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Terminal Matrix Mode: The Hollywood Hacker Aesthetic for Your Desktop

📅 Updated: December 2025 ⏱️ 5 min read 💻 Linux & Mac

Ever wanted your terminal to look like those hacker scenes in movies? Scrolling code, split screens, matrix-style visualizations—all running simultaneously? The hollywood package does exactly that, and it's perfect for demos, streaming backgrounds, or just feeling badass while multitasking.

This isn't just eye candy—it's also a conversation starter, a way to impress clients, and honestly, a fun way to make your dev environment feel more epic.

Installing Hollywood

On Ubuntu/Debian Linux

sudo apt update
sudo apt install hollywood

On Mac (via Homebrew)

brew install hollywood

On Arch Linux

yay -S hollywood

Running Hollywood

Once installed, simply run:

hollywood

Your terminal will explode into multiple split panes, each running different "hacker-looking" commands:

  • Scrolling hexdumps
  • Network traffic simulations
  • System monitoring tools
  • Matrix-style cascading characters
  • Code compilation output
  • Directory listings

Press Ctrl+C to exit when you're done.

💡 Pro Tip: Full Screen Mode

For maximum effect, make your terminal full screen first (F11 on most systems), then run hollywood. The more screen real estate, the more impressive it looks.

More Matrix-Style Tools

CMatrix - The Classic Matrix Effect

sudo apt install cmatrix
cmatrix

Pure Matrix-style green cascading characters. Press q to quit.

Options for CMatrix:

  • cmatrix -b - Bold characters
  • cmatrix -s - Screensaver mode
  • cmatrix -C red - Change color (red, blue, yellow, etc.)
  • cmatrix -r - Rainbow mode

Pipes.sh - Animated Pipes

sudo apt install pipes.sh
pipes.sh

Mesmerizing animated pipes that fill your screen. Great for a retro aesthetic.

Asciiquarium - Underwater Terminal

sudo apt install asciiquarium
asciiquarium

A fish tank in your terminal. Surprisingly relaxing while waiting for builds.

Practical Uses

  1. Client Demos

    Run hollywood in the background during presentations to add a "tech company" vibe. Clients love seeing "activity" even if it's decorative.

  2. Streaming/Recording Background

    If you stream coding sessions or create tutorials, having matrix effects on a second monitor adds production value.

  3. Conference Booth Display

    Set up a spare laptop running hollywood at your booth. It attracts attention like nothing else.

  4. Screensaver/Lock Screen

    Some users configure hollywood or cmatrix as their screensaver—much cooler than the default.

⚠️ Performance Note

Hollywood runs multiple processes simultaneously, which can consume significant CPU. Don't leave it running on a laptop on battery power, and close it when you need performance for actual work.

Customization Tips

  • Change terminal font: Use a monospace font like "Fira Code" or "JetBrains Mono" for authenticity
  • Adjust colors: Set your terminal theme to green-on-black for classic hacker vibes
  • Transparency: Enable terminal transparency and layer it over a dark background
  • Multiple monitors: Run different effects on different screens

Conclusion

While hollywood and cmatrix aren't "productive" in the traditional sense, they serve a real purpose: making your workspace feel more exciting and impressing people who don't know that most real hacking involves reading documentation and drinking coffee.

Install it, run it once, and you'll find yourself coming back to it whenever you need a morale boost or want to show off your terminal.