diff --git a/bshell/line-ed/buffer.c b/bshell/line-ed/buffer.c
index 1b46fcb..f2453bd 100644
--- a/bshell/line-ed/buffer.c
+++ b/bshell/line-ed/buffer.c
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 #include "buffer.h"
+
 #include "line-ed.h"
 
-const char *line_start(struct line_ed *ed, size_t y)
+#include <fx/cstr.h>
+
+const fx_wchar *line_start(struct line_ed *ed, size_t y)
 {
-	const char *line = ed->l_buf;
+	const fx_wchar *line = ed->l_buf;
 
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < y; i++) {
-		line += strcspn(line, "\n");
+		line += fx_wstrcspn(line, L"\n");
 
 		if (*line == '\n') {
 			line++;
@@ -18,10 +21,10 @@ const char *line_start(struct line_ed *ed, size_t y)
 
 size_t line_length(struct line_ed *ed, size_t y)
 {
-	const char *line = ed->l_buf;
+	const fx_wchar *line = ed->l_buf;
 
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < y; i++) {
-		line += strcspn(line, "\n");
+		line += fx_wstrcspn(line, L"\n");
 		if (*line == '\n') {
 			line++;
 		}
@@ -31,7 +34,7 @@ size_t line_length(struct line_ed *ed, size_t y)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	size_t len = strcspn(line, "\n");
+	size_t len = fx_wstrcspn(line, L"\n");
 	if (line[len] == '\n') {
 		len++;
 	}
diff --git a/bshell/line-ed/buffer.h b/bshell/line-ed/buffer.h
index d70956e..a77af4c 100644
--- a/bshell/line-ed/buffer.h
+++ b/bshell/line-ed/buffer.h
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 #ifndef LINE_ED_BUFFER_H_
 #define LINE_ED_BUFFER_H_
 
+#include <fx/encoding.h>
 #include <stddef.h>
 
 struct line_ed;
 
 /* returns a pointer to the start of the line based on the given `y`
  * coordinate */
-extern const char *line_start(struct line_ed *ed, size_t y);
+extern const fx_wchar *line_start(struct line_ed *ed, size_t y);
 /* returns the length of the line based on the given `y` coordinate.
  * for any line other than the last line in the buffer, this length
  * INCLUDES the trailing linefeed. */
diff --git a/bshell/line-ed/history.c b/bshell/line-ed/history.c
index 5caa728..eba4660 100644
--- a/bshell/line-ed/history.c
+++ b/bshell/line-ed/history.c
@@ -19,29 +19,39 @@ void alloc_empty_history_entry(struct line_ed *ed)
 
 void save_buf_to_history(struct line_ed *ed)
 {
-	fx_string *cur
-		= (fx_string *)fx_array_get(ed->l_history, ed->l_history_pos);
-	fx_string_replace_all(cur, ed->l_buf);
+	fx_string *cur = (fx_string *)fx_array_get(
+		ed->l_history,
+		ed->l_history_pos);
+	fx_string_clear(cur);
+	fx_string_append_wstr(cur, ed->l_buf);
 }
 
 void append_buf_to_history(struct line_ed *ed)
 {
-	fx_string *cur
-		= (fx_string *)fx_array_get(ed->l_history, ed->l_history_pos);
+	fx_string *cur = (fx_string *)fx_array_get(
+		ed->l_history,
+		ed->l_history_pos);
 	char s[] = {'\n', 0};
 	fx_string_append_cstr(cur, s);
-	fx_string_append_cstr(cur, ed->l_buf);
+	fx_string_append_wstr(cur, ed->l_buf);
 }
 
 void load_buf_from_history(struct line_ed *ed)
 {
-	fx_string *cur
-		= (fx_string *)fx_array_at(ed->l_history, ed->l_history_pos);
-	size_t len
-		= MIN((size_t)(ed->l_buf_end - ed->l_buf - 1),
-	              fx_string_get_size(cur, FX_STRLEN_NORMAL));
+	fx_string *cur = (fx_string *)fx_array_at(
+		ed->l_history,
+		ed->l_history_pos);
+	size_t len = MIN(
+		(size_t)(ed->l_buf_end - ed->l_buf - 1),
+		fx_string_get_size(cur, FX_STRLEN_CODEPOINTS));
+
+	const char *src = fx_string_get_cstr(cur);
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < len; i++) {
+		fx_wchar ch_src = fx_wchar_utf8_codepoint_decode(src);
+		ed->l_buf[i] = ch_src;
+		src += fx_wchar_utf8_codepoint_stride(src);
+	}
 
-	memcpy(ed->l_buf, fx_string_get_cstr(cur), len);
 	ed->l_buf[len] = '\0';
 
 	unsigned int x = 0, y = 0;
diff --git a/bshell/line-ed/input.c b/bshell/line-ed/input.c
index 5dbae94..70b0f8d 100644
--- a/bshell/line-ed/input.c
+++ b/bshell/line-ed/input.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 
-void put_char(struct line_ed *ed, char c)
+void put_char(struct line_ed *ed, fx_wchar c)
 {
 	if (ed->l_buf_ptr > ed->l_line_end + 1) {
 		return;
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ void put_char(struct line_ed *ed, char c)
 
 	size_t prev_cursor = ed->l_buf_ptr - ed->l_buf;
 
-	char *dest = ed->l_buf_ptr;
-	size_t len = ed->l_line_end - ed->l_buf_ptr + 1;
+	fx_wchar *dest = ed->l_buf_ptr;
+	size_t len = (ed->l_line_end - ed->l_buf_ptr + 1) * sizeof *dest;
 
 	if (dest < ed->l_line_end) {
 		memmove(dest + 1, dest, len);
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ static void backspace_simple(struct line_ed *ed)
 
 	size_t prev_cursor = ed->l_buf_ptr - ed->l_buf;
 
-	char *dest = ed->l_buf_ptr;
-	size_t len = ed->l_line_end - ed->l_buf_ptr + 1;
+	fx_wchar *dest = ed->l_buf_ptr;
+	size_t len = (ed->l_line_end - ed->l_buf_ptr + 1) * sizeof *dest;
 	memmove(dest - 1, dest, len);
 
 	ed->l_cursor_x--;
@@ -78,8 +78,8 @@ static void backspace_nl(struct line_ed *ed)
 		.r_prev_line_len = prev_line_len,
 	};
 
-	char *dest = ed->l_buf_ptr;
-	size_t len = ed->l_line_end - ed->l_buf_ptr + 1;
+	fx_wchar *dest = ed->l_buf_ptr;
+	size_t len = (ed->l_line_end - ed->l_buf_ptr + 1) * sizeof *dest;
 	memmove(dest - 1, dest, len);
 
 	ed->l_cursor_x = prev_line_len - 1;
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ void backspace(struct line_ed *ed)
 void cursor_left(struct line_ed *ed)
 {
 	if (ed->l_cursor_x != 0) {
-		//fputs("\010", stdout);
+		// fputs("\010", stdout);
 		fx_tty_move_cursor_x(ed->l_tty, FX_TTY_POS_CURSOR, -1);
 		fflush(stdout);
 		ed->l_cursor_x--;
@@ -120,7 +120,8 @@ void cursor_left(struct line_ed *ed)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (ed->l_cursor_y <= ed->l_continuations || ed->l_buf_ptr <= ed->l_buf) {
+	if (ed->l_cursor_y <= ed->l_continuations
+	    || ed->l_buf_ptr <= ed->l_buf) {
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -134,9 +135,12 @@ void cursor_left(struct line_ed *ed)
 	size_t len = line_length(ed, ed->l_cursor_y);
 	ed->l_cursor_x = len - 1;
 
-	//printf("\033[A\033[%dG", len + prompt_len);
+	// printf("\033[A\033[%dG", len + prompt_len);
 	fx_tty_move_cursor_y(ed->l_tty, FX_TTY_POS_CURSOR, -1);
-	fx_tty_move_cursor_x(ed->l_tty, FX_TTY_POS_START, (int)(len + prompt_len));
+	fx_tty_move_cursor_x(
+		ed->l_tty,
+		FX_TTY_POS_START,
+		(int)(len + prompt_len));
 
 	fflush(stdout);
 }
@@ -150,7 +154,7 @@ void cursor_right(struct line_ed *ed)
 	if (*ed->l_buf_ptr != '\n') {
 		ed->l_cursor_x++;
 		ed->l_buf_ptr++;
-		//fputs("\033[C", stdout);
+		// fputs("\033[C", stdout);
 		fx_tty_move_cursor_x(ed->l_tty, FX_TTY_POS_CURSOR, 1);
 		fflush(stdout);
 		return;
@@ -164,7 +168,7 @@ void cursor_right(struct line_ed *ed)
 	ed->l_cursor_x = 0;
 	ed->l_buf_ptr++;
 
-	//printf("\033[B\033[G");
+	// printf("\033[B\033[G");
 	fx_tty_move_cursor_y(ed->l_tty, FX_TTY_POS_CURSOR, 1);
 	fx_tty_move_cursor_x(ed->l_tty, FX_TTY_POS_START, 0);
 	fflush(stdout);
@@ -177,13 +181,18 @@ void arrow_up(struct line_ed *ed)
 	}
 
 	if (ed->l_cursor_y > 0) {
-		//printf("\033[%uA", ed->l_cursor_y);
-		fx_tty_move_cursor_y(ed->l_tty, FX_TTY_POS_CURSOR, (long long)ed->l_cursor_y);
+		// printf("\033[%uA", ed->l_cursor_y);
+		fx_tty_move_cursor_y(
+			ed->l_tty,
+			FX_TTY_POS_CURSOR,
+			(long long)ed->l_cursor_y);
 	}
 
-	//printf("\033[%zuG\033[J", prompt_length(ed, PROMPT_MAIN) + 1);
+	// printf("\033[%zuG\033[J", prompt_length(ed, PROMPT_MAIN) + 1);
 	fx_tty_move_cursor_x(
-		ed->l_tty, FX_TTY_POS_START, (long long)prompt_length(ed, PROMPT_MAIN));
+		ed->l_tty,
+		FX_TTY_POS_START,
+		(long long)prompt_length(ed, PROMPT_MAIN));
 	fx_tty_clear(ed->l_tty, FX_TTY_CLEAR_SCREEN | FX_TTY_CLEAR_FROM_CURSOR);
 
 	save_buf_to_history(ed);
@@ -201,13 +210,18 @@ void arrow_down(struct line_ed *ed)
 	}
 
 	if (ed->l_cursor_y > 0) {
-		//printf("\033[%uA", ed->l_cursor_y);
-		fx_tty_move_cursor_y(ed->l_tty, FX_TTY_POS_CURSOR, (int)ed->l_cursor_y);
+		// printf("\033[%uA", ed->l_cursor_y);
+		fx_tty_move_cursor_y(
+			ed->l_tty,
+			FX_TTY_POS_CURSOR,
+			(int)ed->l_cursor_y);
 	}
 
-	//printf("\033[%zuG\033[J", prompt_length(ed, PROMPT_MAIN) + 1);
+	// printf("\033[%zuG\033[J", prompt_length(ed, PROMPT_MAIN) + 1);
 	fx_tty_move_cursor_x(
-		ed->l_tty, FX_TTY_POS_START, prompt_length(ed, PROMPT_MAIN) + 1);
+		ed->l_tty,
+		FX_TTY_POS_START,
+		prompt_length(ed, PROMPT_MAIN) + 1);
 
 	save_buf_to_history(ed);
 	ed->l_history_pos++;
diff --git a/bshell/line-ed/input.h b/bshell/line-ed/input.h
index bbecf93..26b8255 100644
--- a/bshell/line-ed/input.h
+++ b/bshell/line-ed/input.h
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 #ifndef LINE_ED_INPUT_H_
 #define LINE_ED_INPUT_H_
 
+#include <fx/encoding.h>
+
 struct line_ed;
 
-extern void put_char(struct line_ed *ed, char c);
+extern void put_char(struct line_ed *ed, fx_wchar c);
 extern void backspace(struct line_ed *ed);
 extern void cursor_left(struct line_ed *ed);
 extern void cursor_right(struct line_ed *ed);
diff --git a/bshell/line-ed/line-ed.c b/bshell/line-ed/line-ed.c
index 2bf09a1..6d0d5de 100644
--- a/bshell/line-ed/line-ed.c
+++ b/bshell/line-ed/line-ed.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include "prompt.h"
 
 #include <ctype.h>
+#include <fx/cstr.h>
 #include <fx/term/tty.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -98,13 +99,13 @@ static void clear_buffer(struct line_ed *ed)
 	ed->l_continuations = 0;
 }
 
-static void convert_continuation_feeds(char *s, size_t max)
+static void convert_continuation_feeds(fx_wchar *s, size_t max)
 {
-	char *end = s + max;
-	size_t len = strlen(s);
+	fx_wchar *end = s + max;
+	size_t len = fx_wstrlen(s);
 
 	while (1) {
-		size_t r = strcspn(s, "\\");
+		size_t r = fx_wstrcspn(s, L"\\");
 		if (s + r > end) {
 			break;
 		}
@@ -126,13 +127,13 @@ static void convert_continuation_feeds(char *s, size_t max)
 	}
 }
 
-static void remove_continuation_feeds(char *s, size_t max)
+static void remove_continuation_feeds(fx_wchar *s, size_t max)
 {
-	char *end = s + max;
-	size_t len = strlen(s);
+	fx_wchar *end = s + max;
+	size_t len = fx_wstrlen(s);
 
 	while (1) {
-		size_t r = strcspn(s, "\\");
+		size_t r = fx_wstrcspn(s, L"\\");
 		if (s + r > end) {
 			break;
 		}
@@ -156,9 +157,9 @@ static void remove_continuation_feeds(char *s, size_t max)
 
 static bool input_is_empty(struct line_ed *ed)
 {
-	const char *p = ed->l_buf;
+	const fx_wchar *p = ed->l_buf;
 	while (p < ed->l_line_end) {
-		if (!isspace(*p)) {
+		if (!fx_wchar_is_space(*p)) {
 			return false;
 		}
 	}
@@ -188,7 +189,7 @@ size_t line_ed_readline(struct line_ed *ed, fx_stringstream *out)
 			fputc('\r', stdout);
 		}
 
-		fputc(ed->l_buf[i], stdout);
+		fx_stream_write_char(fx_stdout, ed->l_buf[i]);
 	}
 	fflush(stdout);
 
@@ -257,7 +258,7 @@ size_t line_ed_readline(struct line_ed *ed, fx_stringstream *out)
 			arrow_down(ed);
 			break;
 		default:
-			if (iswgraph(key) || key == ' ') {
+			if (fx_wchar_is_graph(key) || key == ' ') {
 				put_char(ed, key);
 			}
 			break;
@@ -278,7 +279,7 @@ size_t line_ed_readline(struct line_ed *ed, fx_stringstream *out)
 		ed->l_history_pos = fx_array_size(ed->l_history) - 1;
 
 		const char *last = last_history_line(ed);
-		if (!last || strcmp(last, ed->l_buf) != 0) {
+		if (!last || fx_wastrcmp(last, ed->l_buf) != 0) {
 			save_buf_to_history(ed);
 		}
 	}
@@ -294,7 +295,7 @@ size_t line_ed_readline(struct line_ed *ed, fx_stringstream *out)
 		convert_continuation_feeds(ed->l_buf, sz);
 	}
 
-	fx_stream_write_cstr(out, ed->l_buf, NULL);
+	fx_stream_write_wstr(out, ed->l_buf, NULL);
 	fx_stream_write_char(out, '\n');
 
 	return sz;
diff --git a/bshell/line-ed/line-ed.h b/bshell/line-ed/line-ed.h
index f681a1b..68daeb1 100644
--- a/bshell/line-ed/line-ed.h
+++ b/bshell/line-ed/line-ed.h
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@ struct line_ed {
 	/* input buffer, pointer to the buffer cell that corresponds to
 	 * the current cursor position, and pointer to the byte AFTER the last
 	 * usable byte in the buffer */
-	char *l_buf, *l_buf_ptr, *l_buf_end;
+	fx_wchar *l_buf, *l_buf_ptr, *l_buf_end;
 	/* pointer to the byte AFTER the last byte of the user's input */
-	char *l_line_end;
+	fx_wchar *l_line_end;
 	/* 2-dimensional coordinates of the current cursor position.
 	 * this does NOT include any prompts that are visible on the terminal */
 	size_t l_cursor_x, l_cursor_y;
diff --git a/bshell/line-ed/refresh.c b/bshell/line-ed/refresh.c
index 7167e28..a455963 100644
--- a/bshell/line-ed/refresh.c
+++ b/bshell/line-ed/refresh.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "cursor.h"
 #include "line-ed.h"
 
+#include <fx/cstr.h>
 #include <fx/term/tty.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -15,19 +16,19 @@
  * the (x, y) coordinates provided should be the data coordinates of the
  * first character in `s`.
  */
-void print_text(struct line_ed *ed, size_t x, size_t y, const char *s)
+void print_text(struct line_ed *ed, size_t x, size_t y, const fx_wchar *s)
 {
 	fx_tty *tty = ed->l_tty;
 
 	for (size_t i = 0; s[i] != '\n' && s[i] != '\0'; i++) {
-		fputc(s[i], stdout);
+		fx_stream_write_char(fx_stdout, s[i]);
 	}
 }
 
 void print_buffer(struct line_ed *ed)
 {
-	const char *line_buf = ed->l_buf;
-	size_t line_len = strcspn(line_buf, "\n");
+	const fx_wchar *line_buf = ed->l_buf;
+	size_t line_len = fx_wstrcspn(line_buf, L"\n");
 
 	unsigned int y = 0;
 
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ void print_buffer(struct line_ed *ed)
 		}
 
 		y++;
-		line_len = strcspn(line_buf, "\n");
+		line_len = fx_wstrcspn(line_buf, L"\n");
 
 		fputc('\r', stdout);
 		fputc('\n', stdout);
@@ -74,8 +75,8 @@ void print_buffer(struct line_ed *ed)
 void put_refresh(struct line_ed *ed, struct refresh_state *state)
 {
 	/* get the data for the line that is being refreshed */
-	const char *line_buf = line_start(ed, ed->l_cursor_y);
-	size_t line_len = strcspn(line_buf, "\n");
+	const fx_wchar *line_buf = line_start(ed, ed->l_cursor_y);
+	size_t line_len = fx_wstrcspn(line_buf, L"\n");
 
 	/* the index of the first char in line_buf that needs to be reprinted */
 	size_t start_x = state->r_prev_cursor_x;
@@ -128,8 +129,8 @@ void backspace_nl_refresh(struct line_ed *ed, struct refresh_state *state)
 	/* get the data for the line that is being refreshed.
 	 * relative to where the cursor was before the linefeed was deleted,
 	 * this is the PREVIOUS line. */
-	const char *line_buf = line_start(ed, ed->l_cursor_y);
-	size_t line_len = strcspn(line_buf, "\n");
+	const fx_wchar *line_buf = line_start(ed, ed->l_cursor_y);
+	size_t line_len = fx_wstrcspn(line_buf, L"\n");
 
 	/* the index of the first char in line_buf that needs to be reprinted.
 	 * subtract one to account for the linefeed that has since been deleted.
@@ -188,7 +189,7 @@ void backspace_nl_refresh(struct line_ed *ed, struct refresh_state *state)
 			line_buf + start_x);
 
 		line_buf += line_len + 1;
-		line_len = strcspn(line_buf, "\n");
+		line_len = fx_wstrcspn(line_buf, L"\n");
 		start_x = 0;
 
 		if (*line_buf == '\0') {
@@ -218,8 +219,8 @@ void backspace_nl_refresh(struct line_ed *ed, struct refresh_state *state)
 void backspace_simple_refresh(struct line_ed *ed, struct refresh_state *state)
 {
 	/* get the data for the line that is being refreshed */
-	const char *line_buf = line_start(ed, ed->l_cursor_y);
-	size_t line_len = strcspn(line_buf, "\n");
+	const fx_wchar *line_buf = line_start(ed, ed->l_cursor_y);
+	size_t line_len = fx_wstrcspn(line_buf, L"\n");
 
 	/* the index of the first char in line_buf that needs to be reprinted */
 	size_t start_x = ed->l_cursor_x;
diff --git a/bshell/line-ed/refresh.h b/bshell/line-ed/refresh.h
index 94ee3e5..df380c5 100644
--- a/bshell/line-ed/refresh.h
+++ b/bshell/line-ed/refresh.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef LINE_ED_REFRESH_H_
 #define LINE_ED_REFRESH_H_
 
+#include <fx/encoding.h>
 #include <stddef.h>
 
 struct line_ed;
@@ -15,7 +16,11 @@ struct refresh_state {
 	size_t r_prev_line_len;
 };
 
-extern void print_text(struct line_ed *ed, size_t x, size_t y, const char *s);
+extern void print_text(
+	struct line_ed *ed,
+	size_t x,
+	size_t y,
+	const fx_wchar *s);
 extern void print_buffer(struct line_ed *ed);
 extern void put_refresh(struct line_ed *ed, struct refresh_state *state);
 extern void backspace_nl_refresh(