sent review
A minimal X11 presentation tool for simple slides authored as plain text.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
sent takes a deliberately minimal approach to presentation software: each paragraph in a plain-text file becomes a slide. It is aimed at Linux users who want to present straightforward text without learning a dedicated slide-authoring format or working with complex layouts. The program runs as a desktop X11 application, supports UTF-8 text, and provides basic arrow-key navigation. Its narrow scope suits simple talks, but not presentations that depend on visual polish or varied content design.
The authoring model is the main distinction. Content stays in plain-text files, and sent automatically scales slide content to fit its presentation window. It can also display image slides and read presentation content from standard input. For image use, the vendor recommends farbfeld tools. These capabilities support a compact workflow, though they do not amount to a general-purpose slide editor: sent has no animation, rich text styles, or advanced layout options. It also has no built-in export function, so it is a poor fit for workflows that need exported slide files or a conventional deck format.
sent is open source and has a free plan. The program is built from source and requires Xlib and Xft, which makes setup more technical than using a packaged, graphical slide-authoring application. The listed platform is Linux, with the vendor describing the application as X11-based. Choose sent if plain-text authoring, automatic scaling, and simple keyboard navigation are enough for your presentation needs. Choose another tool if you need richer formatting, animation, advanced layouts, or a built-in export workflow.
sent pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Defines slides as paragraphs in plain-text files
- Automatically scales content to fit the presentation window
- Displays image slides and supports UTF-8 text
- Where it doesn't
- Limited to Linux (X11)
- No animation, rich text styling, or advanced layouts
- Requires a source build with Xlib and Xft
sent fact sheet, pricing and score →
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