What is dsh-tui? A terminal UI plugin for DeepSeek Harness

Concepts & ArchitecturePublished 2026-10-12Author: DeepSeek Plugin Market
DeepSeek HarnessDSH plugindsh-tuiterminal UITUISSH
dsh-tui (dshtui) is an Ink terminal UI plugin for DeepSeek Harness: it takes over the terminal in opencode style with streaming chat and tool cards.

dsh-tui (dshtui) is an Ink terminal UI DSH plugin for DeepSeek Harness: it takes over the whole terminal in opencode style, offering streaming chat, collapsible tool cards, and dialogs (source). This article examines that one plugin across three directions: what it provides, how to install and launch it, and when it suits you better than the Web UI.

Overview: the dsh-tui DSH plugin in one line

It adds a third interface form to DeepSeek Harness—a terminal UI with no browser. The web version and the desktop client already exist; dsh-tui moves interaction back to the command line, rendering entirely inside the terminal.

DimensionDescription
Problem solvedWanting a full interactive UI in a pure terminal or SSH environment
Core formA TUI rendered with Ink that takes over the whole terminal
InteractionStreaming chat, collapsible tool cards, dialogs
LaunchInstall globally first, then start with the dshtui launcher

What this DSH plugin provides: an Ink interface that takes over the terminal, and the trade-off with the Web UI

The defining trait is taking over the whole terminal—once launched, the entire terminal window is its interface. Four capabilities:

  1. An Ink terminal interface — Built on Ink with an opencode-inspired style. Expected: a structured interface appears in the terminal instead of lines of raw logs.
  2. Streaming chat with collapsible tool cards — Replies render as they are generated, and tool calls fold into collapsible cards. Expected: long output does not flood the screen, and you expand it when needed.
  3. Dialogs and interactive components — It provides interactive elements such as dialogs, so you are not limited to command flags. Expected: actions like settings and confirmations can be selected in the terminal.
  4. A UI contribution registration API — It exposes a registration interface that can override all visible interfaces. Expected: other plugins or custom code can extend its UI.

The trade-off with the Web UI is clear: the Web UI has a fuller capability surface and stronger visualization, at the cost of a local web service plus browser access and, remotely, auth and port handling; dsh-tui's advantage is that it is wherever your terminal is. For the full comparison of the three forms, see Web UI vs desktop: how to choose.

How to install and launch this DSH plugin: a global install plus the dshtui launcher

Because it takes over the whole terminal, installing it is not as light as a click in the marketplace; follow the README in two steps:

  1. Install globally:
bash
npm install -g @xp266/dshtui
  1. Mount it into the profile and launch:
bash
dsh plugin --profile add @xp266/dshtui
dshtui

Expected: the terminal is taken over by the TUI and a conversation interface appears.

To install from source, use dsh plugin --profile web add github:xp266/dsh-tui. UI plugins are normally found by category in the plugin marketplace, with the entry point at DSH Plugin Hub, but because dsh-tui must be installed globally and then run through a launcher, the web side cannot run it for you in one click, so command-line installation is the main path.

DSH Plugin Hub marketplace

Where the dsh-tui DSH plugin fits: pure terminal and SSH environments

The test is one sentence: do you live in the terminal?

  1. Pure terminal workflows — You prefer keyboard operation and do not want to open a browser for one conversation. Expected: the whole interaction happens in one window.
  2. Remote SSH — The remote server only offers a terminal. Expected: no port forwarding, no browser auth URL to handle—connect and go.
  3. Low environment dependency — You do not want to run an extra web service or occupy a port. Expected: just one terminal process.
  4. When to still choose the Web UI — When you need stronger visualization, multiple windows, or teammates collaborating in a browser. Expected: interface capability wins and the terminal form steps back.

Notes on using the dsh-tui DSH plugin

  1. Not an official built-in: dsh-tui is a third-party DSH plugin, so judge maturity and activity from the repository state.
  2. Unusual install path: install globally and run the launcher; do not assume a click in the marketplace is enough.
  3. Key bindings follow the README: TUI operations change between versions, so run a session after installing rather than copying older tutorials.
  4. Tied to a profile: it mounts into a profile as a bundle plugin, so when you switch profiles, confirm whether it is installed.
  5. Multiple forms can coexist: it does not conflict with the Web UI or the desktop client, and you can switch by scenario.

Sources: xp266/dsh-tui, dsh CLI README, dshplugin/dsh-plugin-hub

FAQ

What is the dsh-tui DSH plugin, and how does it differ from the DeepSeek Harness Web UI?

dsh-tui (dshtui) is an Ink terminal UI DSH plugin for DeepSeek Harness: it takes over the whole terminal in opencode style, rendering the conversation, tool cards, and dialogs inside the command line. The Web UI runs in a browser, while dsh-tui does not depend on a browser at all, suiting pure-terminal and SSH environments.

How do I install and launch the dsh-tui DSH plugin in DeepSeek Harness?

As a TUI that takes over the whole terminal, it needs a global install and a launcher: run npm install -g @xp266/dshtui, start it with dshtui, and per the README mount it into the profile with dsh plugin --profile add @xp266/dshtui. Because it takes over the terminal, the web side cannot run it for you in one click, so command-line installation is the main path.

What interactions does this dsh-tui DSH plugin support, and what are the common operations?

The core is streaming chat with collapsible tool cards, plus dialogs and interactive components; it also exposes a UI contribution registration API that allows overriding all visible interfaces. Exact key bindings follow the plugin README and shift between versions, so run a session in the terminal to get familiar after installing.

When is the dsh-tui DSH plugin a better fit than the DeepSeek Harness Web UI?

In a pure terminal, over SSH, or when you would rather not open a browser. dsh-tui renders entirely inside the terminal, so over SSH anything with a working terminal can use it; the Web UI needs a local web service and browser access, and remotely it also means handling the auth URL and port. Whether to switch depends on whether you live in the terminal.

Is the dsh-tui DSH plugin an official DeepSeek Harness built-in capability?

No—it is a third-party community DSH plugin that you install yourself. DeepSeek Harness itself ships a command line and a Web UI; dsh-tui is a third-party terminal interface form, so judge its maturity and activity from the plugin page and repository state, and check the compatibility mark before installing.

Related Terms

dsh-tui
dsh-tui (dshtui, npm package @xp266/dshtui) is an Ink terminal UI plugin for DeepSeek Harness that takes over the whole terminal in opencode style, offering streaming chat, collapsible tool cards, and dialogs.— https://github.com/xp266/dsh-tui
TUI (Terminal User Interface)
A TUI is a text interface rendered in a terminal, where interaction happens through characters and key bindings without a browser; dsh-tui is the TUI form of DeepSeek Harness.— https://github.com/xp266/dsh-tui
Ink
Ink is a library for building command-line interfaces with React; dsh-tui builds its terminal interface on it, so dialogs, cards, and other elements can be organized like components.— https://github.com/xp266/dsh-tui
bundle plugin
A bundle plugin is a plugin form carrying a dsh.bundle declaration that is mounted into a profile when installed with dsh plugin add; dsh-tui mounts into a dsh profile in this form and takes effect as the harness starts.— https://github.com/deepseek-ai/deepseek-harness/blob/master/apps/cli/README.md

Sources