Frequently Asked Questions

Installation & Setup

Q: How do I install Vargula?

A: Install via pip:

pip install vargula

Q: What Python versions are supported?

A: Vargula supports Python 3.7 and above.

Q: Does Vargula work on Windows?

A: Yes! Vargula works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Color & Styling

Q: How do I create accessible color palettes?

A: Use the generate_accessible_theme() function:

from vargula import Vargula

vg = Vargula()

theme = vg.generate_accessible_theme(
    "#3498db",
    wcag_level="AA",
    background="#ffffff"
)

Q: Can I validate colors for colorblind users?

A: Yes! Use validate_colorblind_safety():

is_safe, problems = vg.validate_colorblind_safety(
    colors,
    cb_type="deuteranopia"
)

Q: What color schemes are available?

A: Vargula supports 7 color harmony schemes:

Monochromatic
Analogous
Complementary
Split Complementary
Triadic
Tetradic
Square

Comparison with Other Libraries

Q: How is Vargula different from Rich?

A: Rich focuses on comprehensive terminal UI features (layouts, syntax highlighting, markdown). Vargula specializes in color design and accessibility, offering features like:

color palette generation
WCAG validation
colorblind simulation

Q: Should I use Vargula or Colorama?

A: Use Colorama if you only need basic cross-platform ANSI support. Use Vargula if you need:

color theory
accessibility tools
markup syntax
rich components (tables, progress bars)

See the detailed comparison page for more information.

Troubleshooting

Q: Colors aren’t showing in my terminal

A: Check if your terminal supports ANSI colors. Most do.

Test it:

from vargula import Vargula
vg = Vargula()
vg.write("<red>Test</red>")

Q: How do I disable colors temporarily?

Use vg.disable() and vg.enable():

vg.disable()  # Disable styling
print(vg.style("No color", color="red"))
vg.enable()   # Re-enable styling

Q: My custom theme isn’t working

A: Ensure you applied it using apply_palette_theme():

theme = vg.generate_theme_palette("triadic")
vg.apply_palette_theme(theme)
vg.write("<primary>Now it works!</primary>")