Terminal Particle Simulator

Overview

A particle physics simulator that runs entirely in your terminal, demonstrating that complex graphics and physics simulations don't require GUI frameworks. Built with C and ncurses, this project showcases low-level graphics programming and real-time physics calculations in a constrained environment.

Features

• Real-Time Physics - Custom physics engine with particle interactions
• Terminal Rendering - Uses ncurses for efficient terminal-based graphics
• Particle System - Support for multiple particle types and behaviors
• Shape Primitives - Built-in drawing library for ellipses, rectangles, and custom shapes
• Performance Optimized - Efficient rendering for smooth animation in the terminal

Technical Implementation

Architecture

Source Structure:

• main.c - Core simulation loop and initialization (8,886 lines)
• physicslib.c - Physics calculations and particle interactions
• drawlib.c - Terminal rendering abstractions
• screen.c - Screen buffer management and rendering
• primatives.c - Shape drawing utilities (rectangles, ellipses, etc.)
• ellipse.c - Ellipse rendering algorithms
• rectangle.c - Rectangle drawing routines

Physics Engine

The custom physics library handles:

• Particle velocity and acceleration
• Collision detection and response
• Force simulation (gravity, friction, etc.)
• Inter-particle interactions

Rendering System

Uses ncurses for terminal manipulation:

• Double-buffered rendering for flicker-free animation
• Custom character-based pixel mapping
• Efficient screen updates (only redraw changed regions)
• Cross-platform terminal compatibility

Platform Notes

Currently tested on Linux systems. The ncurses dependency provides terminal manipulation capabilities that may vary across platforms.

Building and Running

git clone https://github.com/DeaSTL/term-particles
cd term-particles
cmake .
make
./bin/TermParticle

Requirements

• ncurses library
• GCC or compatible C compiler
• CMake
• Make

Why Terminal Graphics?

This project explores the intersection of:

• Constraint-based Programming - Working within terminal limitations
• Low-Level Graphics - Understanding rendering without GPU acceleration
• Systems Programming - Direct memory management and performance optimization
• Retro Computing - Recreating the feel of early computer graphics

Performance Considerations

Terminal rendering presents unique challenges:

• Limited "resolution" based on character cells
• No hardware acceleration
• Character-based pixel representation
• Terminal refresh rate limitations

The project demonstrates techniques for achieving smooth animation despite these constraints through efficient buffer management and selective updates.

Use Cases

• Learning low-level graphics programming
• Understanding particle physics simulation
• Exploring ncurses capabilities
• Creating terminal-based visualizations
• Demonstrating systems programming concepts