pastel is a command-line tool for generating, analyzing, converting and manipulating colors.
The tool addresses the need to work with colors programmatically from the terminal, supporting conversion between numerous color formats and spaces including RGB, HSL, CIELAB, and CIELCh, as well as ANSI 8-bit and 24-bit representations. It provides discrete commands like saturate, mix, and paint that can be composed together through piping, allowing users to chain color operations. Colors can be specified in multiple formats and sourced from command-line arguments or standard input, making it flexible for scripting and automation.
The tool suits developers and designers who need to manipulate colors in shell scripts, terminal workflows, or build processes. It works well for tasks like converting between color formats, analyzing colors on the terminal, generating sets of visually distinct colors, and looking up X11 or CSS color names. The project is available across major platforms through standard package managers, making adoption straightforward regardless of operating system.
The project maintains a focused scope on color manipulation without attempting to be a general graphics library. Development activity shows consistent attention to the codebase with regular maintenance and updates. The tool is written in Rust, providing performance and reliability for command-line use. Installation options span multiple package managers and direct binary distribution, indicating active engagement with making the tool accessible to users across different environments.
