Freedom251 › Presentation software
Patat
by Patat
What Patat is
Patat is a free, open-source presentation tool from Patat that runs in an ANSI terminal on Linux and macOS. It uses Pandoc, so you can write slides in Markdown, reStructuredText, Org-mode, and other formats Pandoc supports. Configured code blocks can be evaluated, with their output displayed in slides; this runs commands, so presentations containing evaluation settings should be checked before opening. Syntax highlighting covers nearly one hundred languages through Kate syntax files used by Pandoc. The --watch option reloads a presentation when its file changes. Speaker notes can be written to a file as slides change for viewing in another terminal or Patat instance. Slides support incremental content, automatic advancement, and transitions such as slideLeft, dissolve, and matrix. Images are off by default and require configuration, with iTerm2, Kitty, WezTerm, and w3m backends. Themes can set colors, including 24-bit RGB where supported, and OSC8 links can be enabled explicitly.
Who it suits
Patat suits people creating terminal-based presentations on Linux or macOS, especially users already working with Pandoc formats. It also fits presenters who need code output, notes, transitions, or a watch-and-reload workflow.
What it does well
- Free and GPL-2.0 licensed
- Supports several Pandoc input formats
- Evaluates configured code blocks
- Syntax highlighting for nearly 100 languages
- Speaker notes can be written to a file
What to know first
- Images are disabled by default
- Code evaluation runs commands
- Requires an ANSI terminal
- OSC8 links need explicit enabling
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Patat | Open-source terminal presentation tool · GPL-2.0 | Free |
As github.com lists them, read 12 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Patat provides a text-oriented presentation workflow centered on Pandoc and terminal use. Its code evaluation, notes, transitions, and theming are useful, but image and link support require configuration.
Facts from Patat's own pages
- Clickable links
- OSC8 hyperlinks are supported in some terminals but must be enabled explicitly because Patat cannot detect terminal support. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Code evaluation
- It can evaluate configured code blocks and display their output in slides. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Editing workflow
- The --watch option reloads the presentation when its file changes. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2016 · github.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Images
- Image display is off by default, requires configuration, and supports iTerm2, Kitty, WezTerm, and w3m backends. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Input formats
- It supports formats Pandoc supports, including Markdown, reStructuredText, and Org-mode. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- License
- The repository identifies Patat as GPL-2.0 licensed. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Platforms and downloads
- The README lists Linux packages and generic Linux binaries, plus Homebrew and generic Mac OS binaries; it also documents installation from Hackage using Cabal. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Presenter mode
- Yes · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Security consideration
- The README warns that configured code evaluation runs commands and advises checking downloaded presentations before running them when they contain eval settings. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Slide effects
- It supports incremental slide content, automatic advancement, and slide transitions including slideLeft, dissolve, and matrix. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Speaker notes
- Speaker notes can be written to a file when the current slide changes, for display in another terminal or Patat instance. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Supported platforms
- Linux,macOS · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Syntax highlighting
- It ships syntax highlighting for nearly one hundred languages using Kate syntax files through Pandoc. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Terminal requirement
- Patat requires an ANSI terminal and describes this as its portability basis instead of requiring ncurses. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Themes
- Themes can configure text and background colors, including 24-bit RGB when the terminal supports it. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- What it does
- Patat is a feature-rich presentation tool that runs in the terminal and uses Pandoc. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
Where Patat stands on Freedom251
- Presentation software#68 of 93