This article walks through building a minimalist VisiCalc clone in C, covering the core data model (cells, grid), a recursive‑descent parser for formulas, dependency handling via repeated recalculation, and a text‑based UI using ncurses. It explains how to parse cell references, evaluate expressions, and implement a simple modal interface with commands, editing, and navigation. The post culminates in a working terminal spreadsheet that supports basic functions like @SUM, @ABS, @INT, and @SQRT, and demonstrates how to render the grid, status bar, and edit line. It also discusses limitations and possible extensions, linking to the full implementation on GitHub.
