diff --git a/pkg/cli/glyph.go b/pkg/cli/glyph.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c3af44f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cli/glyph.go
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"unicode"
+)
+
+// GlyphTheme defines which symbols to use.
+type GlyphTheme int
+
+const (
+	ThemeUnicode GlyphTheme = iota
+	ThemeEmoji
+	ThemeASCII
+)
+
+var currentTheme = ThemeUnicode
+
+func UseUnicode() { currentTheme = ThemeUnicode }
+func UseEmoji()   { currentTheme = ThemeEmoji }
+func UseASCII()   { currentTheme = ThemeASCII }
+
+func glyphMap() map[string]string {
+	switch currentTheme {
+	case ThemeEmoji:
+		return glyphMapEmoji
+	case ThemeASCII:
+		return glyphMapASCII
+	default:
+		return glyphMapUnicode
+	}
+}
+
+// Glyph converts a shortcode to its symbol.
+func Glyph(code string) string {
+	if sym, ok := glyphMap()[code]; ok {
+		return sym
+	}
+	return code
+}
+
+func compileGlyphs(x string) string {
+	if x == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+	input := bytes.NewBufferString(x)
+	output := bytes.NewBufferString("")
+
+	for {
+		r, _, err := input.ReadRune()
+		if err != nil {
+			break
+		}
+		if r == ':' {
+			output.WriteString(replaceGlyph(input))
+		} else {
+			output.WriteRune(r)
+		}
+	}
+	return output.String()
+}
+
+func replaceGlyph(input *bytes.Buffer) string {
+	code := bytes.NewBufferString(":")
+	for {
+		r, _, err := input.ReadRune()
+		if err != nil {
+			return code.String()
+		}
+		if r == ':' && code.Len() == 1 {
+			return code.String() + replaceGlyph(input)
+		}
+		code.WriteRune(r)
+		if unicode.IsSpace(r) {
+			return code.String()
+		}
+		if r == ':' {
+			return Glyph(code.String())
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cli/glyph_maps.go b/pkg/cli/glyph_maps.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0aed5b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cli/glyph_maps.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package cli
+
+var glyphMapUnicode = map[string]string{
+	":check:": "✓", ":cross:": "✗", ":warn:": "⚠", ":info:": "ℹ",
+	":question:": "?", ":skip:": "○", ":dot:": "●", ":circle:": "◯",
+	":arrow_right:": "→", ":arrow_left:": "←", ":arrow_up:": "↑", ":arrow_down:": "↓",
+	":pointer:": "▶", ":bullet:": "•", ":dash:": "─", ":pipe:": "│",
+	":corner:": "└", ":tee:": "├", ":pending:": "…", ":spinner:": "⠋",
+}
+
+var glyphMapEmoji = map[string]string{
+	":check:": "✅", ":cross:": "❌", ":warn:": "⚠️", ":info:": "ℹ️",
+	":question:": "❓", ":skip:": "⏭️", ":dot:": "🔵", ":circle:": "⚪",
+	":arrow_right:": "➡️", ":arrow_left:": "⬅️", ":arrow_up:": "⬆️", ":arrow_down:": "⬇️",
+	":pointer:": "▶️", ":bullet:": "•", ":dash:": "─", ":pipe:": "│",
+	":corner:": "└", ":tee:": "├", ":pending:": "⏳", ":spinner:": "🔄",
+}
+
+var glyphMapASCII = map[string]string{
+	":check:": "[OK]", ":cross:": "[FAIL]", ":warn:": "[WARN]", ":info:": "[INFO]",
+	":question:": "[?]", ":skip:": "[SKIP]", ":dot:": "[*]", ":circle:": "[ ]",
+	":arrow_right:": "->", ":arrow_left:": "<-", ":arrow_up:": "^", ":arrow_down:": "v",
+	":pointer:": ">", ":bullet:": "*", ":dash:": "-", ":pipe:": "|",
+	":corner:": "`", ":tee:": "+", ":pending:": "...", ":spinner:": "-",
+}