# <curses.h>

**[<curses.h>](https://en.cppreference.com/w/c/header/curses)** (typically `<ncurses.h>`) provides terminal control for building text-based user interfaces: window creation, cursor positioning, text attributes, and input handling. It translates portable abstractions into the right escape sequences for any terminal.

Use it to build full-screen TUI applications that work across different terminal types.

## Example

This example initializes ncurses, draws text at a specific position, and waits for user input.

```c
// compile: gcc -o cursesexample cursesexample.c -lncurses
// run: ./cursesexample
// description: draw positioned text and handle input

#include <ncurses.h>
#include <unistd.h>

int main() {
    initscr();
    int h, w;
    getmaxyx(stdscr, h, w);
    
    mvprintw(h/2, w/2 - 8, "Hello, ncurses!");
    mvprintw(h/2 + 1, w/2 - 10, "Terminal: %d x %d", w, h);
    refresh();
    
    sleep(2);
    endwin();
    return 0;
}
```

## Common functions

**Initialization and cleanup**:
- `initscr()`: initialize ncurses, return main window
- `endwin()`: clean up and restore terminal
- `refresh()`: update screen display
- `clear()`: clear screen
- `cbreak()`: disable line buffering
- `noecho()`: disable echo of user input

**Window management**:
- `newwin(h, w, y, x)`: create new window
- `delwin(w)`: delete window
- `mvwin(w, y, x)`: move window
- `getmaxyx(w, &y, &x)`: query window size
- `stdscr`: standard screen (main window)

**Cursor and output**:
- `move(y, x)`: move cursor
- `mvprintw(y, x, fmt, ...)`: print at position
- `mvaddstr(y, x, str)`: add string at position
- `addch(c)`: add single character
- `attron(attr)`, `attroff(attr)`: enable/disable text attributes
- `A_BOLD`, `A_DIM`, `A_REVERSE`, `A_STANDOUT`: text attributes

**Input**:
- `getch()`: get character from input
- `getstr(s)`: get string input
- `scanw(fmt, ...)`: formatted input

**Colors** (if supported):
- `has_colors()`: check if terminal supports colors
- `start_color()`: enable color mode
- `init_pair(id, fg, bg)`: define color pair
- `COLOR_RED`, `COLOR_GREEN`, `COLOR_BLUE`, `COLOR_WHITE`, etc.: color constants