asciify text MY-PROJECT
ASCII banner generator for READMEs, MOTDs and chat
Type a project name, pick a font and get a big text banner made of plain characters. It pastes anywhere text goes: a GitHub README, a server login message, a Discord channel or a Slack post.
README.md
```text ___ ___ ___ _ _ | __|_ _/ __| |___| |_ | _| | | (_ | / -_) _| |_| |___\___|_\___|\__| ```
Big · 10 cols
_ _ | | (_) | |__ _ | '_ \| | | | | | | |_| |_|_|
Where ASCII banners are used
- GitHub and GitLab READMEs. A banner at the top of a repository gives a CLI tool or dotfiles repo instant character. Put it in a fenced code block so it renders in a monospace font.
- Terminal MOTD and SSH logins. Write the banner into
/etc/motdor print it from a script in/etc/update-motd.d/so everyone who logs in to a server sees its name. It is a cheap way to avoid running commands on the wrong machine. - CLI splash screens and code headers. Print a banner when your tool starts, or put one in a comment block at the top of a config file.
- Discord and Slack. Paste the banner between triple backticks to announce a release, an event or a new channel. Short words and compact fonts work best, because phones wrap long lines.
Choosing a font and size
Banner width depends on the font. In the default Standard font a letter takes about five columns, so a twelve-letter name needs roughly 60. Small trims that to about four columns per letter, while heavy fonts such as ANSI Shadow use seven or more and look best for one short word. Tall decorative fonts like Doom, Big or 3D-ASCII are great for README hero sections but too large for chat. Preview a few in the generator and check the column count before you paste.
Frequently asked questions
- How wide should an ASCII banner be?
- Keep terminal banners within 80 columns and README banners within about 100. For chat apps that will be read on phones, aim for 30 to 40 columns: use a short word or a compact font such as Small.
- Why does my banner break when I paste it?
- The destination is using a proportional font or collapsing spaces. Wrap the banner in a code block (three backticks in GitHub, Discord and Slack) so it is shown in a monospace font with every space intact.
- Can I add color?
- Yes. The generator can tint the banner in phosphor green, amber, cyan, pink and more, and export it as PNG, animated GIF or HTML. Plain-text destinations keep only the characters.