freeze

name	freeze
description	Use when generating an image (SVG, PNG, or WebP) of source code or terminal output — for READMEs, slides, docs, social posts, or screenshots of a code snippet or command output — using the charmbracelet/freeze CLI. Triggers on "freeze", "screenshot this code", "image of code", "render terminal output as image", "code snippet picture".

freeze — images of code and terminal output

Overview

freeze (charmbracelet) renders source code or captured terminal output to an image. Two input modes, three output formats. The output format is chosen by the file extension of -o (.svg, .png, .webp). With no -o, it writes freeze.png in the current directory.

Verify it's installed: freeze --version (this skill written against v0.2.2). Install: go install github.com/charmbracelet/freeze@latest or brew install freeze.

Two input modes

# 1. From a source file — language/syntax auto-detected from extension
freeze main.go -o code.svg

# 2. Capture a command's output (-x / --execute) — renders ANSI colors
freeze --execute "ls -la" -o out.svg
freeze -x "git diff --color" -o diff.png

Also reads stdin (give -l/--language since there's no filename), and reads a file that already contains ANSI escapes to reproduce colored terminal output:

echo 'print("hi")' | freeze --language python -o snippet.svg
ls --color=always > out.txt && freeze out.txt -o out.svg   # render saved ANSI

Quick reference

Flag	Purpose
-o --output	Output path; extension picks format (.svg/.png/.webp). Default freeze.png.
-x --execute	Capture a command's output instead of reading a file.
-l --language	Force syntax language (needed for stdin).
-t --theme	Syntax theme (chroma themes, e.g. dracula, nord, github, catppuccin-mocha). Default charm.
-c --config	Built-in preset (base, full, user) or path to a .json/.yaml config.
-w --wrap	Wrap lines at a given width.
--lines	Capture a line range, e.g. --lines 5,20.
--show-line-numbers	Render line numbers.
-i --interactive	Interactive form to pick options.

Styling: -b --background (fill), -m --margin, -p --padding, --window (macOS-style traffic-light controls), -W --width, -H --height, --font.family, --font.size, --font.ligatures, --line-height.

Borders: -r --border.radius, --border.width, --border.color.

Shadow: --shadow.blur, --shadow.x, --shadow.y.

Run freeze --help for the complete list.

Margin & padding syntax

CSS-style — one value (all sides) or comma-separated:

freeze main.go -p 20          # all sides 20
freeze main.go -p 20,40       # vertical 20, horizontal 40
freeze main.go -m 20,40,60,80 # top,right,bottom,left

Common recipes

# Polished snippet for a README/slide
freeze main.go -t dracula --window -p 20,40 -r 8 --shadow.blur 20 -o snippet.png

# Just lines 10–30, with line numbers
freeze server.go --lines 10,30 --show-line-numbers -o slice.svg

# Terminal session screenshot at a fixed width
freeze -x "neofetch" -W 1200 -o term.png

# Start from a built-in preset, then override
freeze -c full main.go -t nord -o code.svg

Notes & gotchas

• Extension is the format selector. -o code.svg → SVG; -o code.png → PNG. There is no separate --format flag.
• SVG is sharpest and smallest for code; use PNG/WebP when the target (e.g. GitHub READMEs, chat) won't render SVG fonts reliably.
• --execute runs the command in a shell and captures its rendered output (ANSI colors included) — quote the whole command.
• For reproducible styling across many images, put options in a JSON/YAML config and pass it with -c path.json instead of repeating flags.
• PNG/WebP rendering rasterizes at a default scale; bump -W/-H or --font.size if output looks small.