vivid is a generator for the LS_COLORS environment variable that controls the colorized output of
ls, tree, fd, bfs, dust and many other tools.
It uses a YAML configuration format for the filetype-database and the color themes. In contrast
to dircolors, the database and the themes are organized in different files. This allows users to
choose and customize color themes independent from the collection of file extensions. Instead of
using cryptic ANSI escape codes, colors can be specified in the RRGGBB format and will be
translated to either truecolor (24-bit) ANSI codes or 8-bit codes for older terminal emulators.
Publisher’s description
What is vivid?
vivid is an open-source terminals & cli tool program for Windows from David Peter. It is written in Rust.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit and 32-bit as Portable. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 0.11.1, released on April 9, 2026. 2 versions are listed since June 22, 2024, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 1.1 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (sharkdp/vivid) has 2,278 stars. Similar programs include PowerShell, Oh My Posh and QPDF.
Project description on GitHub: “A themeable LS_COLORS generator with a rich filetype datebase”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: vivid is an open-source terminals & cli tool tool for 64-bit and 32-bit PCs.
Is vivid safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
2BC2700C9CAE57C43C6ABBB1063E755977972B81E8EB34F266750AABD02A9CF1· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the sharkdp/vivid repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Actively maintained10
- No binaries in the repository10
- No dangerous workflows10
- Licence declared10
- Published packages10
- Pinned dependencies7
- Code review3
- Restricted token permissions0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Fuzzing0
- Signed releases0
- Security policy0
- Static code analysis0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 2 versions ›2 versions over 2 years · about 1.1 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.11.1Latest | April 9, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 0.10.1 | June 22, 2024 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id sharkdp.vivid -escoop install main/vividRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install vividInformation
- Publisher
- David Peter
- Category
- Terminals & CLI tools
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/sharkdp/vivid
- Written in
- Rust
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, 32-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 0.11.1
- Released
- April 9, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- December 23, 2024
- Versions listed
- 2
- Updates / year
- 1.1
- GitHub stars
- 2,278
- GitHub forks
- 113
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- sharkdp.vivid
- Scoop package
- main/vivid
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is vivid free?
Yes. vivid is open-source software under the Apache-2.0 licence.
Is vivid safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install vivid with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does vivid run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit and 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of vivid?
The versions page lists all 2 versions with links to their official installer files, back to June 22, 2024.
Can I use vivid without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to vivid?
PowerShell, Oh My Posh, QPDF, Alacritty and yq. The alternatives page compares them.
