Python rich

Python rich tutorial shows how to create rich text and formatting in the terminal.

python

Aug 29, 2025

Python rich

last modified January 29, 2024

In this article we create rich text and advanced formatting in the terminal using the Python rich library.

The rich module allows us to add colours, emojis, tables, columns, or progress bars. We can do syntax highlighting, pretty printing. It supports the markdown syntax.

Rich works with Jupyter notebooks out of the box. On Windows, the new Windows Terminal supports the more advanced formatting options.

$ pip install rich

We install the library with pip.

Python rich simple example

The following is a simple example that uses rich.

simple.py

#!/usr/bin/python

from datetime import date from rich import print from rich import print as rprint

print("[italic red]an old falcon[/italic red]") rprint("[italic blue]an old falcon[/italic blue]")

print("{ ’name’: ‘John Doe’, ‘occupation’: ‘gardener’ }") print(date.today())

In the example, we display coloured text.

from rich import print from rich import print as rprint

From the module, we import two functions: print and rprint. The functions are identical. We can use rprint if we do not want to hide the built-in print function. For more advanced options, we can use the Console object.

print("[italic red]an old falcon[/italic red]")

We print a message in cursive red. The formatting instructions are placed between the pairs of [] characters.

print("{ ’name’: ‘John Doe’, ‘occupation’: ‘gardener’ }") print(date.today())

The rich automatically highlights JSON data and datetime in ISO8601 format.

Python rich Text

Instead of specifying the formatting options in the print function, we can use the Text object. It encapsulates a text with colour and style.

rich_text.py

#!/usr/bin/python

from rich.console import Console from rich.text import Text

txt = Text(‘‘‘Python is a general-purpose, dynamic, object-oriented
programming language. The design purpose of the Python language
emphasizes programmer productivity and code readability.’’’, style=‘italic’)

console = Console() console.print(txt)

The example prints a message to the terminal. The text is in italic.

A text object is created. We specify a style option.

Python rich rule

A rule is a horizontal line with an optional center title.

rules.py

#!/usr/bin/python

from rich.console import Console

console = Console()

console.rule(‘Python’, style=‘blue’) console.print(‘‘‘Python is a general-purpose, dynamic, object-oriented
programming language. The design purpose of the Python language
emphasizes programmer productivity and code readability.’’’) console.print()

console.rule(‘F#’, style=‘red’) console.print(‘‘‘F# is a universal programming language for writing succinct,
robust and performant code.’’’) console.print()

console.rule(‘Go’) console.print(‘‘‘Go is an open source programming language that makes it easy to
build simple, reliable, and efficient software. Go is a statically
typed, compiled programming language.’’’)

In the program, we create three horizontal lines.

console.rule(‘Python’, style=‘blue’)

We can specify style for the rule.

Python rich panel

A panel is a console renderable that draws a border around its contents.

simple_panel.py

#!/usr/bin/python

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

pnl1 = Panel("[bold yellow]an old falcon", expand=False, border_style=“blue”) pnl2 = Panel.fit("[bold yellow]an old falcon", border_style=“blue”)

console = Console() console.print(pnl1) console.print(pnl2)

The program creates a panel with a coloured text. The panel has a blue border.

pnl1 = Panel("[bold yellow]an old falcon", expand=False, border_style=“blue”) pnl2 = Panel.fit("[bold yellow]an old falcon", border_style=“blue”)

We create two panels with text. By default, the panels are expanded. We can turn it off with the expand option, or use the fit method.

Python rich Padding

With Padding, we can place spacing around content.

padding.py

#!/usr/bin/python

from rich import print from rich.padding import Padding from rich.panel import Panel

p = Padding(“Hello”, (2, 4), style=“on blue”, expand=False) print(p)

pnl = Panel.fit(Padding(“old falcon”, (8, 4))) print(pnl)

In the program, we add space around text.

p = Padding(“Hello”, (2, 4), style=“on blue”, expand=False) print(p)

The second parameter are the padding dimensions: top, right, bottom, and left. We can eigher specify all four values or the first two values.

pnl = Panel.fit(Padding(“old falcon”, (8, 4))) print(pnl)

We place a padded text into a panel.

Python rich Columns

Display renderables can be placed into columns for neat positionings.

words.txt

cup snow falcon eagle forest war water atom lamp pen pencil book phone chart car cloud print dog nose horse stream sum nail boot atom wind storm

We have a list of words.

cols.py

#!/usr/bin/python

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

console = Console()

with open(‘words.txt’, ‘r’) as f: words = f.readlines()

console.print(Columns([Panel(line, border_style='blue')
              for line in words], align='center'))

In the program, we read words from a file and place them into panels. The panels are placed into columns. Rich arranges the columns based on the current size of the terminal.

console.print(Columns([Panel(line, border_style=‘blue’) for line in words], align=‘center’))

We can align the renderables inside columns with the align option.

Python rich Group

Renderables can be placed into groups.

groups.py

#!/usr/bin/python

from rich import print from rich.console import group from rich.panel import Panel

@group() def get_panels(): yield Panel.fit(“an old falcon”, style=“on blue”) yield Panel.fit(“a long stormy night”, style=“on deep_sky_blue4”)

print(Panel.fit(get_panels()))

from rich.console import Group

g = Group( Panel.fit(“an old falcon”, style=“on blue”), Panel.fit(“a long stormy night”, style=“on deep_sky_blue4”), )

print(Panel.fit(g))

In the example, we create two groups. We add two panels to each group.

@group() def get_panels(): yield Panel.fit(“an old falcon”, style=“on blue”) yield Panel.fit(“a long stormy night”, style=“on deep_sky_blue4”)

print(Panel.fit(get_panels()))

In the first case, we build a group with a decorator.

g = Group( Panel.fit(“an old falcon”, style=“on blue”), Panel.fit(“a long stormy night”, style=“on deep_sky_blue4”), )

print(Panel.fit(g))

In the second case, we use the Group object.

Python rich Table

More complex tabular data can be displayed in a Table.

table.py

#!/usr/bin/python

from rich import box from rich.console import Console from rich.table import Table from datetime import date

now = f’{date.today()}’ table = Table(title=‘Users’, box=box.MINIMAL, caption=now, caption_justify=‘left’)

table.add_column(‘Name’, style=‘cyan’) table.add_column(‘Occupation’, style=‘grey69’) table.add_column(‘Date of birth’, justify=‘right’, style=‘green’)

table.add_row(‘John Doe’, ‘gardener’, ‘12/5/1997’) table.add_row(‘Jane Doe’, ’teacher’, ‘5/16/1983’) table.add_row(‘Robert Smith’, ‘driver’, ‘4/2/2001’) table.add_row(‘Maria Smith’, ‘cook’, ‘9/21/1976’)

console = Console() console.print(table, justify=‘center’)

The example displayes users in a table.

table = Table(title=‘Users’, box=box.MINIMAL, caption=now, caption_justify=‘left’)

A Table object is created. We provide a title, header box style, and caption. The caption is left-justified.

table.add_column(‘Name’, style=‘cyan’) table.add_column(‘Occupation’, style=‘grey69’) table.add_column(‘Date of birth’, justify=‘right’, style=‘green’)

We add columns to the table with add_column. Each column data is displayed in a different colour. The third column is also right-justified.

We add four rows with add_row.

console = Console() console.print(table, justify=‘center’)

The table is printed. The whole table is centered.

In the next example, we display BTC OHLCV data in a table. The example uses the ccxt module to fetch data from the Binance exchange.

btc_ohlcv.py

#!/usr/bin/python

import asyncio import ccxt.async_support as ccxt

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

async def tickers():

binance = ccxt.binance()
data = await binance.fetch_ohlcv('BTC/USDT', '1d', limit=20)
await binance.close()

now = f'{datetime.today()}'
table = Table(title='Binance - BTC/USDT', box=box.ASCII,
              caption=now, caption_justify='left')

table.add_column('Date', justify='center', style='steel_blue')
table.add_column('Open')
table.add_column('High')
table.add_column('Low')
table.add_column('Close')
table.add_column('Volume', justify='right', style='cadet_blue')

for e in data:
    d = datetime.utcfromtimestamp(e[0]/1000.0)
    table.add_row(f'{d:%m/%d/%Y}', f'{e[1]:.2f}', f'{e[2]:.2f}',
                  f'{e[3]:.2f}', f'{e[4]:.2f}', f'{e[5]:.5f}')

console = Console()
console.print(table)

asyncio.run(tickers())

The display the open, high, low, close, volume values of BTC for the last 20 days.

Python rich markdown

Markdown is a lightweight markup language for creating formatted text. Rich supports the markdown language.

pattern_match.md

Match expressions

The match expression provides branching control that is based on
the comparison of an expression with a set of patterns.

String constant

open System
open System.Globalization

printf "What is the capital of Slovakia?: "

let name = Console.ReadLine() 
let lowered = name.ToLower()
let capital = CultureInfo.CurrentCulture.TextInfo.ToTitleCase lowered

let msg = match capital with
            | "Bratislava" -&gt; "correct answer"
            | _ -&gt; "wrong answer"

printfn $"{msg}"

We have a short markdown example. It contains headers and a F# source code listing.

markdown.py

#!/usr/bin/python

from rich.console import Console from rich.markdown import Markdown

with open(‘pattern_match.md’, ‘r’) as f:

data = f.read()

console = Console()
md = Markdown(data)
console.print(md)

The program reads the markdown from the file and passes the data to the Markdown object. The markdown is then printed to the console.

Python rich syntax

Rich can provide syntax highlighting for multiple languages.

filter.fsx

open System

type User = { FirstName: string LastName: string Salary: int }

let users = [

    { FirstName="Robert"; LastName="Novak"; Salary=1770 };
    { FirstName="John"; LastName="Doe";  Salary=1230 };
    { FirstName="Lucy"; LastName="Novak";  Salary=670 };
    { FirstName="Ben"; LastName="Walter";  Salary=2050 };
    { FirstName="Robin"; LastName="Brown";  Salary=2300 };
    { FirstName="Amy"; LastName="Doe";  Salary=1250 };
    { FirstName="Joe"; LastName="Draker";  Salary=1190 };
    { FirstName="Janet"; LastName="Doe";  Salary=980 };
    { FirstName="Peter"; LastName="Novak";  Salary=990 };
    { FirstName="Albert"; LastName="Novak";  Salary=1930 }

]

let avg = users |> List.averageBy (fun user -> float user.Salary) let users2 = users |> List.filter (fun user -> user.Salary > int avg)

users2 |> List.iter Console.WriteLine

We have a F# code example.

syntax.py

#!/usr/bin/python

from rich.console import Console from rich.syntax import Syntax

stx = Syntax.from_path(“filter.fsx”, theme=“nord-darker”, line_numbers=True)

console = Console() console.print(stx)

We read the F# code from the file and provide syntax highlighting in the output. We use the nord-darker theme and enable line numbers. It autodetects the used language.

Source

Python rich documentation

In this article we have created rich text and formatting in Python using the rich module.

Author

My name is Jan Bodnar, and I am a passionate programmer with extensive programming experience. I have been writing programming articles since 2007. To date, I have authored over 1,400 articles and 8 e-books. I possess more than ten years of experience in teaching programming.

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