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Introduction

DHV DHV v0.4.1 ┌─ Source───────────────────────────────────────────────────┌─ Disassembly────────────────────────────────────────────── │ 1  """The main application class."""│0      0RESUME (149) │ 2  │1      2LOAD_CONST (83)'The main  ▇ │ 3  ######################################################│application │ 4  # Python imports.│class.'     │ 5  fromargparseimportNamespace│4STORE_NAME (114)__doc__     │ 6  │5      6LOAD_CONST (83)0           │ 7  ######################################################│8LOAD_CONST (83)('Namespac… │ 8  # Textual imports.│10IMPORT_NAME (75)argparse    │ 9  fromtextual.appimportInvalidThemeError│12IMPORT_FROM (74)Namespace   │10  │14STORE_NAME (114)Namespace   │11  ######################################################│16POP_TOP (32) │12  # Textual enhanced imports.│9      18LOAD_CONST (83)0           │13  fromtextual_enhanced.appimportEnhancedApp│20LOAD_CONST (83)('InvalidT… │14  │22IMPORT_NAME (75)textual.app │15  ######################################################│24IMPORT_FROM (74)InvalidThe… │16  # Local imports.│26STORE_NAME (114)InvalidThe… │17  from.import__version__│28POP_TOP (32) │18  from.dataimport(│13     30LOAD_CONST (83)0           │19  load_configuration,┌─ AST────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │20  update_configuration,│Module │21  )│body │22  from.screensimportMain│Expr │23  │value │24  │Constant │25  ######################################################│value │26  classDHV(EnhancedApp[None]):│'The main application class.' │27  """The main application class."""│kind │28  │None │29  HELP_TITLE=f"DHV v{__version__}"│ImportFrom │30  HELP_ABOUT=""" │module │31      `DHV` is a terminal-based Python code explorer; it│'argparse' │32      by and is maintained by [Dave Pearson](https://www│names │33      Free Software and can be [found on │alias │34      GitHub](https://github.com/davep/dhv). │name │35      """│'Namespace' │36  HELP_LICENSE=""" │asname │▉│▍  f1 Help  f10 Quit  ^n New  ^l Load ▏^p Commands

DHV is a Python code exploration tool for the terminal, designed to let you type in, load up, and edit Python code, and see what the resulting abstract syntax tree and bytecode looks like.

If you've ever felt curious about what your Python source code gets turned into, this is one tool that might help satisfy that curiosity.

Installation

Note

DHV requires Python 3.13 or later.

pipx

The application can be installed using pipx:

pipx install dhv

uv

The package can be install using uv:

uv tool install --python 3.13 dhv

Running DHV

Once you've installed DHV using one of the above methods, you can run the application using the dhv command.

Command line options

DHV has a number of command line options; they include:

-b, --bindings

Prints the application commands whose keyboard bindings can be modified, giving the defaults too.

dhv --bindings

ChangeCodeTheme - Change the theme of the Python code editor.
    Default: ctrl+f9
ChangeTheme - Change the application's theme
    Default: f9
Help - Show help for and information about the application
    Default: f1, ?
LoadFile - Load the content of a Python source file.
    Default: ctrl+l
NewCode - Empty the editor ready to enter some new code.
    Default: ctrl+n
Quit - Quit the application
    Default: f10, ctrl+q
ShowASTOnly - Only show the AST of the source code.
    Default: ctrl+t
ShowDisassemblyAndAST - Show both the disassembly and the AST of the source code.
    Default: ctrl+o
ShowDisassemblyOnly - Only show the disassembly of the source code.
    Default: ctrl+b
SwitchLayout - Switch the screen layout between horizontal and vertical.
    Default: f2
ToggleOffsets - Toggle the display of the offsets
    Default: f3
ToggleOpcodes - Toggle the display of the numeric opcodes
    Default: f4

-h, --help

Prints the help for the dhv command.

dhv --help

usage: dhv [-h] [-v] [--license] [-b] [-t THEME] [source]

DHV - A tool to dive into Python code.

positional arguments:
  source                A Python source file to disassemble

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -v, --version         Show version information
  --license, --licence  Show license information
  -b, --bindings        List commands that can have their bindings changed
  -t, --theme THEME     Set the theme for the application (set to ? to list
                        available themes)

v0.4.1

--license, --licence

Prints a summary of DHV's license.

dhv --license

DHV - A Python code explorer for the terminal.  
Copyright (C) 2025 Dave Pearson

This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free
Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option)
any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for
more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

-t, --theme

Sets DHV's theme; this overrides and changes any previous theme choice made via the user interface.

To see a list of available themes use ? as the theme name:

dhv --theme=?

catppuccin-latte
catppuccin-mocha
dracula
flexoki
gruvbox
monokai
nord
solarized-light
textual-dark
textual-light
tokyo-night

-v, --version

Prints the version number of DHV.

dhv --version

dhv v0.4.1

Getting help

A great way to get to know DHV is to read the help screen. Once in the application you can see this by pressing F1.

The DHV Help Screen DHV v0.4.1 ┌─ Source───────────────────────────────────────────────────┌─ Disassembly────────────────────────────────────────────── │ 1  """The mai┌─ Help ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ 2  ││'The main  ▂ │ 3  ##########││application │ 4  # Python i││class.'     │ 5  fromargpa│DHV v0.4.1│__doc__     │ 6  ││0           │ 7  ##########││('Namespac… │ 8  # Textual ││argparse    │ 9  fromtextu│Python Source│Namespace   │10  ││Namespace   │11  ##########│This panel is the Python source code that you're exploring.│ │12  # Textual ││0           │13  fromtextu││('InvalidT… │14  │Main application keys and commands│textual.app │15  ##########││InvalidThe… │16  # Local im│The following key bindings and commands are available:│InvalidThe… │17  from.imp││ │18  from.data││0           │19  load_c│Command                 KeyDescription                                         │('Enhanced… │20  update│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │textual_en… │21  )│Change Code Theme       ^f9Change the theme of the Python code editor.         │EnhancedApp │22  from.scre│Change Theme            f9 Change the application's theme                      │EnhancedApp │23  │Help                    f1 Show help for and information about the application │ │24  │Load File               ^l Load the content of a Python source file.           │─────────────── │25  ##########│New Code                ^n Empty the editor ready to enter some new code.      │ │26  classDHV(│Quit                    f10Quit the application                                │ │27  """The│Show AST Only           ^t Only show the AST of the source code.               │ │28  │Show Disassembly And AST^o Show both the disassembly and the AST of the source ▆│ │29  HELP_T│code.                                               │ │30  HELP_A│Show Disassembly Only   ^b Only show the disassembly of the source code.       │ │31      `DHV` │Switch Layout           f2 Switch the screen layout between horizontal and     │ │32      by and│vertical.                                           │ │33      Free S│Toggle Offsets          f3 Toggle the display of the offsets                   │ │34      GitHub│Toggle Opcodes          f4 Toggle the display of the numeric opcodes           │ │35      """││ │36  HELP_L││ │37      DHV - ││ │38  │About│ │39      This p││ │40      under │DHV is a terminal-based Python code explorer; it was created by and is maintained by│ │41      Softwa│────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│ │42      any la│▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔│ │43  │ Okay [Esc]│ │44      This p│▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁│ │45      ANY WA└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │46      FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Gene│module │▉│▍  f1 Help  f10 Quit  ^n New  ^l Load ▏^p Commands

The help will adapt to which part of the screen has focus, providing extra detail where appropriate.

The command palette

Another way of discovering commands and keys in DHV is to use the command palette (by default you can call it with ctrl+p or meta+x).

The DHV Command Palette DHV v0.4.1 ┌─ Source───────────────────────────────────────────────────┌─ Disassembly────────────────────────────────────────────── │ 1  """The main application class."""│0      0RESUME (149) │ 2  ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔'The main  ▂ │ 3  ##########application │ 4  # Python iSearch for commands…class.'     │ 5  fromargpa__doc__     │ 6  0           │ 7  ##########Change Code Theme [^f9]('Namespac… │ 8  # Textual Change the theme of the Python code editor.argparse    │ 9  fromtextuChange Theme [f9]Namespace   │10  Change the application's themeNamespace   │11  ##########Help [f1] │12  # Textual Show help for and information about the application0           │13  fromtextuQuit [f10]('InvalidT… │14  Quit the applicationtextual.app │15  ##########Load File [^l]InvalidThe… │16  # Local imLoad the content of a Python source file.InvalidThe… │17  from.impNew Code [^n] │18  from.dataEmpty the editor ready to enter some new code.0           │19  load_cSwitch Layout [f2]('Enhanced… │20  updateSwitch the screen layout between horizontal and vertical.textual_en… │21  )Toggle Offsets [f3]EnhancedApp │22  from.screToggle the display of the offsetsEnhancedApp │23  Toggle Opcodes [f4] │24  Toggle the display of the numeric opcodes─────────────── │25  ##########Show AST Only [^t] │26  classDHV(Only show the AST of the source code. │27  """TheShow Disassembly And AST [^o] │28  Show both the disassembly and the AST of the source code. │29  HELP_TShow Disassembly Only [^b] │30  HELP_AOnly show the disassembly of the source code. │31      `DHV` ▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ │32      by and is maintained by [Dave Pearson](https://www│kind │33      Free Software and can be [found on │None │34      GitHub](https://github.com/davep/dhv). │ImportFrom │35      """│module │36  HELP_LICENSE=""" │'argparse' │37      DHV - A Python code explorer for the terminal.  \n│names │38  │alias │39      This program is free software: you can redistribut│name │40      under the terms of the GNU General Public License │'Namespace' │41      Software Foundation, either version 3 of the Licen│asname │42      any later version. │None │43  │level │44      This program is distributed in the hope that it wi│0 │45      ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of│ImportFrom │46      FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Gene│module │▉│▍  f1 Help  f10 Quit  ^n New  ^l Load ▏^p Commands

Questions and feedback

If you have any questions about DHV, or you have ideas for how it might be improved, do please feel free to visit the discussion area and ask your question or suggest an improvement.

When doing so, please do search past discussions and also issues current and previous to make sure I've not already dealt with this, or don't have your proposed change already flagged as something to do.