diff --git a/packages/core/src/buffer.ts b/packages/core/src/buffer.ts
index cef9d184d..87b7fd7c0 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/buffer.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/buffer.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { RGBA } from "./lib"
 import { resolveRenderLib, type RenderLib } from "./zig"
 import { type Pointer, toArrayBuffer, ptr } from "bun:ffi"
 import { type BorderStyle, type BorderSides, BorderCharArrays, parseBorderStyle } from "./lib"
-import { type WidthMethod } from "./types"
+import { type WidthMethod, type CapturedSpan, type CapturedLine } from "./types"
 import type { TextBufferView } from "./text-buffer-view"
 import type { EditorView } from "./editor-view"
 
@@ -153,6 +153,58 @@ export class OptimizedBuffer {
     return outputBuffer.slice(0, bytesWritten)
   }
 
+  public getSpanLines(): CapturedLine[] {
+    this.guard()
+    const { char, fg, bg, attributes } = this.buffers
+    const lines: CapturedLine[] = []
+
+    for (let y = 0; y < this._height; y++) {
+      const spans: CapturedSpan[] = []
+      let currentSpan: CapturedSpan | null = null
+
+      for (let x = 0; x < this._width; x++) {
+        const i = y * this._width + x
+        const cp = char[i]
+        const cellFg = RGBA.fromValues(fg[i * 4], fg[i * 4 + 1], fg[i * 4 + 2], fg[i * 4 + 3])
+        const cellBg = RGBA.fromValues(bg[i * 4], bg[i * 4 + 1], bg[i * 4 + 2], bg[i * 4 + 3])
+        const cellAttrs = attributes[i] & 0xff
+        const cellChar = cp > 0 ? String.fromCodePoint(cp) : " "
+
+        // Check if this cell continues the current span
+        if (
+          currentSpan &&
+          currentSpan.fg.equals(cellFg) &&
+          currentSpan.bg.equals(cellBg) &&
+          currentSpan.attributes === cellAttrs
+        ) {
+          currentSpan.text += cellChar
+          currentSpan.width += 1
+        } else {
+          // Start a new span
+          if (currentSpan) {
+            spans.push(currentSpan)
+          }
+          currentSpan = {
+            text: cellChar,
+            fg: cellFg,
+            bg: cellBg,
+            attributes: cellAttrs,
+            width: 1,
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
+      // Push the last span
+      if (currentSpan) {
+        spans.push(currentSpan)
+      }
+
+      lines.push({ spans })
+    }
+
+    return lines
+  }
+
   public clear(bg: RGBA = RGBA.fromValues(0, 0, 0, 1)): void {
     this.guard()
     this.lib.bufferClear(this.bufferPtr, bg)
diff --git a/packages/core/src/lib/RGBA.ts b/packages/core/src/lib/RGBA.ts
index a9ad9dd85..1dae109a9 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/lib/RGBA.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/lib/RGBA.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ export class RGBA {
   toString() {
     return `rgba(${this.r.toFixed(2)}, ${this.g.toFixed(2)}, ${this.b.toFixed(2)}, ${this.a.toFixed(2)})`
   }
+
+  equals(other?: RGBA): boolean {
+    if (!other) return false
+    return this.r === other.r && this.g === other.g && this.b === other.b && this.a === other.a
+  }
 }
 
 export type ColorInput = string | RGBA
diff --git a/packages/core/src/testing/capture-spans.test.ts b/packages/core/src/testing/capture-spans.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6fb787681
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/testing/capture-spans.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+import { describe, test, expect, beforeEach, afterEach } from "bun:test"
+import { createTestRenderer, type TestRenderer } from "./test-renderer"
+import { TextRenderable } from "../renderables/Text"
+import { BoxRenderable } from "../renderables/Box"
+import { TextAttributes, type CapturedFrame } from "../types"
+import { RGBA } from "../lib"
+
+describe("captureSpans", () => {
+  let renderer: TestRenderer
+  let renderOnce: () => Promise<void>
+  let captureSpans: () => CapturedFrame
+
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    const setup = await createTestRenderer({ width: 40, height: 10 })
+    renderer = setup.renderer
+    renderOnce = setup.renderOnce
+    captureSpans = setup.captureSpans
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    renderer.destroy()
+  })
+
+  test("returns correct dimensions and line count", async () => {
+    await renderOnce()
+    const data = captureSpans()
+
+    expect(data.cols).toBe(40)
+    expect(data.rows).toBe(10)
+    expect(data.lines.length).toBe(10)
+  })
+
+  test("captures text content in spans", async () => {
+    const text = new TextRenderable(renderer, { content: "Hello World" })
+    renderer.root.add(text)
+    await renderOnce()
+
+    const data = captureSpans()
+    const firstLine = data.lines[0]
+    const textContent = firstLine.spans.map((s) => s.text).join("")
+
+    expect(textContent).toContain("Hello World")
+  })
+
+  test("groups consecutive cells with same styling into single span", async () => {
+    const text = new TextRenderable(renderer, { content: "AAAA" })
+    renderer.root.add(text)
+    await renderOnce()
+
+    const data = captureSpans()
+    const firstLine = data.lines[0]
+    const aaaSpan = firstLine.spans.find((s) => s.text.includes("AAAA"))
+
+    expect(aaaSpan).toBeDefined()
+    expect(aaaSpan!.width).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(4)
+  })
+
+  test("captures foreground color", async () => {
+    const text = new TextRenderable(renderer, {
+      content: "Red Text",
+      fg: RGBA.fromHex("#ff0000"),
+    })
+    renderer.root.add(text)
+    await renderOnce()
+
+    const data = captureSpans()
+    const firstLine = data.lines[0]
+    const redSpan = firstLine.spans.find((s) => s.text.includes("Red"))
+
+    expect(redSpan).toBeDefined()
+    expect(redSpan!.fg.r).toBe(1)
+    expect(redSpan!.fg.g).toBe(0)
+    expect(redSpan!.fg.b).toBe(0)
+  })
+
+  test("captures background color", async () => {
+    const box = new BoxRenderable(renderer, {
+      width: 10,
+      height: 3,
+      backgroundColor: RGBA.fromHex("#00ff00"),
+    })
+    renderer.root.add(box)
+    await renderOnce()
+
+    const data = captureSpans()
+    const secondLine = data.lines[1]
+    const greenSpan = secondLine.spans.find((s) => s.bg.g === 1 && s.bg.r === 0 && s.bg.b === 0)
+
+    expect(greenSpan).toBeDefined()
+  })
+
+  test("returns alpha 0 for transparent colors", async () => {
+    await renderOnce()
+
+    const data = captureSpans()
+    const firstLine = data.lines[0]
+    const transparentSpan = firstLine.spans.find((s) => s.bg.a === 0)
+
+    expect(transparentSpan).toBeDefined()
+  })
+
+  test("captures text attributes", async () => {
+    const text = new TextRenderable(renderer, {
+      content: "Styled",
+      attributes: TextAttributes.BOLD | TextAttributes.ITALIC | TextAttributes.UNDERLINE | TextAttributes.DIM,
+    })
+    renderer.root.add(text)
+    await renderOnce()
+
+    const data = captureSpans()
+    const firstLine = data.lines[0]
+    const styledSpan = firstLine.spans.find((s) => s.text.includes("Styled"))
+
+    expect(styledSpan).toBeDefined()
+    expect(styledSpan!.attributes & TextAttributes.BOLD).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(styledSpan!.attributes & TextAttributes.ITALIC).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(styledSpan!.attributes & TextAttributes.UNDERLINE).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(styledSpan!.attributes & TextAttributes.DIM).toBeTruthy()
+  })
+
+  test("includes cursor position", async () => {
+    await renderOnce()
+    const data = captureSpans()
+
+    expect(data.cursor).toEqual([expect.any(Number), expect.any(Number)])
+  })
+
+  test("splits spans when styling changes", async () => {
+    const text1 = new TextRenderable(renderer, {
+      content: "AAA",
+      fg: RGBA.fromHex("#ff0000"),
+    })
+    const text2 = new TextRenderable(renderer, {
+      content: "BBB",
+      fg: RGBA.fromHex("#00ff00"),
+    })
+    renderer.root.add(text1)
+    renderer.root.add(text2)
+    await renderOnce()
+
+    const data = captureSpans()
+    const allSpans = data.lines.flatMap((l) => l.spans)
+
+    expect(allSpans.some((s) => s.fg.r === 1 && s.fg.g === 0)).toBe(true)
+    expect(allSpans.some((s) => s.fg.g === 1 && s.fg.r === 0)).toBe(true)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/core/src/testing/test-renderer.ts b/packages/core/src/testing/test-renderer.ts
index e45ecfb47..5c56a5eef 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/testing/test-renderer.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/testing/test-renderer.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { CliRenderer, type CliRendererConfig } from "../renderer"
 import { resolveRenderLib } from "../zig"
 import { createMockKeys } from "./mock-keys"
 import { createMockMouse } from "./mock-mouse"
+import type { CapturedFrame } from "../types"
 
 export interface TestRendererOptions extends CliRendererConfig {
   width?: number
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ export async function createTestRenderer(options: TestRendererOptions): Promise<
   mockMouse: MockMouse
   renderOnce: () => Promise<void>
   captureCharFrame: () => string
+  captureSpans: () => CapturedFrame
   resize: (width: number, height: number) => void
 }> {
   process.env.OTUI_USE_CONSOLE = "false"
@@ -59,6 +61,17 @@ export async function createTestRenderer(options: TestRendererOptions): Promise<
       const frameBytes = currentBuffer.getRealCharBytes(true)
       return decoder.decode(frameBytes)
     },
+    captureSpans: () => {
+      const currentBuffer = renderer.currentRenderBuffer
+      const lines = currentBuffer.getSpanLines()
+      const cursorState = renderer.getCursorState()
+      return {
+        cols: currentBuffer.width,
+        rows: currentBuffer.height,
+        cursor: [cursorState.x, cursorState.y] as [number, number],
+        lines,
+      }
+    },
     resize: (width: number, height: number) => {
       //@ts-expect-error - this is a test renderer
       renderer.processResize(width, height)
diff --git a/packages/core/src/types.ts b/packages/core/src/types.ts
index e15c692a6..201335c5c 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/types.ts
@@ -113,3 +113,22 @@ export interface LineInfoProvider {
   get virtualLineCount(): number
   get scrollY(): number
 }
+
+export interface CapturedSpan {
+  text: string
+  fg: RGBA
+  bg: RGBA
+  attributes: number
+  width: number
+}
+
+export interface CapturedLine {
+  spans: CapturedSpan[]
+}
+
+export interface CapturedFrame {
+  cols: number
+  rows: number
+  cursor: [number, number]
+  lines: CapturedLine[]
+}