Newt is a programming library for color text mode, widget-based user interfaces.

This package also contains the shared library needed by programs built with newt, as well as a CLI application whiptail, which provides the most commonly used features of dialog.

Newt was originally designed for use in the install code of Red Hat Linux and is written mostly focusing on clear interface, simplicity and small footprint.

gNewt project (no longer active) provides an alternative implementation that uses GTK instead of the text based interface.

Like any other GTK components, gNewt controls can also use mouse input whereas the original Newt only supports the keyboard.