TypeDialog/examples/README.md

TypeDialog Examples

Complete example collection organized by feature category and backend implementation.

Quick Start

First Time?

Start here: 01-basic/

# Run a simple form
cargo run --example form

# Or with a specific backend
cargo run -p typedialog-tui --example form_with_autocompletion

Example Categories

1. Basic Forms → 01-basic/

Simple form structures for getting started.

• Form fundamentals
• Sections and grouping
• Basic validation
• Best for: Learning the syntax, quick prototypes

2. Advanced Features → 02-advanced/

Conditional logic, dynamic fields, complex forms.

• Conditional visibility
• Required field rules
• State management
• Best for: Complex workflows, conditional UX

3. Styling & Appearance → 03-styling/

Custom borders, themes, and visual design.

• Border styles
• Visual hierarchy
• Theme customization
• Best for: CLI aesthetics, branded interfaces

4. Backend-Specific → 04-backends/

Implementation details for each backend.

Backend	Path	Best For
CLI	04-backends/cli/	Scripting, server tools, pipes
TUI	04-backends/tui/	Interactive terminal apps, dashboards
Web	04-backends/web/	SaaS, public forms, browsers

Running forms by backend:

# CLI (default)
cargo run --example form

# TUI
cargo run -p typedialog-tui --example form_with_autocompletion

# Web
cargo run -p typedialog-web -- --config form.toml

5. Fragments & Composition → 05-fragments/

Reusable components and form composition.

• Fragment templates
• Includes and inheritance
• Component libraries
• Best for: Large projects, DRY principle, multiple forms

6. Integrations → 06-integrations/

External tool integrations.

Integration	Path
Nickel (Type-safe schemas)	06-integrations/nickel/
i18n (Multi-language)	06-integrations/i18n/

9. Real-World Templates → 09-templates/

Production-ready examples for common use cases.

Template	Path	Use Case
Employee Onboarding	09-templates/employee_onboarding/	HR systems
User Registration	09-templates/user_registration/	SaaS, apps
Library Catalog	09-templates/library_catalog/	Management systems

Learning Path

START HERE
    ↓
01-basic/ ← Understand form structure
    ↓
02-advanced/ ← Add conditional logic
    ↓
03-styling/ ← Customize appearance
    ↓
04-backends/ ← Choose your backend
    ├→ 04-backends/cli/ ← Scripting
    ├→ 04-backends/tui/ ← Interactive UX
    └→ 04-backends/web/ ← Web deployment
    ↓
05-fragments/ ← Scale to multiple forms
    ↓
06-integrations/ ← Advanced integrations
    ↓
09-templates/ ← Deploy to production

Common Tasks

Run a Basic Example

cargo run --example form

Try Different Backends

# CLI
cargo run --example form

# TUI
cargo run -p typedialog-tui --example tui_survey_form

# Web
cargo run -p typedialog-web -- --config examples/04-backends/web/web_registration_form.toml

Use with TOML Configuration

cargo run -p typedialog-web -- --config examples/01-basic/form_with_sections.toml

Use with Rust Code

cargo run --example form_with_autocompletion

Test Conditional Logic

cargo run --example conditional_required_demo

Try Multi-Language Support

LANG=es cargo run --example test_i18n_form

File Types

TOML (.toml)

Configuration-driven forms - fastest iteration.

cargo run -p typedialog-web -- --config form.toml

Rust (.rs)

Programmatic forms - maximum control.

cargo run --example form_example

Nickel (.ncl)

Type-safe schema generation.

nickel eval schema.ncl > form.toml

Backend Compatibility

Feature	CLI	TUI	Web
TOML forms	✓	✓	✓
Rust code	✓	✓	-
Conditional fields	✓	✓	✓
Autocompletion	✓	✓	✓
Custom styling	-	✓	✓
Validation	✓	✓	✓
i18n support	✓	✓	✓
Fragments	✓	✓	✓

Tips

For CLI Forms

• Use for scripts and automation
• Good for piping between tools
• Minimal dependencies

For TUI Forms

• Create interactive dashboards
• Better UX than CLI
• Keyboard shortcuts available
• Mouse support

For Web Forms

• Public-facing forms
• Rich styling options
• Browser validation
• Mobile-friendly
• RESTful API integration

Troubleshooting

"Example not found"

• Check example is in examples/ directory
• Use --example flag with cargo

"Feature not compiled"

• Run: cargo build --all-features
• Check feature flags in Cargo.toml

"Form not displaying"

• For web: Check terminal output for port
• For TUI: Ensure terminal supports the feature
• For CLI: Check input/output redirection

Next Steps

1. Read the category README for your use case
2. Copy and modify an example form
3. Consult 06-integrations/ for advanced features
4. Deploy a template from 09-templates/
5. Integrate with your application

Contributing Examples

To add new examples:

1. Create in appropriate category
2. Add README explaining the example
3. Include usage instructions
4. List features demonstrated
5. Provide expected output

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Start with: 01-basic/README.md Need specific backend? Check 04-backends/ Want real-world example? See 09-templates/