you just have to type the following in your terminal:
termtyper
Summary
As someone who has tried out various typing speed improvement tools over the years, I have to say that Termtyper is a great addition to the field. This python application offers a unique and effective way to help users improve their typing speed, and I believe it is a viable alternative to websites like MonkeyType.
One of the key advantages of Termtyper is that it lets you practice your typing directly from your Terminal, which is really cool and makes it easy to use. This means that you don’t have to switch to a web browser or open a separate application, you can simply open a Terminal and start typing. The interface is intuitive and easy to use, and the built-in exercises are well-designed to help you improve your typing speed in a gradual and sustainable manner.
I have been using Termtyper for a few weeks now, and I can already see a noticeable improvement in my typing speed. The application provides instant feedback as you type, so you can see how you are doing and make adjustments as needed. The feedback is also very detailed, showing you exactly where you need to focus your attention to improve your speed and accuracy.
Another great thing about Termtyper is that it is completely customizable. You can choose from a wide range of built-in exercises, or create your own custom exercises to practice specific phrases or words. This makes it easy to tailor the application to your specific needs and goals.
Hope this article has helped you get started with Termtyper to improve your typing speed by a lot.