CLI Image Viewer To Display Images In The Terminal

If you spend most of your time in the terminal, you know the value of staying in the zone. Switching to a GUI just to view an image breaks flow. That’s where a CLI image viewer comes in. It lets you preview images directly in your terminal—no window managers, no context switches, just pixels and pipes.

Whether you’re working over SSH, managing servers, or just like keeping things minimal, this tool adds serious power to your command-line workflow.

Why View Images in the Terminal?

Before jumping into how, let’s address why you’d want this:

Speed: No need to open another app or wait for a GUI to load.
Remote workflows: SSH into a machine and check logs, screenshots, or debug visuals right in the terminal.
Scripting and automation: Pipe image outputs into scripts for previews or logging.
Aesthetics and novelty: Let’s be honest—it’s just cool.

Popular CLI Image Viewers

Here are a few standout tools that let you display images in the terminal:

1. `catimg`

A no-nonsense image viewer that prints images in ASCII using true color.

catimg image.jpg

Pros: Fast, simple, supports 24-bit color.
Cons: Doesn’t render the actual image, just approximates with colored blocks.

2. `chafa`

Converts images into ANSI/ASCII graphics for display in terminal.

chafa image.png

Pros: Highly configurable, supports transparency and dithering.
Cons: Still an approximation—not pixel-perfect.

3. `viu`

A Rust-based viewer that renders actual image pixels in terminals that support it.

viu image.jpg

Pros: Crisp output on supported terminals, fast performance.
Cons: Requires a terminal with true-color and image protocol support.

4. `tycat` (part of Terminology terminal)

Displays images inline with pixel-perfect clarity, using Terminology’s protocol.

tycat image.png

Pros: Excellent quality in Terminology.
Cons: Only works in that terminal emulator.

5. iTerm2 (macOS only)

Not a CLI tool per se, but supports inline image display via escape codes.

echo -e "\033]1337;File=name=$(base64 image.png | tr -d '\n')\a"

Pros: High-fidelity rendering.
Cons: Mac-only and complex syntax.

Which One Should You Use?

It depends on your workflow:

Want pure speed and simplicity? Go with catimg.
Want best-looking output in a compatible terminal? Try viu.
Need ASCII art for creative or low-bandwidth use? chafa is great.

Final Thoughts

Viewing images in the terminal isn’t just a geeky trick—it can genuinely improve productivity, especially when working in remote or headless environments. These tools let you stay in the CLI, save time, and even impress your fellow command-line nerds.

If you’re tired of jumping between windows and want to keep everything tight in the terminal, give one of these tools a shot. You might not go back.