diff --git a/crates/beer-protocols/src/graphics.rs b/crates/beer-protocols/src/graphics.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5696615
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/beer-protocols/src/graphics.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,336 @@
+//! The kitty terminal graphics protocol: parsing the control data of a graphics
+//! command.
+//!
+//! A graphics command arrives as an Application Programming Command (APC):
+//! `ESC _ G <control data> ; <payload> ESC \`. The control data is a
+//! comma-separated list of `key=value` pairs; the payload is base64-encoded
+//! binary. This module turns the control data into a typed [`GraphicsCommand`].
+//! Capturing the APC from the byte stream, accumulating the payload across
+//! chunks, decoding pixels, and storing/displaying images all live in the
+//! terminal (`vte` does not surface APC, and those steps need terminal state);
+//! this module is the pure, testable parse step.
+//!
+//! Several keys are overloaded by action: `x/y/w/h` are a source rectangle when
+//! displaying but a destination rectangle for animation frames; `X/Y/z/c/r`
+//! likewise change meaning between display, frame transmission, and frame
+//! composition. The parser stores the raw value under one field and the engine
+//! interprets it by [`Action`]; the field docs note each reuse.
+
+/// The overall action of a graphics command (`a` key).
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Debug, Default)]
+pub enum Action {
+    /// `a=t`: transmit image data and store it.
+    #[default]
+    Transmit,
+    /// `a=T`: transmit and immediately display.
+    TransmitAndDisplay,
+    /// `a=q`: query support; load but neither store nor display.
+    Query,
+    /// `a=p`: display (put) an already-transmitted image.
+    Put,
+    /// `a=d`: delete images/placements.
+    Delete,
+    /// `a=f`: transmit animation frame data.
+    Frame,
+    /// `a=a`: control animation playback.
+    Animate,
+    /// `a=c`: compose animation frames.
+    Compose,
+}
+
+/// Pixel format of transmitted data (`f` key).
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Debug, Default)]
+pub enum Format {
+    /// `f=24`: 24-bit RGB, three bytes per pixel.
+    Rgb,
+    /// `f=32` (default): 32-bit RGBA, four bytes per pixel.
+    #[default]
+    Rgba,
+    /// `f=100`: a PNG image; dimensions are read from the data.
+    Png,
+}
+
+/// How the pixel data reaches the terminal (`t` key).
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Debug, Default)]
+pub enum Medium {
+    /// `t=d` (default): inline in the escape code payload, base64, chunked.
+    #[default]
+    Direct,
+    /// `t=f`: a regular file at the path given in the payload.
+    File,
+    /// `t=t`: a temporary file the terminal deletes after reading.
+    TempFile,
+    /// `t=s`: a POSIX shared-memory object, unlinked after reading.
+    SharedMemory,
+}
+
+/// Parsed control data of one graphics command. Every field's protocol default
+/// is its type's default (zero, `false`, or the `#[default]` enum variant), so
+/// an absent key simply leaves the default in place.
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Debug, Default)]
+pub struct GraphicsCommand {
+    /// `a`: the action.
+    pub action: Action,
+    /// `q`: response suppression (0 = all, 1 = errors only off too, 2 = quiet).
+    pub quiet: u8,
+    /// `f`: transmitted pixel format.
+    pub format: Format,
+    /// `t`: transmission medium.
+    pub medium: Medium,
+    /// `s`: image width in pixels (RGB/RGBA), or a frame source-rect width.
+    pub width: u32,
+    /// `v`: image height in pixels (RGB/RGBA), or a frame source-rect height.
+    pub height: u32,
+    /// `S`: number of bytes to read from a file/shared-memory object.
+    pub read_size: u32,
+    /// `O`: byte offset to start reading a file/shared-memory object from.
+    pub read_offset: u32,
+    /// `i`: image id (1..=u32::MAX; 0 means unset).
+    pub id: u32,
+    /// `I`: image number, an alternative client-side handle.
+    pub number: u32,
+    /// `p`: placement id.
+    pub placement: u32,
+    /// `o`: whether the payload is zlib-compressed (`o=z`).
+    pub compressed: bool,
+    /// `m`: whether more chunks follow (`m=1`); the last chunk has `m=0`.
+    pub more: bool,
+    /// `x`: source-rect left (display) or frame destination left, in pixels.
+    pub x: u32,
+    /// `y`: source-rect top (display) or frame destination top, in pixels.
+    pub y: u32,
+    /// `w`: source-rect width (display) or frame destination width, in pixels.
+    pub w: u32,
+    /// `h`: source-rect height (display) or frame destination height, in pixels.
+    pub h: u32,
+    /// `c`: columns to display in, or (compose) the overlaid frame number, or
+    /// (frame transmit) the base frame number.
+    pub c: u32,
+    /// `r`: rows to display in, or the frame number being edited.
+    pub r: u32,
+    /// `X`: cell x pixel offset (display) or composition mode (frame: 1 =
+    /// overwrite, else alpha blend).
+    pub cap_x: u32,
+    /// `Y`: cell y pixel offset (display) or background RGBA (frame).
+    pub cap_y: u32,
+    /// `z`: z-index / vertical stacking order (display) or frame gap in ms.
+    pub z: i32,
+    /// `C`: cursor-movement policy on display (`C=1` leaves the cursor put).
+    pub cursor_policy: u8,
+    /// `U`: create a virtual placement for a Unicode placeholder (`U=1`).
+    pub virtual_placement: bool,
+    /// `P`: parent image id for a relative placement.
+    pub parent_id: u32,
+    /// `Q`: parent placement id for a relative placement.
+    pub parent_placement: u32,
+    /// `H`: relative-placement horizontal cell offset (signed).
+    pub rel_h: i32,
+    /// `V`: relative-placement vertical cell offset (signed).
+    pub rel_v: i32,
+    /// `d`: delete target, the raw key char (0 when absent). Uppercase variants
+    /// also free the stored image data; the engine reads the case.
+    pub delete: u8,
+}
+
+impl GraphicsCommand {
+    /// Whether a `d`-key delete frees the stored image data (uppercase variant).
+    pub fn delete_frees_data(&self) -> bool {
+        self.delete.is_ascii_uppercase()
+    }
+}
+
+/// Parse the control-data field of a graphics command (everything between
+/// `ESC _ G` and the `;` that precedes the payload). Unknown keys and malformed
+/// pairs are ignored; an empty field yields the default command.
+pub fn parse(control: &[u8]) -> GraphicsCommand {
+    let mut cmd = GraphicsCommand::default();
+    for pair in control.split(|&b| b == b',') {
+        let Some(eq) = pair.iter().position(|&b| b == b'=') else {
+            continue;
+        };
+        let (key, value) = (pair.get(..eq).unwrap_or(&[]), &pair[eq + 1..]);
+        let [key] = key else { continue };
+        let ch = value.first().copied();
+        match key {
+            b'a' => {
+                cmd.action = match ch {
+                    Some(b'T') => Action::TransmitAndDisplay,
+                    Some(b'q') => Action::Query,
+                    Some(b'p') => Action::Put,
+                    Some(b'd') => Action::Delete,
+                    Some(b'f') => Action::Frame,
+                    Some(b'a') => Action::Animate,
+                    Some(b'c') => Action::Compose,
+                    _ => Action::Transmit,
+                }
+            }
+            b'f' => {
+                cmd.format = match parse_u32(value) {
+                    Some(24) => Format::Rgb,
+                    Some(100) => Format::Png,
+                    _ => Format::Rgba,
+                }
+            }
+            b't' => {
+                cmd.medium = match ch {
+                    Some(b'f') => Medium::File,
+                    Some(b't') => Medium::TempFile,
+                    Some(b's') => Medium::SharedMemory,
+                    _ => Medium::Direct,
+                }
+            }
+            b'o' => cmd.compressed = ch == Some(b'z'),
+            b'm' => cmd.more = parse_u32(value) == Some(1),
+            b'q' => set_u8(&mut cmd.quiet, value),
+            b'C' => set_u8(&mut cmd.cursor_policy, value),
+            b'U' => cmd.virtual_placement = parse_u32(value) == Some(1),
+            b'd' => cmd.delete = ch.unwrap_or(0),
+            b's' => set_u32(&mut cmd.width, value),
+            b'v' => set_u32(&mut cmd.height, value),
+            b'S' => set_u32(&mut cmd.read_size, value),
+            b'O' => set_u32(&mut cmd.read_offset, value),
+            b'i' => set_u32(&mut cmd.id, value),
+            b'I' => set_u32(&mut cmd.number, value),
+            b'p' => set_u32(&mut cmd.placement, value),
+            b'x' => set_u32(&mut cmd.x, value),
+            b'y' => set_u32(&mut cmd.y, value),
+            b'w' => set_u32(&mut cmd.w, value),
+            b'h' => set_u32(&mut cmd.h, value),
+            b'c' => set_u32(&mut cmd.c, value),
+            b'r' => set_u32(&mut cmd.r, value),
+            b'X' => set_u32(&mut cmd.cap_x, value),
+            b'Y' => set_u32(&mut cmd.cap_y, value),
+            b'P' => set_u32(&mut cmd.parent_id, value),
+            b'Q' => set_u32(&mut cmd.parent_placement, value),
+            b'z' => set_i32(&mut cmd.z, value),
+            b'H' => set_i32(&mut cmd.rel_h, value),
+            b'V' => set_i32(&mut cmd.rel_v, value),
+            _ => {}
+        }
+    }
+    cmd
+}
+
+fn set_u32(slot: &mut u32, value: &[u8]) {
+    if let Some(v) = parse_u32(value) {
+        *slot = v;
+    }
+}
+
+fn set_u8(slot: &mut u8, value: &[u8]) {
+    if let Some(v) = parse_u32(value) {
+        *slot = v.min(u8::MAX as u32) as u8;
+    }
+}
+
+fn set_i32(slot: &mut i32, value: &[u8]) {
+    if let Some(v) = parse_i32(value) {
+        *slot = v;
+    }
+}
+
+/// Parse ASCII digits into a `u32`, saturating. `None` if empty or non-digit.
+fn parse_u32(bytes: &[u8]) -> Option<u32> {
+    if bytes.is_empty() {
+        return None;
+    }
+    let mut acc: u32 = 0;
+    for &b in bytes {
+        let d = b.checked_sub(b'0').filter(|&d| d < 10)?;
+        acc = acc.saturating_mul(10).saturating_add(d as u32);
+    }
+    Some(acc)
+}
+
+/// Parse an optionally-signed decimal into an `i32`, saturating.
+fn parse_i32(bytes: &[u8]) -> Option<i32> {
+    let (neg, digits) = match bytes.split_first() {
+        Some((b'-', rest)) => (true, rest),
+        _ => (false, bytes),
+    };
+    let mag = parse_u32(digits)?;
+    Some(if neg {
+        -(mag.min(i32::MAX as u32 + 1) as i64) as i32
+    } else {
+        mag.min(i32::MAX as u32) as i32
+    })
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn empty_is_default_transmit() {
+        let c = parse(b"");
+        assert_eq!(c, GraphicsCommand::default());
+        assert_eq!(c.action, Action::Transmit);
+        assert_eq!(c.format, Format::Rgba);
+        assert_eq!(c.medium, Medium::Direct);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn transmit_and_display_rgb_with_dimensions() {
+        let c = parse(b"a=T,f=24,s=10,v=20,i=3");
+        assert_eq!(c.action, Action::TransmitAndDisplay);
+        assert_eq!(c.format, Format::Rgb);
+        assert_eq!((c.width, c.height), (10, 20));
+        assert_eq!(c.id, 3);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn chunked_direct_transmission_flags() {
+        let first = parse(b"a=t,f=100,m=1");
+        assert!(first.more);
+        assert_eq!(first.format, Format::Png);
+        let last = parse(b"m=0");
+        assert!(!last.more);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn file_medium_with_size_and_offset() {
+        let c = parse(b"t=t,S=4096,O=128,i=7");
+        assert_eq!(c.medium, Medium::TempFile);
+        assert_eq!((c.read_size, c.read_offset), (4096, 128));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn compression_flag() {
+        assert!(parse(b"o=z").compressed);
+        assert!(!parse(b"o=0").compressed);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn display_layout_keys_and_negative_z() {
+        let c = parse(b"a=p,c=4,r=2,X=3,Y=5,z=-1,C=1");
+        assert_eq!(c.action, Action::Put);
+        assert_eq!((c.c, c.r), (4, 2));
+        assert_eq!((c.cap_x, c.cap_y), (3, 5));
+        assert_eq!(c.z, -1);
+        assert_eq!(c.cursor_policy, 1);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn delete_case_controls_freeing() {
+        let keep = parse(b"a=d,d=i,i=9");
+        assert_eq!(keep.delete, b'i');
+        assert!(!keep.delete_frees_data());
+        let free = parse(b"a=d,d=I,i=9");
+        assert!(free.delete_frees_data());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn relative_placement_and_placeholder() {
+        let c = parse(b"a=p,U=1,P=2,Q=3,H=-4,V=5");
+        assert!(c.virtual_placement);
+        assert_eq!((c.parent_id, c.parent_placement), (2, 3));
+        assert_eq!((c.rel_h, c.rel_v), (-4, 5));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn unknown_and_malformed_keys_ignored() {
+        let c = parse(b"a=t,zz=9,bad,=5,s=8");
+        assert_eq!(c.action, Action::Transmit);
+        assert_eq!(c.width, 8);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/beer-protocols/src/lib.rs b/crates/beer-protocols/src/lib.rs
index d5428a0..fbbd1e0 100644
--- a/crates/beer-protocols/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/beer-protocols/src/lib.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 //!
 //! - [`codec`] - base64 (OSC 52 clipboard), hex (XTGETTCAP), and `file://` URI
 //!   percent-decoding (OSC 7).
+//! - [`graphics`] - the kitty graphics protocol APC control-data parse.
 //! - [`caps`] - the terminfo capabilities answered over XTGETTCAP.
 //! - [`charset`] - G0/G1 designation and DEC special-graphics line drawing.
 //! - [`sgr`] - the multi-parameter SGR colour and underline forms.
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@
 pub mod caps;
 pub mod charset;
 pub mod codec;
+pub mod graphics;
 pub mod key;
 pub mod mouse;
 pub mod sgr;