termcap
Termcap (terminal capability) is a software library and database used on Unix-like computers. It enables programs to use display computer terminals in a device-independent manner, which greatly simplifies the process of writing portable text mode applications. Bill Joy wrote the first termcap library[1][2] for the Berkeley Unix operating system; it has since been ported to most Unix and Unix-like environments. Joy's design was reportedly influenced by the design of the terminal data store in the earlier Incompatible Timesharing System.[3]
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