Linux System - Table 12 > Packages - Table 7 > 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]