Possible TUI style

[blaggacao]

I've tried alot & meli MUAs today with the conclusion that they are, for my taste, too complex and un-intuitive.

Meanwhile for matrix chat there's a really elegant tool: https://github.com/pkulak/matui

It has a really great user experience:

• Single pane + search bar (on space key press)
• 12 keybindings in total (!)

Screenshots

Design

left - right

• may be used to drill down/up from account → folder → thread → mail

space fuzzy search

Designed to navigate folders and mailboxes

Account A > INBOX
Account A > Drafts
...
Account B > Inbox
Account B > Drafts

Sorted by configurable key (date) or composite key (unseen, date)

space space (double space) fuzzy search

Designed to navigate via email headers (subject, from / to)

Account A > INBOX
$subject | $from

Account A > Drafts
$subject | $to
...
Account B > Inbox
$subject | $from

Account B > Drafts
$subject | $to

Sorted by configurable composite key (current-account-if-view-is-scoped, current-folder-if-view-is-scoped, unseen, date). The loose priority on account and folder (if the view is scoped) allows for gracefully expanding search if the user forgot the right scope and chose the wrong one: they may still find the mail they're looking for.

reading / editing / replying

These can all be done by $EDITOR (reading: read only file). Users already know their editor best, so this may make onboarding really easy and reduce maintenance for the TUI itself.

[soywod]

I've tried alot & meli MUAs today with the conclusion that they are, for my taste, too complex and un-intuitive.

We both agree. That was one of the strong argument that pushed me to start the Himalaya project, especially the CLI.

Meanwhile for matrix chat there's a really elegant tool: https://github.com/pkulak/matui

Looks really promising, thank you for sharing. A Himalaya TUI is not planned (yet), but I may find interesting pieces to bring to Himalaya REPL.