The command-line environment on macOS is experiencing a renaissance in 2024–2025. Beyond the built-in Terminal.app, a wave of modern terminal emulators and related tools are vying for attention – especially among developers, DevOps engineers, and power users often dubbed the “cool kids.” This report explores the coolest terminal/emulator tools for macOS in 2024–2025 and compares them, including how they stack up against resource monitoring tools like btop. We’ll survey which terminal emulators and CLI tools are gaining traction, delve into each tool’s features and differentiators, discuss what makes them trendy, and consider their target users and platform support. We’ll also examine strengths and trade-offs (performance, resource usage, complexity, cost, etc.), and where a tool like btop fits in. Finally, we present case studies of a few trend-setting terminals, and give recommendations for Mac power-users choosing a terminal setup in 2025 – including when to augment a terminal with a monitoring tool rather than expecting one tool to do it all.
The landscape of macOS terminal emulators in 2024–2025 is rich and evolving. For years iTerm2 has been the go-to advanced Terminal replacement on Mac, but a number of modern alternatives have emerged and are rapidly gaining popularity. Notably, many new terminals emphasize GPU-accelerated rendering (for speed and smoothness), cross-platform support, and even AI-enhanced features or collaboration:
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GPU acceleration & performance: Terminals like WezTerm, kitty, Alacritty, Warp, and the new Ghostty all offload text rendering to the GPU for high throughput and low latency drawing[1][2]. This matters when dealing with fast-scrolling logs or large outputs – scenarios where older CPU-bound terminals can choke. Even iTerm2 introduced an optional Metal-based GPU renderer in recent versions (off by default) to catch up on performance[3][4].
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Rich features & modern UIs: The “cool factor” in 2024–25 comes from features like split panes, tabs, image previews in-terminal, collaborative sharing, AI integration, and workflow automation. For example, Warp offers cloud-powered AI command suggestions and a modern rich-text interface with sharable command output blocks[5][6]. WezTerm integrates a built-in multiplexer (like a modern tmux) and is deeply configurable via Lua scripting[7][8]. Kitty and Ghostty support the Kitty Graphics Protocol allowing terminal UIs to display images (useful for media previews, inline plots, etc.)[9][10].
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Collaboration and cloud workflows: A distinguishing trend is collaboration within the terminal. Warp, in particular, positions itself as a “cloud-native” terminal – enabling users to share command outputs via links, use team-wide command histories or settings, and even integrate multi-user sessions. This is a departure from the strictly local, single-user focus of traditional terminals[6]. Other tools remain more traditional in this regard (most do not require accounts or cloud connectivity), appealing to users who prefer local control.
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Aesthetics and “cool kid” appeal: Terminal emulators have become a part of developer identity and workflow aesthetics. Tools like Warp and Hyper sport slick UIs and blur effects, while Ghostty prides itself on a native macOS look and feel (e.g. utilizing native titlebars, transparency) and sensible defaults out-of-the-box[11]. Many “cool” terminals also ship with theme support (e.g. Ghostty includes hundreds of color themes[12]) and encourage customizing prompts (often with popular frameworks like Oh My Zsh or Starship) to create an eye-catching command-line setup. Sharing screenshots of a beautifully themed terminal with a monitoring dashboard (like btop or neofetch) is a form of nerd cred on social media.
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Target user segments: The new crop of terminals tends to bifurcate between power-user oriented (highly configurable, lots of features, sometimes at the cost of complexity) and streamlined or newcomer-friendly (opinionated defaults, assisting the user with AI or GUI elements). For instance, iTerm2 and WezTerm cater to power users who customize and integrate with tools like tmux, while Warp is aiming to on-board even junior developers with helpful AI and a polished experience. There are also niche terminals for specific use cases (e.g. legacy protocol support, or file-management integration), which appeal to smaller “cool kid” sub-groups (like retro-computing enthusiasts or sysadmin old-timers).
In summary, the market in 2025 features a mix of stalwart terminals and innovative newcomers. MacOS users are spoiled for choice, and many are experimenting: some switching from iTerm2 to WezTerm or Warp for new features, others trying out Ghostty for performance, or sticking with minimalist Alacritty for its speed. Below, we profile each notable tool, then compare them in depth and relative to a pure monitoring tool like btop.
In this section, we profile each tool from the list: providing its status (open-source vs proprietary), platform support, release activity, key features, what makes it “cool” in 2024–25, target users, and trade-offs such as resource usage or complexity. This includes not only terminal emulators but also related apps (like SSH clients or file managers with terminal features) and the resource monitor btop for comparison.
Website: iterm2.com – Status: Free and open-source (GPL). Active development, though slower in recent years; latest stable 3.x releases support macOS 10.14+ and Apple Silicon.
Key Features: iTerm2 has been the powerhouse terminal for macOS for over a decade. It introduced features like split panes, tabs, extensive preferences UI, profiles, search, autocomplete, triggers, and tmux integration long before others. It’s known for deep customization – from key mappings to appearance – and a robust set of integrations. Uniquely, iTerm2 can function as a front-end for tmux: its “tmux -CC” integration maps tmux windows/panes to native iTerm2 GUI tabs and splits, which is invaluable for heavy tmux users[13][14]. It also has a Python scripting API and features like “triggers” (automatic actions on output matching a regex), instant replay of text, and drag-and-drop uploads.
What makes it cool in 2024–25: While iTerm2 might not have the buzz of newer entrants, it’s still considered a rock-solid, battle-tested choice. Many power users stick with it for its reliability and sheer breadth of features. In 2023, iTerm2 even experimented with modern touches – e.g. adding a GPU-accelerated Metal rendering option for better performance[3] and even some AI integration (reports of an inline ChatGPT assistant feature were noted[15]). Its longevity means it has a mature ecosystem of scripts and community knowledge. Among “cool kids”, iTerm2 might now be the established pro’s choice rather than the shiny new toy, but it still commands respect for getting the job done without drama.
Target Users: Seasoned developers, sysadmins, and anyone on macOS who wants a full-featured terminal with minimal setup hassle. It’s friendly enough for intermediate users (thanks to preferences UI) but offers endless tweaks for power users. Teams that heavily use tmux or who require stability over novelty also gravitate here.
Platform/Compatibility: macOS only. It’s a native Cocoa app. Works on Intel and Apple Silicon (universal binary). No Windows/Linux version (so cross-platform devs might prefer alternatives like WezTerm/kitty that they can use everywhere for consistency).
Strengths: Unmatched feature depth on Mac (you name it, iTerm2 probably does it). Highly customizable. Great tmux integration[14]. Stable and well-documented. No cost. No cloud account needed – purely local.
Trade-offs: Performance – historically, iTerm2’s rendering was CPU-bound and could chug on massive outputs (though the new Metal renderer mitigates this, it’s still catching up to the pure GPU terminals)[3]. Memory footprint can be larger than minimalist terminals. No Linux/Win support, so not ideal if you want the same term on all platforms. It’s also so feature-rich that the preferences can overwhelm new users, and some find its UI/UX a bit dated compared to more modern streamlined apps.
Website: sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty – Status: Free & open-source (GPL-3.0)[16][17]. Very active development (over 130 releases; e.g. v0.44.0 in Nov 2025[18]). Created by Kovid Goyal (also known for the Calibre project).
Key Features: Kitty is a fast, GPU-accelerated terminal emulator, among the first to popularize using the GPU for text rendering. It’s known for excellent performance and a rich feature set: it supports ligatures, graphics (via the Kitty Graphics Protocol), sixel images, tabs and split layout management (all controllable via keyboard). Kitty treats the terminal as a platform: it has an extensible architecture with “kittens,” which are small terminal programs for additional functionality (for example, an image viewer, a SSH agent helper, text editing, etc.). It also supports remote control via TCP socket, and you can script it (send commands to open windows, etc.). Configuration is via a single text file with many options.
What makes it cool/trendy: Kitty has been a favorite of many power users for its blazing speed and capabilities. Its GPU rendering and SIMD optimizations make scrolling and output very smooth[19]. It also introduced innovative ideas like in-terminal graphics that many modern CLI tools leverage (e.g. image previews in fzf, ranger, etc., work great in kitty). In 2024/25, kitty remains “cool” for those who value performance and a hacker-friendly approach – it’s highly scriptable and extensible, which appeals to tinkerers. The community around kitty shares lots of themes and config tips (there’s an official kitty themes repo[20] and a subreddit). It’s cross-platform, so devs can use kitty on Mac, Linux, and Windows (with WSL) and enjoy the same features.
Target Users: Hardcore terminal dwellers who want speed and features, and don’t mind configuring things manually. Power developers, DevOps engineers, etc., especially those working across OSs or who like to customize their environment deeply. Less ideal for total beginners, since there’s no GUI for settings – you edit config files.
Platform Support: macOS (Intel & ARM), Linux, and experimental Windows (via WSL or MSYS). It uses OpenGL for rendering (which works on Mac but relies on Apple’s OpenGL-to-Metal layers, since Apple deprecated OpenGL – kitty nonetheless performs well on Mac in practice).
Strengths: Performance – one of the fastest terminals[7]. Feature-rich (tabs, splits, graphics, wayland support on Linux, etc.). Extensibility – kittens and remote control allow custom workflows. Cross-platform consistency. Active development and an engaged user base.
Trade-offs: Not a native macOS UI – kitty uses its own lightweight UI toolkit, so things like macOS Services menus or native context menus aren’t there. Some users find it “non-Mac-like” in appearance and font rendering (though it supports HiDPI well). As one user noted, kitty “required too much customization and still looked very non-native for macOS”[3]. Also, no integrated SSH session manager or other frills – it’s focused on being a great terminal, not managing remote hosts or such (that’s where something like Core Shell might complement). Memory footprint is generally low, but because it’s GPU-based, on Mac it might keep the discrete GPU awake on older models (which can use more power). Lastly, kitty’s approach is somewhat opinionated – for example, it doesn’t support desktop notifications or ligatures can be toggled but not in a granular way, etc., following the maintainer’s philosophy.
Website: alacritty.org – Status: Free & open-source (Apache/MIT). Developed in Rust. Active but with a minimalist scope (fewer releases than kitty). Cross-platform.
Key Features: Alacritty is often described as “minimalist and blazing fast.” It focuses on performance and simplicity: it uses GPU acceleration (OpenGL) for fast rendering, and deliberately omits certain features to keep things lean. Alacritty provides basic terminal functionality with excellent throughput – it supports truecolor, some font options, etc., but notably does not implement tabs or splits itself (it expects you to use tmux or multiple windows for multi-pane workflows). It also famously does not support text reflow or ligatures, considering them non-essential for performance[21]. Configuration is via YAML. Essentially, Alacritty aims to be “fast and correct” with few bells and whistles.
Why it’s cool in 2024–25: Alacritty gained a strong reputation for being lightweight yet extremely fast, which is appealing for users who want a no-nonsense terminal. It’s often the top pick for those who just want something faster than the default Terminal without any vendor lock-in or complex features. In benchmarks or demos, Alacritty holds its own – for instance, its minimal resource footprint and rapid rendering make it ideal for both local dev and remote SSH usage[22]. In the era of flashy AI terminals, Alacritty’s spartan approach can itself be a statement: it’s the “back to basics, but better” choice. It also has the advantage of working on Linux, Windows, and macOS, so one config can serve everywhere.
Target Users: Those who prioritize speed and simplicity. Many Linux users, tiling window manager fans, and developers who live in tmux or Vim love Alacritty. It’s also great on lower-end hardware or when you want to avoid any unnecessary CPU/GPU usage (e.g., in battery-sensitive scenarios).
Platforms: Mac, Linux, Windows. Apple Silicon supported. No special integrations per OS – aims for parity on all.
Strengths: Blazing fast rendering and low latency input. Very low overhead (both CPU and memory) – ideal for running on top of heavy processes like remote SSH sessions or tailing huge logs. Configuration is straightforward. It “just works” as a drop-in terminal replacement, with sensible defaults. No need to manage or update plugins, etc. – less maintenance.
Trade-offs: Feature-poor by design – no built-in tabs, no splits, no clickable links (beyond what the OS might auto-detect), no ligature rendering[21]. If you require those, you must combine Alacritty with other tools (e.g., use tmux for splits, or an editor that supports ligatures for those tasks). New users might find it too barebones if they expected a full iTerm2-like experience. Also, configuration is manual (no GUI), and some advanced features like image display are not supported (Alacritty doesn’t implement Kitty’s graphics protocol or iTerm’s images, so you can’t inline images in terminal with it)[9]. Essentially, Alacritty won’t directly increase your productivity with fancy features – it just won’t get in your way or slow you down.
Website: hyper.is – Status: Free & open-source (MIT). Developed originally by Zeit (Vercel). Moderately active (but not as bustling as a few years ago). Mac, Linux, Windows (Electron-based).
Key Features: Hyper is an Electron-based terminal emulator built with web technologies (HTML/CSS/JavaScript). Its defining feature is extensibility via plugins – virtually everything in Hyper can be customized by installing JavaScript plugins or editing the JavaScript-based config. Users can create custom themes with CSS, add UI elements, or integrate new functionality with JS. It supports multiple tabs, split panes (via plugin), and all the basics of a terminal. The out-of-the-box UI is modern, with a translucent window and a simplistic look, but most users install themes to personalize it.
Cool/Trendy Factors: Hyper made waves when it launched (around 2016–2017) because it applied the web ecosystem to terminals – “you can style your terminal like a webpage!”. In 2024–25, it’s no longer at the cutting edge of performance, but it still has a niche cool factor for front-end developers and those who love customization. The vast plugin ecosystem is Hyper’s biggest asset: you can find plugins to add a neon glow, VSCode-like interface, or integrations that other terminals lack. For example, Hyper’s plugin registry offers things like git status in the title bar, movie gif backgrounds, etc. This level of customization appeals to the “cool kids” who treat their dev setup as an art project. However, Hyper’s Electron architecture means it’s heavier than native terminals – a known trade-off acknowledged even by fans (the plugin power comes at a cost of some performance overhead)[23].
Target Users: Web developers, JavaScript enthusiasts, and those who want maximal customizability and are comfortable with Node.js. Also, people who enjoy a visually unique terminal and don’t mind trading some efficiency for it. If your workflow is not extremely resource-intensive and you value aesthetic/UX plugins (like a GUI for SSH or a drop-down quake console effect), Hyper can be a fun choice.
Platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux (because it’s Electron, it runs cross-platform). On macOS it works on all recent versions; Apple Silicon is supported (Electron has ARM builds).
Strengths: Extensibility – it’s arguably the most extensible terminal (with the possible exception of using Emacs/VSCode’s terminal). The plugin ecosystem allows adding features quickly. Web-based rendering can handle fonts and CSS effects nicely. Hyper also keeps up with web standards, so it handles Unicode, emoji, etc., quite well. Being cross-platform is a plus for those who want the same experience everywhere.
Trade-offs: Performance and resource usage are the Achilles’ heel. Hyper uses significantly more RAM and CPU than a native terminal; its Electron-based interface can lag especially if you open many tabs or output extremely fast scrolling text. On “less powerful machines” this overhead is noticeable[23], though on a high-end Mac, it might be acceptable for moderate workloads. Hyper also historically had some quirks with macOS (e.g. issues with secure keyboard entry or GPU switching), though many have been ironed out. In a world where Warp, kitty, and others focus on speed, Hyper stands out as not being about raw performance. Additionally, reliance on plugins means core updates are slower (to avoid breaking plugins) – some cutting-edge terminal features might lag behind. In sum, Hyper is very cool for customizing, but less so for demanding usage.
Website: warp.dev – Status: Proprietary (closed-source). Freemium model – the core terminal is free to use, with paid plans for advanced cloud/AI features. Developed by Warp, Inc (VC-funded startup); very active development (multiple updates monthly, with Warp 2.0 launched in 2024). Mac-focused initially, now available on macOS (M1/M2), Linux, and Windows (beta).
Key Features: Warp pitches itself as a “modern, intelligent terminal”. Its standout features include: - AI-powered enhancements: Warp has an AI Command Search and autosuggestions (e.g., it can suggest command completions or even entire commands based on natural language). It also introduced an “AI Command Evaluator” to explain errors or outputs using an LLM. By 2024 it integrated multi-agent AI features, essentially bringing a ChatGPT-like assistant into the terminal[24][25]. - Rich text interface with blocks: Unlike traditional terminals that are just a scrolling text buffer, Warp treats each command and its output as a “block”. These blocks allow for easier navigation (you can jump between previous commands), copying output, and even sharing them. You can copy a block’s output as rich text or share a link so others (with Warp) can see what you ran. This is great for collaboration or creating knowledge bases of common command results. - Collaboration & Cloud integration: Warp requires an account (for cloud features) and offers a cloud “Warp Drive” where teams can share command snippets, settings, etc. It supports real-time collaboration akin to Google Docs where you can invite someone to your terminal session (a bit like “pair programming in the terminal”). It also centralizes things like SSH hosts or frequently run workflows if you use those features. - Performance: Despite being feature-heavy, Warp is built in Rust with GPU acceleration, aiming to keep pace with native terminals. The company has published benchmarks claiming Warp is on par or faster than iTerm2 in many operations (rendering, cat output, etc.). Warp’s team has merged thousands of PRs and made performance a focus in 2024[26]. It runs natively on Apple Silicon. - Polished UX: Warp has a command palette (like in VSCode), GUI menus for common actions, and a sleek UI. It also integrates with the system (e.g. native notifications for long-running tasks finishing) and has a variety of themes. The default look is minimalistic and modern.
What makes it cool/trendy: Warp has a significant buzz in the developer community, positioning itself as “the terminal with a brain”[27] that belongs in 2024. The AI integration is a headline feature – at a time when AI is the hot topic, having a terminal that can explain a kubectl error or suggest a git command is very attractive (especially to newer devs). Also, Warp’s focus on team collaboration taps into the shift towards remote work and knowledge sharing – features like sharing a curl command’s output with a colleague or having persistent team shortcuts give Warp a “cool, next-gen workflow” appeal. Warp’s marketing highlights that it’s used by many engineers (the site claims “trusted by over half a million engineers”)[25], indicating rapid adoption.
Additionally, Warp’s approach of removing friction for common tasks (like pasting with proper escaping, or searching your history in a GUI) makes it feel “smart” and user-friendly – which impresses those who found the traditional terminal arcane. Visually, it’s distinct from both old-school terminals and the heavily customized ones – it has a proprietary vibe that early adopters find interesting. In short, Warp is cool because it’s reimagining what a terminal can be – closer to an IDE or an “agentic development environment” than a plain console[28].
Target Users: Warp targets a broad range, from “power users looking for productivity boosts” to “new developers who want guidance.” Its AI features are great for those still learning CLI intricacies (it can teach you commands) as well as for veterans who want to automate routine tasks. Teams at companies might adopt Warp for the collaboration aspect (sharing common scripts, onboarding new devs faster). Because it’s free for basic use, many individual developers try it out. However, users who are very privacy-conscious or strictly open-source-oriented may shy away (since it’s closed-source and involves cloud services).
Platform Support: macOS was first (requires macOS 11+), Linux support arrived in early 2024[29], and Windows is in beta now. Warp is a GUI app (Rust + some Electron for rendering, perhaps), so it has separate builds for each OS. It fully supports Apple Silicon with a native binary.
Strengths: Feature-rich and Innovative – it can genuinely improve productivity with features like the AI command search and command palette. Great UX – things like autosuggestions, visuals for command outputs, built-in pager, etc., are very well-implemented. Collaboration – unique among terminals, which can be transformative for pair debugging or education. Performance – generally fast enough for most use cases, with GPU acceleration and optimization work ongoing (users note it’s quite smooth for daily tasks, though perhaps a tad heavier than ultra-minimal terminals). Onboarding and docs – Warp provides good documentation and even a “Warp University” tutorial for learning CLI, aligning with its goal to help users learn.
Trade-offs: The biggest is closed source & cloud dependency. Many in the dev community have reservations about a terminal that isn’t open – trusting a black-box terminal that sends data to cloud (for sync/AI) can be a security concern. Warp assures that all terminal output stays local unless you explicitly share or use AI (which then sends a snippet to their cloud)[30]. Still, some won’t be comfortable. There’s an open GitHub issue with users asking Warp to open-source it (so far, not done)[31]. Costs: while the base is free, advanced features cost. Warp introduced paid plans in 2024 with an AI request quota – e.g. Warp Pro was around $15/month for 1,000 AI queries[32]. They even had higher tiers (Warp “Lightspeed” was reported at $200/month for unlimited agent use)[33], though they restructured pricing by end of 2025 to a pay-as-you-go model[34]. This means if you heavily use the AI or team features, Warp can get pricey (comparatively more than, say, a GitHub Copilot subscription). Resource usage: Warp is heavier than purely local terminals – it runs background services (for updates, auth, etc.), and can consume more RAM (some users noted it uses a couple hundred MB easily). On a powerful Mac this is usually fine, but on very constrained systems it’s worth noting. Lastly, Warp’s UX paradigm is different – the concept of “blocks” and needing to sign in may irk those who prefer the simplicity of a raw terminal. And if Warp’s cloud is down or one is offline (air-gapped networks), many Warp features won’t work – making it less appealing in certain environments.
Website: emtec.com/zoc – Status: Proprietary commercial software. Actively maintained (v9 released 2023, frequent minor updates; latest v9.01.9 in Sept 2025[35]). License cost: ~US $80 one-time (with free trial available)[36].
Key Features: ZOC is a professional-grade terminal emulator and SSH/Telnet client that has been around for decades (since 1993!). It’s known for supporting a huge array of terminal emulations and communication protocols. For example, ZOC can emulate xterm, VT100/220, various ANSI, Wyse 50/60, TN3270 (IBM mainframe), and others[37] – this makes it valuable if you need to connect to legacy systems or network hardware with specialized console protocols. It supports SSH (with modern ciphers), telnet, serial port, modem dial-in, and integrates file transfer protocols (X/Y/Zmodem, SCP, SFTP) for sending files over sessions[38]. Other features: Tabbed sessions with multi-window support, a powerful scripting language (REXX) for automation[39], full keyboard remapping, logging, and a UI that, while utilitarian, offers a lot of options (like buttons for commonly used commands, etc.). ZOC basically combines what on Linux might be separate tools (terminal + ssh client + serial console app) into one.
What makes it cool/trendy: ZOC isn’t “trendy” in the Silicon Valley sense, but among network engineers and sysadmins it’s highly trusted and even “cool” in a retro-power-user way. It’s the tool you use to interface with a wide variety of systems reliably – perhaps not flashy, but elegant in its reliability. In 2025, ZOC continues to be one of the few actively maintained terminals that can handle enterprise and legacy environments. For the niche community that needs to, say, connect to a Cisco router via serial, log the session, script some interactions, then connect to an IBM iSeries via TN3270 – all in one app, ZOC is extremely cool because it just works. It has a bit of an old-school GUI vibe, which some “cool kids” (the retrocomputing or hardcore network crowd) appreciate over webby modern UIs. Think of ZOC as the “power tool” that may not be talked about on Hacker News daily, but quietly impresses those in the know.
Target Users: System administrators, network engineers, and IT pros on Mac (or Windows) who need robust terminal emulation beyond just xterm. Also, enterprises where admins manage diverse systems. It’s particularly useful if you work with legacy hardware or mainframes. Average developers working on web apps likely don’t need ZOC’s breadth.
Platforms: macOS and Windows. (Older versions supported OS/2 back in the day). The Mac and Windows versions are feature-parity. Mac version runs fine on latest macOS (including Apple Silicon via universal or Rosetta – by 2025 likely a universal binary exists).
Strengths: Extensive protocol and emulation support – no other tool on Mac comes close. If you have a weird terminal type to emulate, ZOC probably has it in its dropdown[37]. Rock-solid implementation – it’s known to be stable and handle long connections without issues. Scripting and automation – REXX and Python integration let you automate login sequences, repetitive tasks, etc., which is vital for managing many machines. Professional features – logging, secure transfers, key agent support, etc., all built-in (no need for separate PuTTY, etc.). Also, support – since it’s paid, EmTec provides support and documentation, which enterprise users value.
Trade-offs: Cost – ~$80 might be hard to justify for casual users when free terminals exist[36]. But for a professional who needs it, it’s reasonable. Not open-source. UI and “coolness” – ZOC is geared towards function, not form. The UI is traditional; it won’t win design awards or appeal to someone who loves the Warp/Hyper aesthetic. It’s also overkill for basic needs – if you just want a nicer terminal for bash/zsh on your Mac, ZOC’s many options might confuse or be unnecessary. It doesn’t have fancy AI or modern integrations; its focus is somewhat different from the likes of Warp or WezTerm. Additionally, being multi-platform but not native, some Mac-specific integrations (e.g. Keychain) aren’t as deep as in something like Core Shell. So, ZOC shines in its domain, but isn’t aimed at general “make my dev workflow cool” usage.
Website: macterm.net – Status: Free & open-source (Apache 2.0). Community-developed (hosted on SourceForge/GitHub[40]). Low-release cadence (but updated for macOS 11+). macOS only.
Key Features: MacTerm is a long-standing open-source Mac terminal (descendant of an older project called MacTelnet). It’s a full Terminal.app replacement with support for 24-bit color, Unicode, and advanced terminal features. Notably, MacTerm supports images/graphics protocols – including iTerm2 image sequences and even some vector graphics (it had support for Tektronix vector terminals historically). It can do tabs and windows, has extensive preference options, and supports shell integration features like “ASCII session logging”, triggers, and scripts. Essentially, MacTerm tried to implement many of iTerm2’s advanced features in an open-source way. It also offers Mosh integration (for mobile SSH) and some unique additions like support for floating ANSI art and vector graphics mode for special apps.
What makes it cool: MacTerm flies under the radar compared to iTerm2 or WezTerm, but it holds appeal for those who value a truly open-source Mac-native terminal. It’s kind of a hidden gem: it supports “standard graphics protocols and iTerm2 image sequences and color schemes”[40], meaning you can use modern TUI applications that display images even if you’re not on kitty or iTerm (MacTerm acts as a bridge). It’s also scriptable and highly customizable. In 2024–25, using MacTerm might mark you as a bit of a non-conformist “cool kid” – eschewing both the mainstream iTerm2 and the flashy newcomers for a classic open project. MacTerm’s aesthetic is more classic (it looks like a normal terminal window), so the cool factor is more in its capabilities and the principle (open-source, community-driven on Mac).
Target Users: Open-source enthusiasts on Mac, folks who might have used it historically, and those who need specific emulations or features that default Terminal lacks but want a free solution. Also possibly educators or hobbyists who work with ANSI art or legacy systems but don’t want to pay for ZOC – MacTerm isn’t as full-featured in protocols as ZOC, but does more than Terminal.app.
Platform: macOS only. It’s a native Mac app (Cocoa). Apple Silicon supported (compiled for ARM64).
Strengths: Open-source and free, with a decent set of modern features. Supports things like images and sixel (good for inline graphics in terminal apps) which not all open terminals do[40]. It’s relatively lightweight. Because it’s open-source, if you have niche needs, you could extend it. MacTerm also has a loyal small community and has been maintained over many macOS releases (a sign of dedication).
Trade-offs: Lower profile & smaller team – it’s not backed by a company or a huge community, so updates are infrequent and support is community-based. The UI, while functional, might not be as polished or user-friendly as iTerm2 (some have found it a bit behind in UX). Documentation might be less comprehensive. It also lacks the marketing and integrations of others – e.g. no AI, no fancy GUI for settings (though it does have a Preferences window). For someone who just wants a popular solution, MacTerm might feel obscure. Also, if you encounter a bug, you rely on volunteer maintainers to fix it in time.
Website: carnationsoftware.com (MacWise) – Status: Proprietary. Commercial (Shareware) – costs about $49 for a license (often discounted)[41]. Maintained (current version 14.x supports macOS 10.13+ through macOS 14).
Key Features: MacWise is a terminal emulator focused on legacy terminal emulation (especially Wyse terminals). It allows a Mac to connect to hosts via serial, modem, Telnet, or SSH. MacWise’s claim to fame is emulating terminals like Wyse 50/60, DEC VT100/220, Televideo, IBM 3278, etc. and supporting those special key codes and character sets[42]. It basically turns your Mac into a faithful terminal from the 80s/90s. It has features needed for these scenarios, like text block modes, print-through support, and simple file transfer. The interface is quite simple – a single session window that you configure for the emulation type and connection method. MacWise also integrates macOS features like drag/drop text, AppleScript support for automation, and can run modem scripts etc.
Cool factor/niche: MacWise appeals to a very niche segment – think old-school mainframe operators, retro computing aficionados, or businesses that still run on legacy systems. Among that crowd, MacWise is “cool” because it reliably connects modern Macs to very old host systems. For instance, an IBM midrange or a PICK operating system might only support Wyse-50 terminals – MacWise lets a Mac user work with that system seamlessly. In 2025, the “cool kids” in mainstream development probably aren’t using MacWise, but there is a certain retro-cool vibe in being the person who can still jack into a VAX or BBS from their shiny M2 MacBook using MacWise. It’s a bit like having vintage vinyl – niche, but authentic.
Target Users: Users of legacy systems – e.g., a manufacturing company whose inventory is managed on a DEC VAX, or a hobbyist dialing into BBS systems. Also, some in the telecom or POS industries where serial terminals are still in use. If you don’t know what Wyse or VT220 are, you’re not the target audience.
Platforms: macOS only. It’s a Carbon/Cocoa app. The latest versions are 64-bit for modern macOS; backward compatible quite far (10.13+ as noted).
Strengths: Highly specialized emulation – does things few others do on Mac. The emulations are fairly accurate (which is crucial for some host software that expects specific terminal quirks). It’s straightforward to use if you need those connections – better than trying to configure Terminal or iTerm for odd encodings. MacWise also supports serial ports and modems out of the box (via USB serial adapters, etc.), which most modern terminals don’t handle, giving it an edge in that domain[43]. Support from the developer (Carnation Software) is noted to be responsive, which is nice in niche software.
Trade-offs: For anyone not in that niche, MacWise is unnecessary. UI and capabilities are very basic beyond the core emulations – e.g., it doesn’t have tabs (each session is a new window like the classic days). No modern features like find-in-output or Unicode fancy glyphs (it’s oriented to older character sets). The price is moderate but if it’s for business use, it’s acceptable; hobbyists might hesitate unless really needed. And as a smaller software vendor product, it doesn’t have widespread community knowledge – it’s a specialist tool. So, not “cool” by general standards, but invaluable when needed.
Website: commander-one.com – Status: Freemium (Developed by Eltima Software, now Electronic Team). Free base version, Pro Pack costs ~$29.99 one-time[44][45]. Actively maintained to support latest macOS.
Key Features: Commander One is primarily a dual-pane file manager (in the spirit of Norton Commander or Total Commander), not primarily a terminal emulator. However, it includes a built-in Terminal emulator in one of the panels or as a drawer, allowing you to run shell commands while browsing files. The file manager itself has features: local file browsing, FTP/SFTP, WebDAV, cloud storage integration (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc. in Pro version), archive management, etc. The built-in terminal is fairly basic compared to iTerm2 – it’s essentially an embedded shell that follows your navigation in the GUI (so if you move to a directory in the GUI pane, the terminal can update to that directory). The idea is to let users execute command-line operations in the same app as their file management, without switching to Terminal.app.
Cool/Trendy Aspect: Commander One appeals to a segment of Mac users who enjoy the “power user” workflow of dual-pane file managers (very popular among some developers and switchers from Windows who used Total Commander). The presence of a terminal means you can combine GUI and CLI actions fluidly – for example, quickly navigate to a folder in the GUI and then compile or git pull in the embedded terminal. In 2024–25, while most buzz is around pure terminals, Commander One’s integrated approach is quietly useful. It’s not “hyped” in dev circles, but it has a pragmatic coolness – especially for those who appreciate tools like Midnight Commander or who want a semi-GUI environment. It’s also on Setapp, so some users discover it there as a convenient tool. The aesthetic of Commander One is somewhat retro (reminiscent of old Norton Commander blue interface), which ironically can be considered cool by those who like vintage computing vibes.
Target Users: Developers or IT users who frequently manage files via both GUI and CLI. People coming from Windows who miss the Total Commander style. Also, anyone who wants an all-in-one file management solution (with FTP, cloud mounts, etc.) that also gives a terminal for advanced operations. It can be great for web developers who, say, browse to a project folder in one pane and have ls and git at hand in the terminal pane.
Platforms: macOS only. (Eltima’s other similar product on Windows is “WinCommander” I believe, but Commander One is Mac-specific written in Swift.)
Strengths: Integration of file management and terminal – saves time and context switching. The file manager itself is powerful (especially Pro version, which can mount remote storage, show hidden files, etc.). The terminal inherits some convenience from being in a GUI (like you can see file lists in one pane and refer to them in terminal easily). It’s user-friendly for those not fully comfortable in pure CLI – you can drag-drop in the GUI and use terminal for specific tasks. Maintained and polished – Commander One has a nice Mac-native feel, with themes and customizations, and Eltima keeps it updated.
Trade-offs: The built-in terminal is not as feature-rich as dedicated emulators. It’s fine for basic usage, but it won’t have advanced text rendering, no multiple tabs of terminal (you’d open multiple Commander One windows as a workaround), no split within terminal, etc. It’s also Mac-only and closed-source, which matters if you want cross-platform consistency or open development. For pure terminal enthusiasts, Commander One might feel too constrained or unnecessary. Also, using Commander One full-time means adopting its paradigm; some may find the dual-pane + terminal combo doesn’t fit their workflow if they prefer a full IDE or just a standalone terminal + Finder. In summary, it’s a niche integrated tool – very handy for some, irrelevant for others.
Website: coreshell.app – Status: Proprietary. Free basic version, Premium upgrade ~$9.99 (via Mac App Store or Setapp)[46][47]. Developed by Codinn. Actively maintained; companion to “Core Tunnel” app.
Key Features: Core Shell is essentially a Mac-native SSH client with a terminal interface. It leverages the macOS built-in OpenSSH (so same underlying SSH as your Terminal), but wraps it in a GUI for ease of managing hosts. Key features include: - A connection manager: you can save unlimited hosts (organize by tags) with their SSH details, and launch with one click[48]. No need to remember ssh user@host syntax each time or use command-line for each host. - Advanced SSH options UI: a GUI to edit port forwarding, proxy jump, SSH keys, config options, etc. – essentially a front-end to .ssh/config options with explanations[49]. - Keychain integration: passphrases and passwords can be stored securely in macOS Keychain and auto-filled[50]. - Automatic reconnect: if a session drops (network issues or sleep), Core Shell can auto-reconnect[51]. - AppleScript support and automation: you can script Core Shell to open connections, etc.[52]. - The terminal emulator part is basic (likely just a wrapper around macOS Terminal or xterm library), but it does support color, Unicode, etc., as any standard terminal would.
Essentially, Core Shell is like popular Windows SSH clients (PuTTY, SecureCRT) but for Mac, with a focus purely on SSH (and Telnet, if enabled).
Cool/Trendy Factor: Among the “cool kids,” Core Shell caters to those who manage tons of servers or frequently SSH into various hosts and want a convenient GUI approach. It might not be discussed as widely as new terminal emulators, but within DevOps circles it’s valued. Think of a DevOps engineer who has 50 AWS EC2 instances – instead of memorizing or constantly typing addresses, they use Core Shell’s GUI to organize and quickly log in. That efficiency is “cool” when you see someone handling infra seamlessly. Also, Core Shell fits well into a Mac user’s workflow who prefers native apps – it feels integrated (using Keychain, using standard macOS UI). In 2025, with remote work and cloud servers proliferation, having a dedicated SSH client like this can be seen as a pro move for sysadmins. It’s not flashy like Warp, but it’s practical-cool. It also aligns with the philosophy of using the right tool for the job: use a modern terminal for local tasks, but use Core Shell when you need robust SSH session management.
Target Users: Sysadmins, DevOps, network engineers on Mac. Also developers who frequently SSH into staging/production and want to manage those connections easily. If you only occasionally SSH, you might just use Terminal+ssh command. But if you have a large SSH config or complex needs (bastion hosts, different keys, etc.), Core Shell is great. It’s also user-friendly for those not super comfortable with command-line – you can save a host and connect without typing commands.
Platforms: macOS only (Codinn has an iOS client “Blink” unrelated to this; Core Shell is Mac-specific). Requires macOS 10.15+ as of recent versions. Apple Silicon supported.
Strengths: Ease of use for SSH – eliminates repetitive tasks. All OpenSSH features supported (it’s basically a GUI for them, so you’re not missing anything, just using toggles instead of remembering flags)[53]. The integration with Keychain improves security (no plaintext key storage). Tags and search help manage many hosts[54]. The premium upgrade adds useful sync (via iCloud/Dropbox) for your host list, and scripting – which pros will appreciate for backing up or sharing config. It’s lightweight (basically just opens Terminal windows for each session within the app). Also, since it uses the system ssh, it benefits from Apple’s regularly updated OpenSSH, meaning new algos and security patches are inherited.
Trade-offs: It’s not a power-terminal emulator in itself. The terminal view is basic, so no fancy features like iTerm2 splits or image display – if you need those while connected, you’d probably just run a different terminal and use ssh there. Core Shell is about convenience, not enhancing the in-session experience beyond what a normal SSH terminal would have. Another trade-off: cost for premium – the free version might be enough for many (unlimited hosts are actually available even in free as of their website), but things like syncing configs or AppleScript require the paid version[55][56]. $9.99 is not bad, though (and Setapp subscribers get it included). Some “cool kids” might also prefer managing SSH via dotfiles and CLI to stay pure; using a GUI might feel anathema to them. Finally, being closed-source, you rely on Codinn for updates (to their credit, they do update often). If one day it goes away, you still have your ~/.ssh/config, but the app convenience would be gone.
Website: ghostty.org – Status: Free & open-source (MIT)[57]. Very active (v1.0 released Dec 2024; frequent dev logs). Created by Mitchell Hashimoto (of HashiCorp fame) as a personal project.
Key Features: Ghostty is a fast, cross-platform terminal emulator that emphasizes using platform-native UI frameworks and GPU acceleration. Key highlights: - Performance focus: Ghostty is written in Zig and designed for speed. It uses low-level optimizations to maximize throughput. One user noted it is “by far the fastest” terminal, and that the difference is noticeable especially compared to iTerm2[58]. It uses Metal on macOS for rendering (via WebGPU)[2], ensuring efficient GPU usage. - Native look-and-feel: Unlike Electron or even Qt apps, Ghostty uses native UI components on each OS (Cocoa on Mac, etc.)[59]. On macOS, it thus feels “Mac-like” – e.g., proper native title bar (with optional transparency), standard font rendering, and integration with OS behaviors. It’s aiming to blend in as if it were Apple’s own Terminal. - Modern terminal features: It supports multiple windows and tabs, like any modern emulator. It also supports advanced protocols: notably the Kitty Graphics Protocol for inline images[60][10]. This means tools that show images (like ASCII diagrams, image previews, etc.) work in Ghostty as they do in kitty. It likely supports other extensions like sixel and iTerm2 images as well. Ghostty has truecolor, ligatures, emoji support, and good handling of wide characters, ensuring a great text experience (Hashimoto even blogged about grapheme clusters in terminals[61]). - Good defaults, minimal config needed: It’s said to have “sane defaults” so you don’t need to tweak much to get a nice experience[60]. It ships with many color themes and uses a config file for changes. The aim is that a new user can install Ghostty and immediately enjoy a polished terminal (contrasting with something like kitty or WezTerm which might require more initial config for perfection). - Built-in multiplexing & session restore: Ghostty has a basic built-in multiplexer allowing you to detach/attach or preserve sessions on crash. For example, if the app is closed, it can restore your previous windows/tabs arrangement when reopened[62]. This is similar to iTerm2’s “tmux integration”, but Ghostty does it internally for local shells (and potentially remote sessions in future). - Cross-platform: While very Mac-focused in feel, Ghostty is being built for Linux and Windows too. It uses native toolkit on each (likely GTK on Linux, and whatever on Windows), which is a bold approach but could yield great native experiences on each platform.
What makes it cool/trendy in 2024–25: Ghostty garnered huge attention in dev communities even before its 1.0 release – it’s essentially a “hype project” because of who’s behind it and its performance claims. On GitHub it has amassed an impressive ★38k stars[63][64], indicating massive interest. The “cool factor” comes from it being a fresh take on terminals: written in Zig (an ultra-modern low-level language, itself cool), focusing purely on speed and quality. Early users and reviewers have placed Ghostty in the top tier of terminals for its combination of speed and polish[65]. It’s often mentioned in the same breath as WezTerm and kitty, which is high praise for a newcomer.
Ghostty’s “Mac-y” vibe is a selling point: Mac developers who want something faster than iTerm2 but as native-looking have flocked to it[11]. It basically takes kitty/Alacritty performance and wraps it in a nice macOS package. In 2025, being an early adopter of Ghostty is somewhat brag-worthy among devs (“I use Ghostty, it’s lightning fast”). Its open-source nature also wins points against Warp’s closed model – Ghostty feels like the community’s answer to pushing terminal tech forward without proprietary software.
There’s also a bit of narrative: Hashimoto created Ghostty partly as a fun side project to make a really fast terminal, and he openly shares devlogs and even gave a talk “Making a Terminal Emulator Really, Really Fast”[66]. This transparency and geeky pursuit of speed appeals strongly to the “cool kid” developer crowd.
Target Users: Developers and power users who want maximum performance and a modern feature set in an open-source terminal. Given Ghostty’s defaults and ease, even relatively new CLI users could adopt it – but currently, it likely attracts the more advanced users (the kind who hang out on r/neovim or HN) because it’s still in rapid development. Cross-platform devs may also love it once Windows/Linux versions are mature, as it could unify their experience. If you heavily use terminal UIs with images (machine learning logs, Kubernetes dashboards, etc.), Ghostty is appealing due to Kitty graphics support. Essentially, Ghostty is aiming at the same crowd as kitty/WezTerm, but also anyone frustrated by iTerm2’s speed or Warp’s closed nature.
Platform Support: macOS is the flagship (Ghostty beta was Mac-first). Linux builds exist (using Wayland/X11 with native theming). Windows is presumably in progress (no public release as of early 2025, but likely later). For macOS, it supports Apple Silicon natively and uses Metal for rendering[67], so it’s optimized for M1/M2 GPUs.
Strengths: Blazing speed and efficiency – Ghostty’s main author reports extremely high performance in rendering (e.g., running graphical text effects at high FPS). Users confirm it’s very fast – as fast as kitty/Alacritty, and clearly faster than iTerm2 in heavy scenarios[58]. Beautiful text rendering – on Mac, people praise its font rendering (likely leveraging CoreText nicely)[68]. Native feel – it adheres to Mac conventions (even little things like appropriate keyboard shortcuts, transparent title bar option, etc.), which makes it feel right at home. Features like images and multiplexing are integrated, so it covers the advanced use cases without needing external tmux or compromise. Open-source community – many contributors (already 1.2k forks, lots of commits)[63][69], meaning it could evolve quickly and reliably. And no cost – fully free.
Trade-offs: Early in its lifecycle – at the time of 1.0 (end 2024) and into 2025, Ghostty may still be maturing. For example, one user noted that as of early 2025 it lacked a “scrollback search” feature (the ability to search text in the terminal history) which they considered essential[70]. Such gaps are likely to be filled with time, but it shows some features aren’t at parity with older terminals yet. Memory usage was observed to be relatively high per tab (~250MB for an idle tab in one case)[71] – possibly due to debug builds or lack of optimization on that front. This might improve, but if not, it’s a cost of the approach. Stability could be an issue in early versions (though it’s been in private beta a long time, so hopefully fairly stable). Also, Ghostty doesn’t have a fancy GUI for settings (config is via a file), which is fine for power users but maybe intimidating for novices – however, the need to change defaults is arguably less with Ghostty. Another consideration: being a side project (albeit high-profile), its development speed depends on maintainers’ time; though given Hashimoto’s track record and the open source community interest, it looks very sustainable. In short, Ghostty’s trade-offs are just the growing pains of a new project – features to add, some optimizations to do – but nothing fundamentally negative.
Website: wezterm.net (wezterm.org) – Status: Free & open-source (MIT). Extremely active (over 8,500 commits[72], ~22k stars on GitHub) and community-driven by developer Wez Furlong. Cross-platform (Mac, Linux, Windows).
Key Features: WezTerm is a GPU-accelerated, cross-platform terminal emulator and multiplexer. It aims to be a one-stop terminal solution for power users. Highlights: - GPU rendering for fast throughput, using technologies like WebGPU/Metal on Mac[2]. Smooth scrolling and efficient rendering of large outputs is a priority. - Built-in Multiplexer: WezTerm can handle multiple terminal panes and tabs internally, including the ability to detach and reattach sessions across local/remote machines. It has a concept of domains (local shell, or SSH connections) and you can manage splits/tabs without tmux. It even allows creating a multiplexed session on a remote server seamlessly and resuming it locally. - Extensive configurability via Lua: The entire config is done in Lua, and beyond static config, you can script behaviors. You can define custom key bindings that run Lua functions, set up scheduled events, and query system info to display in the UI (for example, one can script a WezTerm status bar to show CPU or battery). This makes WezTerm incredibly flexible, essentially programmable[7][8]. - Advanced features: WezTerm supports modern features like ligatures, emoji, and multiple font fallback (important for developers needing powerline or nerd fonts). It supports various image protocols (Sixel, iTerm2, Kitty) for compatibility[9]. It also has an SSH client built-in (so you can do wezterm connect user@host and it opens a remote pane). - Appearance customization: from tab bar styling, to colors, transparency, blur, etc., all can be tuned (via config or even dynamically via Lua scripts). It even comes pre-loaded with popular color schemes like Catppuccin[73]. - Focus on remote workflows: WezTerm recognizes many developers work on remote servers. It has features to make that better – e.g., it can detect when you ssh into a host and automatically use a remote WezTerm mux server if available, to optimize that connection. It also plays nicely with WSL on Windows.
What makes it cool/trend-setting: WezTerm has rapidly become a darling of power users because it brings together the best of tmux and modern terminals in one package. In 2024, a DEV Community tier list ranked WezTerm in the S-Tier “Best-in-Class” terminals[74], citing its flexibility and advanced features. The “cool kids” love WezTerm for its hackability – if you can script in Lua, you can bend the terminal to your will, which is almost a challenge many enjoy. For instance, customizing the prompt navigation or writing an auto-highlight for certain output is possible.
WezTerm is also trend-setting by pushing features like WebGPU usage and novel ideas like per-shell prompt navigation (it can mark prompts in scrollback and let you jump between command outputs easily). It’s seen as the open-source answer to Warp in some ways – it has a different approach (no AI, no cloud), focusing instead on raw power and customization, which resonates with the “classic” UNIX philosophy crowd (with a modern twist). Many who grew frustrated with iTerm2’s slower updates or tmux’s complexity have switched to WezTerm and sing its praises. There’s a steady stream of blogs and discussions about migrating to WezTerm[75][76]. In essence, WezTerm is cool because it is by power users, for power users, and yet remains accessible enough after initial configuration. It embodies a “have it your way” ethos.
Target Users: Developers, engineers, anyone who spends a lot of time in terminal and isn’t afraid to configure things. Especially those who use tmux/tiling or have complex workflows – WezTerm can simplify that by integrating the multiplexer. Cross-platform developers also love that they can use WezTerm on Mac at work and Windows at home with the same config. If you enjoy customizing your editor or terminal deeply, WezTerm is definitely for you. Conversely, a casual user might find WezTerm overkill or not plug-and-play enough (though the defaults are reasonable).
Platforms: macOS (10.12+), Linux, Windows. Apple Silicon supported (universal binary)[77]. On macOS it uses Metal via WebGPU by default for rendering[2] (with fallback to OpenGL). On Windows it uses DirectX, on Linux Vulkan/GL as appropriate. This focus on native GPU APIs on each platform is partly why it’s so fast.
Strengths: Highly customizable and scriptable – virtually no other terminal gives you this level of control. Integrated multiplexer – can replace tmux for many, with less overhead[78]. Cross-platform consistency – use the same terminal features on all OS, unlike iTerm2 (Mac-only) or Terminal.app. Strong community – WezTerm’s growing popularity means lots of user-contributed tips, and the maintainer is active in issue discussions. Performance – very good, close to kitty/Alacritty level due to GPU usage (some users debate micro-differences, but it’s generally fast enough even for huge outputs). Also, regular updates – improvements and new features land frequently, which is exciting for users who like to stay on the cutting edge.
Trade-offs: Learning curve for configuration – writing Lua config might intimidate some, especially if they expect a GUI or a simple text config. It’s not super hard (there are examples and you can copy-paste), but it’s a step up in complexity. Documentation – while available, the breadth of features means docs are extensive and perhaps daunting to new users who only want a simple tweak. The flip side of cross-platform is that WezTerm’s default look is a bit bare-bones (to maintain consistency, it doesn’t fully adopt Mac-specific UI conventions by default, though you can tweak window decorations etc.). As one user put it: on first launch “it looks plain and not very functional” until you customize it[79][80]. So it demands an initial investment of time to really shine. Another trade-off: features vs simplicity – WezTerm does a lot, which means it might use a bit more memory than a minimal terminal or have more things that could potentially glitch (though it’s stable). For example, some have encountered edge-case bugs with multiplexer or GPU on certain systems, which require updates. It’s actively developed, so things evolve; occasionally config might need adaptation after an update (rare, but possible). In summary, WezTerm’s trade-offs are mostly in usability for newcomers – it’s unquestionably powerful, but with great power comes the need to configure responsibly.
Website/Source: GitHub – aristocratos/btop – Status: Free & open-source. Cross-platform (Linux, macOS, Windows via WSL). Actively maintained (btop++ successor of bashtop/bpytop).
What it is: btop is not a terminal emulator – it’s a terminal-based resource monitor (analogous to top/htop, but much more user-friendly and visually appealing). It shows live system resource usage: CPU load per core (with graphs), memory usage, disk I/O, network I/O, and running processes with sorting and filtering. It has an interactive UI (using NCurses or similar) that lets you scroll through processes, send signals (kill, etc.), and change settings with keypresses. It’s essentially a modern, colorful dashboard for system stats running in a terminal.
Key features / cool factors: btop is beloved for its beautiful, informative interface – it uses color and Unicode braille graphics to display charts over time for CPU, memory, etc.[81]. One standout feature is a menu system to easily toggle options (like changing update frequency, or which disks to monitor) without editing config files – this ease of use is a big improvement over older tools. It also offers detailed process info at a glance (expanded memory breakdown, command line of processes, etc.) and supports mouse control if running in a capable terminal. Another cool aspect is it’s a continuation of the “*top” tools by a skilled developer, who first made bashtop (in Bash), then bpytop (Python), and finally btop in C++ for efficiency[82]. As such, btop is quite optimized and low-overhead for what it displays.
Trendy usage: Among “cool kids” – particularly those into Linux or self-hosting – posting a screenshot of btop running is almost a badge of sysadmin honor. It transforms the raw data of your system into an attractive dashboard, so it’s both genuinely useful and somewhat of a visual flex. On macOS, using btop (installed via Homebrew) can give you a quick glance at how your Mac’s CPU and memory are doing, in a much richer way than Activity Monitor (and in the terminal, which feels more hardcore). In 2024–25, btop remains probably the coolest terminal-based monitor – it frequently gets recommended in Reddit threads like “what’s a great htop alternative”. Its cross-platform nature means even Windows users in WSL use it.
Use cases relative to terminals: btop is something you run inside a terminal emulator. It doesn’t replace your shell; it’s a program you launch when you want to check or continuously watch system status. Many developers will have it open on a side pane or separate window while working on heavy tasks (to watch CPU usage, temperatures, etc.). It complements heavy development workflows – e.g., if you’re compiling code or running an ML training locally, btop can show you if all cores are maxed and if you’re memory swapping, etc.[83].
Target Users: Developers, system administrators, or any power user who wants to monitor their system in detail. On macOS, any user running performance-intensive tasks (compiling, video encoding, ML, games) might use it to see resource bottlenecks. It’s also useful on servers (though on remote servers, one might use it via SSH to check status).
Strengths: Very information-rich UI – you see CPU, RAM, disks, network, and processes all at once, which is better context than separate tools for each. User-friendly controls – arrow keys or mouse to navigate, function keys or menus for options, which lowers the barrier for new users (compared to memorizing shortcuts in htop). Aesthetic – it looks “cool” with colors and even has theme support, which matters for adoption (people enjoy tools that look good by default). Lightweight for what it does (the C++ implementation is efficient, not consuming undue CPU itself). Also, since it’s open source, it’s continuously refined and any platform-specific bugs get fixed by community input.
Trade-offs: It’s a focused tool – only about monitoring. It doesn’t control or manage system beyond sending signals to processes. So it’s not an automation or scripting tool, just an interface. Occasionally all those visuals might glitch if your terminal doesn’t fully support the characters (but most modern terminals including all those profiled do). On macOS, certain readings (like temperatures or fan speeds) aren’t available to btop due to OS restrictions – so it shows mainly CPU/RAM/disk that the OS reports. Another trade-off: running btop continuously will consume a bit of CPU (to update the graphs frequently), though usually a few percent of one core – not a big deal given the insight it provides. Compared to using a GUI monitor like Activity Monitor, btop lacks some detail (e.g., no GPU usage on macOS, since Apple doesn’t expose that easily to CLI) and no historical logging (it’s real-time only). But those aren’t huge drawbacks for most.
Having profiled the tools, it’s important to clarify the difference in roles between terminal emulators (like iTerm2, Warp, WezTerm, etc.) and a system monitor like btop – and how they compare or complement each other:
Terminal Emulators (iTerm2, kitty, Warp, etc.) are primarily about providing a user interface and environment to interact with the shell/CLI and text-based applications. They focus on features that improve the experience of running commands – e.g., better text rendering, tabs, splits, autocomplete, and integration with workflows (like git, ssh, editing). They do not, by default, show you how your system is performing (aside from perhaps the text output of commands you run).
Resource Monitors (btop, htop, Activity Monitor) are about observing system state – CPU load, memory usage, etc. They are not where you run your development commands (you don’t edit code or compile in btop), but rather a dashboard to keep an eye on the impact or status of what you run.
In daily usage, a developer might have both: a terminal emulator window to run builds, and another window or pane running btop to watch resources during that build. They serve different purposes, so it’s less “one vs. the other” and more about when to use one or the other:
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When to prefer a feature-rich terminal emulator: If you want to improve your productivity in interacting with the system, choose a rich terminal. For example, if you spend time writing commands, navigating directories, editing via Vim, etc., a terminal like Warp or WezTerm that has autocomplete, quick history search, or multiplexer can speed you up. These terminals might indirectly help you manage system load (e.g., Warp might help form a complex command correctly so you don’t waste time on mistakes, or WezTerm’s status bar could be scripted to show a bit of system info), but their main job is enabling and streamlining work. A “cool” terminal can transform your workflow, but it doesn’t magically monitor itself.
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When to use a resource monitor like btop: If you are concerned about system performance or diagnosing issues – say your Mac’s fans spin up or something is sluggish – you’d fire up btop (or have it running in a corner) to see what’s happening: CPU at 100%? Which process? Memory swapping? It provides insight the terminal emulator itself doesn’t provide. For instance, if you suspect the terminal emulator is using too much CPU (e.g., maybe Hyper or Warp feels slow), you could observe that in btop – seeing the Warp process CPU usage. In development, when running heavy tasks (like local ML training, as many do now with LLMs), a monitor is crucial to see if you’re saturating CPU/GPU, or if maybe you should stop a process.
In other words, terminal emulators and btop are complementary. The terminal emulator is where you run the command; btop is how you observe the effect of that command on system resources.
Overlap and Integration: Is there overlap? A tiny bit: - Some terminal emulators have tried to incorporate minimal resource info. For example, some tmux setups (within a terminal) will put CPU/memory usage on the status bar. WezTerm, because it’s scriptable, could display CPU usage in its status line via a Lua script polling system stats. But these are usually basic indicators (like 40% CPU, 8GB RAM used). They lack the depth of a tool like btop which has graphs and per-process breakdowns. So, while you might get a glance of resource usage in a terminal’s UI, any serious monitoring still calls for a dedicated tool. - Conversely, btop runs in a terminal, so you need a terminal emulator to use it. If your terminal emulator is very bare-bones (say macOS Terminal), you could run btop there. Or run it in a fancy one like Warp – though note that something like Warp’s block-based UI might not play perfectly with constantly updating TUIs like btop (most still work, but Warp’s output blocks are optimized for command output that finishes, not continuous interfaces – Warp does have a “workflow” for running TUI programs though). In WezTerm or iTerm2, running btop is seamless – you might even split a pane: code on one side, btop on the other via tmux or WezTerm’s native splits.
“Cool kid” appeal of monitoring tools vs terminal emulators: There is some “geek pride” in running a cool monitor. For example, sharing a screenshot of btop with a cyberpunk terminal color scheme can get admiration on forums. However, terminal emulators generally get more hype because they directly affect how you interact daily. A new terminal (Warp, Ghostty) promises to change your everyday dev life; a monitor like btop is more of a trusty sidekick that you use as needed. In pop culture of dev tools, Warp raising VC money and adding AI is big news, whereas btop is a quieter open-source triumph appreciated by enthusiasts.
That said, in operations and gaming communities, monitoring tools can be “cool” – e.g., running btop or glances to show off your system’s performance is a thing. And with more developers doing local machine learning or running heavy tasks on their Mac Pros or M2 Ultras, monitoring has become important. But likely the social buzz is stronger on the terminal side (terminals are undergoing a renaissance; monitoring tools evolve more slowly).
In summary, you wouldn’t typically choose a terminal emulator instead of btop, or vice versa – you’d choose a terminal emulator for your workflow, and decide if/when to run btop alongside. The more relevant comparison might be btop vs other monitors (htop, Activity Monitor), but since btop was explicitly mentioned, presumably the interest is in how the flashy terminals compare to a flashy monitor. The answer: terminals make your command-line experience cooler or more efficient; btop makes monitoring the system cooler and easier. Both can be part of a “cool kid” setup – e.g., using WezTerm or Ghostty as your shell and having btop running in a corner to show off those sweet ASCII graphs.
Out of the tools examined, a few stand out as particularly trend-setting in 2024–2025: they have either achieved significant adoption or represent the direction of innovation. We will look more closely at Warp, Ghostty, and WezTerm as our case studies – each exemplifying a different approach (proprietary AI-enhanced, open-source performance-optimized, and open-source power-user configurable, respectively). We’ll examine their adoption, community/ecosystem, and any debates surrounding them (such as open vs closed source). We’ll also touch on how they compare, including to the “old guard” like iTerm2, and mention one more: Kitty, which despite not being new in 2025, remains highly influential (it’s arguably the yardstick by which others measure performance).
Adoption & Community: Warp launched in private beta in mid-2021 and public in 2022, and by 2024 it claimed over 500,000 developers using it[25] – a sizeable chunk for a terminal. Its user base has grown thanks to aggressive marketing, word-of-mouth in companies, and the allure of its features. It’s especially popular among developers who are early adopters of AI in tooling. There is a Warp user community on Discord and their GitHub (for feedback/issues) is active. However, because it’s not open source, the community can’t extend it via plugins; they can only request features. Warp’s team engages by adding features regularly (they have a changelog showing weekly improvements). The company behind Warp has also been present at hackathons and conferences, sponsoring events to promote it[84].
Plugin/Extension Ecosystem: Warp is somewhat closed in ecosystem – it doesn’t support third-party plugins to alter the terminal’s behavior (aside from your shell’s own plugins like zsh plugins, which are independent). The extension mechanism in Warp is mainly via their cloud – e.g., you can share “Workflows” (like snippets/commands) with the community or team on their “Drive”, and those appear in Warp’s command search. In 2024 they introduced “Warp AI agents”, which are kind of like extensions but provided by Warp (for example, an agent that can perform a security scan on your command or suggest tests)[28]. Essentially, Warp’s business model seems to revolve around providing these advanced features as a service rather than allowing users to write their own plugins. This has drawn some debate: Open vs Proprietary – many developers prefer tools they can tweak or trust via code. There’s a notable GitHub issue with over a thousand upvotes asking Warp to open source or at least clarify its stance[31]. Warp’s stance is to keep the core closed for now, focusing on a cloud model and perhaps later offering an on-prem enterprise version for companies.
Usage Metrics & Dominance: As of late 2024, Warp appears to be the most prominent new entrant in terms of buzz. It was featured in multiple tech articles (e.g., TechCrunch when it launched funding, blogs about “AI in terminal”). It is not yet displacing iTerm2 everywhere, but a good number of Mac developers have tried it. Its multi-platform expansion in 2025 will likely boost its numbers further (with Linux users especially showing interest now that an Electron-free modern terminal is available to them). Warp’s dominance is most visible in discussions around AI integration – in that niche, it basically had no competition (until maybe Microsoft’s “GitHub Copilot CLI” or others catch up). If we gauge trend by social media and articles: Warp is often mentioned as “the future of terminals”, though always with the caveat of being closed source.
Debates: The key debates around Warp: Privacy & Cloud – some are uncomfortable that Warp by default requires login. Warp has responded by removing the login requirement for local use in 2023 (you can skip login and still use the terminal, just without cloud sync)[85]. But certain features (AI, team sync) obviously need cloud. They claim to keep all user data private and not snoop on terminal content, but skeptics remain. Pricing – Warp’s initial pricing tiers raised eyebrows (the $200/mo “Lightspeed” tier for unlimited AI was seen as exorbitant[33]). They’ve since adjusted pricing to be usage-based and made it clear that “all the core terminal features remain free”[30], which placated some concerns. The idea is you only pay if you use the AI beyond a free quota. Another debate is reliability – if Warp’s cloud were down, would that impede work? So far, core usage is local, so not really; but things like shared workflows might depend on their server. For now, no major incidents known.
Comparison to btop angle: Warp doesn’t overlap with btop directly – it doesn’t offer system monitoring (aside from maybe showing your command’s runtime or exit code). In fact, one might argue that because Warp uses more background processes and connects out for AI, a savvy user might run btop to monitor Warp’s own resource usage or network calls to be sure it’s not doing anything unwanted. This is part of the trust issue some have: running btop you might see warp-drive processes etc., which is unusual for a terminal. Warp’s team would say those are for features and telemetry and are minimal.
Summary: Warp is riding the wave of AI and cloud collaboration. It set a trend that terminals can be more than local tools – they can be “cloud-first” and assistive. Whether that trend endures or not will depend on if developers find lasting value in those features versus the tried-and-true open source tools. Warp’s trajectory in 2025 suggests it will continue to innovate (they talk about “agentic environment” meaning maybe integration with build systems, deployment, etc.). For a macOS user, Warp is an enticing but somewhat paradigm-shifting choice: it’s the most different among terminals.
Adoption & Community: Ghostty, while newer, has caught on like wildfire in the open-source community. Pre-1.0, it was invite-only beta, but enthusiasts followed Hashimoto’s devlogs closely. When Ghostty’s code was made public, it quickly accumulated 38k stars on GitHub[63], showing extraordinary interest (for comparison, kitty has ~30k after years, WezTerm ~22k). This doesn’t directly equal users, but it indicates many are at least experimenting with it. On Reddit (like r/neovim, r/terminal, HN), Ghostty often comes up as “have you tried Ghostty? It’s super fast.” After the 1.0 release in Dec 2024, many more general users started trying it. The community typically interacts via GitHub issues/discussions and a Discord that Hashimoto set up[86]. Hashimoto’s involvement is a draw: being a respected developer, his approach instills confidence and excitement.
Extension Ecosystem: Ghostty itself, at 1.0, does not have a plugin system in the way Hyper does. It is extensible in that it supports standard protocols (so any CLI app can utilize its features like images). The design philosophy is more “build features in written in Zig,” rather than allow user plugins. However, being open source, anyone can contribute features or fork it. It’s likely to gain community contributions for things like new protocols or integrations. The config is simple (TOML-based), not programmable like WezTerm’s Lua. So Ghostty is somewhat opinionated/minimal in extension – ironically, more like Alacritty/kitty in that you configure options, not add code. That said, by supporting Kitty’s ecosystem (protocols, maybe kitten compatibility eventually), it indirectly leverages kitty’s “platform” of image-enabled tools.
Usage Metrics: We don’t have exact numbers of users (no telemetry by default, since it’s OSS), but anecdotal evidence shows a chunk of developers switching to or trying Ghostty on Mac for its performance. It’s seen as a successor to Alacritty/kitty on Mac. If kitty was the performance king, Ghostty is attempting to dethrone it by matching speed and improving UX. A user case: one person tried kitty, didn’t like its non-native feel, tried Ghostty and was happier[3]. Another tried Ghostty, noticed some missing features (like search), and decided to wait but acknowledged its huge potential[71].
Ghostty could become the default recommendation for a fast, open Mac terminal in 2025 if it continues to mature. It may not have the sheer numbers of iTerm2 or Warp yet (iTerm2’s user base is likely still larger simply from being default for many for years), but among those who talk on forums, Ghostty is already top-tier. It was ranked alongside WezTerm and kitty in that S-tier list[87].
Open vs Proprietary Debates: Ghostty sits on the opposite side of the fence from Warp in this debate. Many who are skeptical of Warp’s closed nature champion Ghostty as the open alternative that also pushes the envelope. Hashimoto explicitly releasing it as MIT licensed and welcoming contributions placates the community’s trust issues. One minor debate could be language choice (Zig is less known than Rust, but it’s interesting to many), but that’s mostly irrelevant to users. Perhaps the biggest debates around Ghostty are technical: e.g., some may question its memory use or whether using native GUI on each platform is maintainable. But philosophically, it aligns well with “cool kids” who prefer OSS – Ghostty is seen as “ours” (the community’s), whereas Warp is “theirs” (a company’s).
Community Adoption and Plugins: Already, users share Ghostty config setups, theme screenshots (Ghostty supporting Catppuccin theme out-of-box is appreciated[88]). Because it supports kitty’s graphics protocol, any CLI tool that had special support for kitty (like the image preview scripts in ranger, etc.) automatically works, which immediately gave Ghostty an ecosystem of sorts – it “inherits” compatibility. So you could view Ghostty as hooking into the existing ecosystem of terminal TUI apps seamlessly (which is great, no fragmentation). Over time, if Ghostty adds unique features, we might see devs add detection for Ghostty in their apps (similar to how some apps check if $TERM is xterm vs kitty vs wezterm to enable features).
Comparison to Others: Ghostty vs WezTerm vs kitty is a common discussion. Ghostty’s goal overlaps with kitty’s (speed, images) and WezTerm’s (eventually maybe multiplexing, though WezTerm’s scripting is unique). Some users have done direct comparisons, often personal: - Kitty vs WezTerm vs Ghostty: One user said they switched from kitty to WezTerm because kitty felt non-native and WezTerm offered more features, but then Ghostty came which had kitty’s speed with native feel[3][89]. However, that user noted Ghostty’s higher RAM use and missing search, so stuck with WezTerm for now. This shows Ghostty is right there in the conversation and likely to win people over as it fills gaps. - Ghostty vs iTerm2: Most agree Ghostty is way faster and more modern. iTerm2 only wins on having decades of feature polish (like every little setting and tmux integration which Ghostty might not have yet).
Overlaps with btop: Ghostty, like others, doesn’t integrate resource monitoring. But interestingly, because Ghostty is about performance, one might use btop to benchmark it. Hashimoto posted a “DOOM fire” terminal animation benchmark (common to test FPS of terminals) – Ghostty reportedly excels at such tasks. btop could be used to measure CPU usage of Ghostty vs others when catting a large file, for example, to quantify efficiency. But beyond that meta-use, Ghostty doesn’t show system stats internally.
Outlook: Ghostty’s open nature means community can drive it in new directions. If a user really wants a feature (say, an optional CPU meter in the title bar), they could implement it and PR it. That’s how open-source terminals like kitty got features over time (community contributions). Ghostty could potentially incorporate some monitoring or integration if someone desired (though likely out of scope). More realistically, it will focus on refining the terminal experience – maybe adding search, maybe even integration with external tools (who knows, maybe someone will integrate Ghostty with an LLM locally, bridging the gap with Warp’s idea but in open form – purely speculative). For now, Ghostty stands as the trendsetter in performance and native UX, carrying forward the tradition of powerful OSS terminals into the new era.
Adoption & Community: WezTerm has been steadily rising in popularity since around 2020, and by 2024 it’s often mentioned as a top alternative to iTerm2/kitty. With 22k+ GitHub stars[90] and many active contributors, it’s a thriving project. The community congregates on the GitHub (issues, discussions) and a Discord chat. Wez Furlong (the author) is very responsive to issues, which fosters trust. There isn’t a corporate entity behind it; it’s volunteer-driven but robust. WezTerm’s adoption seems particularly high among advanced users – e.g., those who use NixOS, Arch Linux, etc., and of course on macOS among developers who want that tmux+terminal combo. It’s cross-platform, so some teams even standardize on WezTerm across dev machines.
Plugin/Ecosystem: WezTerm does not support binary plugins per se (no shared library loading), but because it’s extensible via Lua scripting, the ecosystem manifests as people sharing their Lua config snippets and scripts. There’s a growing body of user recipes: e.g., scripts to integrate WezTerm with fzf for session switching, or how to show a Spotify song in the status bar. WezTerm even supports using its multiplexer in tandem with other tools; for instance, there’s some integration scenario with Neovim remote sessions. So, while not as simple as “install a plugin”, if you’re comfortable, you can make WezTerm do a lot and share that knowledge.
Additionally, WezTerm has embraced standards that give it ecosystem benefits: it supports OSC 52 (clipboard integration), OSC 7 (syncing directory with shell), etc. This means it works nicely with zsh and ssh (e.g., your prompt can tell WezTerm to update the title or working dir path – which iTerm2 also does). It has a vast feature list – from trivial (background images) to advanced (custom hyperlink rules). The project’s wiki and docs have a “recipes” section that effectively serves as a community hub for cool configurations.
Usage Metrics: While no official numbers, indicators of WezTerm’s dominance in the advanced segment include: mentions in blogs (e.g., “moving from tmux+Terminal to WezTerm”), inclusion in Setapp (WezTerm is now on Setapp, reaching more Mac users), and it being pre-installed or recommended in some devcontainers. The fact that it’s cross-platform means it possibly has a larger total user base than Mac-only terminals like Warp or iTerm2 (though on Windows, a competitor is Windows Terminal from Microsoft).
In Mac circles, WezTerm is often recommended if someone asks “I want something like iTerm2 but faster or with modern config.” Its main hurdle to total domination is that iTerm2 is still entrenched for many, and Warp is siphoning off some newbies. But WezTerm’s trajectory suggests it could be the default for a new generation of devs who value open-source and cross-platform synergy.
Open vs Closed Debate: WezTerm being open source places it firmly on the “open” side, and it’s often mentioned by those who want to move away from closed terminals. Some threads directly contrast it with Warp: “Warp is cool, but I prefer WezTerm for privacy and customizability”. There’s essentially no controversy around WezTerm’s model – it aligns with open-source ideals. The only “debate” might be text vs GUI config (some prefer a GUI like iTerm2’s prefs, but power users are fine with Lua).
Plugin/Extension Ecosystem (continued): Another aspect is WezTerm’s integration with shells and editors. For example, in NeoVim, you can use the :TermExec with WezTerm to open things, or from WezTerm trigger VSCode. These aren’t formal plugins, but people create workflows. WezTerm’s author also participates in bridging it with other software (documenting how to use with various shells, etc.). It doesn’t have a marketplace or such, but arguably doesn’t need one given the nature of config.
Comparison with iTerm2 and tmux: WezTerm often aims to take the best of iTerm2 and tmux as a combined solution. Users migrating sometimes point out: - It doesn’t yet replicate every iTerm2 convenience (for instance, iTerm2’s interface for setting up triggers or some UI preferences are different), but it covers the most critical (like key mappings and such via config). - As a tmux replacement, it does most things but heavy tmux users might have to adjust (tmux has decades of scripts/plugins too). However, many report that WezTerm’s mux is more performant and simpler to manage than tmux’s (no separate server process to remember to run – it’s built in)[78]. - WezTerm’s lack of a GUI config means if you were used to clicking settings in iTerm, you need to embrace editing a config file. There are tools to help migrate (some community scripts that convert iTerm2 color schemes to WezTerm, etc.).
In relation to btop: WezTerm can actually complement btop nicely by using splits. For instance, using WezTerm’s multiplexer you could create a layout with your app log on one pane and btop on another, saved as a workspace. WezTerm could also, via Lua, detect high CPU and flash an alert (if someone coded that). These are possibilities that illustrate how a power user might meld the two: not expecting WezTerm to show a full monitor, but orchestrating btop within a WezTerm workflow. Among our three case studies, WezTerm is the one a user is most likely to incorporate with btop in an automated way (because of scripting).
Outlook: WezTerm seems poised to remain a leading open terminal. If ghostty hadn’t come, WezTerm would likely have slowly absorbed even more of kitty/iTerm’s user base. With ghostty, WezTerm now has a friendly competitor in the open-source Mac arena, which might spur both to improve. They have different strengths: WezTerm = configurability + remote, Ghostty = raw speed + native feel. Some users might even run both for different purposes (though that’s rare; usually one picks one’s daily driver). WezTerm’s cross-platform nature ensures it won’t lose relevance – even if on Mac some go to Ghostty, on Linux/Windows WezTerm will still grow. For Mac users in 2025, if you ask a “cool power user” what they use, a significant number will answer “WezTerm” – with pride, because it signals they’ve mastered a powerful tool.
Kitty’s Ongoing Role: Before concluding the case studies, a brief note on Kitty, since it was one of the dominant ones prior and is still widely used in 2024–25. Kitty remains extremely popular, especially on Linux. On macOS, it’s somewhat eclipsed by newer options, but many devs still use kitty and love it. It pioneered GPU rendering and graphics protocol, and those contributions are now standard expectations (adopted by others). Kitty’s developer continues to add features (it got things like synchronized output to avoid tearing, and even some experimental wayland compositor). Its plugin ecosystem (kittens) is smaller scale but there are a few community kittens (for example, a kitten to GitHub search from terminal). Some Mac users might stick to kitty for stability if Ghostty is too new and WezTerm too complicated, as kitty hits a sweet spot of performance + relative simplicity. In trend terms, kitty is not “the shiny new” anymore, but it’s a benchmark: Warp compares itself to kitty in performance, Ghostty explicitly supports kitty’s protocols. So kitty’s influence persists as a baseline for a “cool, fast terminal.” It’s the choice of many who just want something proven and speedy without frills.
Finally, let’s synthesize all this into guidance for a macOS developer or power user looking to pick the right terminal setup in 2025. With so many options, how do you choose? And once you’ve chosen a terminal emulator, when and why might you still use a separate monitoring tool like btop?
Consider what matters most in your workflow: - If you value stability and extensive features out-of-the-box, and you’re used to it, iTerm2 is still a strong choice. It’s a safe bet and has every feature you might need (though it lacks the novelty factor). A heavy tmux user on Mac will love iTerm2’s seamless integration[13] – no other GUI handles tmux as gracefully (WezTerm comes close with its own mux, but not tmux itself). - If you prioritize performance and minimalism: look at Alacritty or Kitty or Ghostty. Specifically, - Alacritty if you want utterly simple and fast, and you’re okay without modern frills (no images, no fancy tabs). - Kitty if you want speed plus some advanced features (tabs, remote control) and don’t mind editing config and the slightly non-native feel. It’s very mature and customizable (themes, fonts, etc.). - Ghostty if you want cutting-edge speed with a native Mac feel and minimal fuss – it’s likely to suit many Mac devs who want the fastest possible terminal that still looks like a Mac app. Just be mindful it’s new: check that any must-have feature (like search) is there by the time you use it – development is rapid, so even if not at 1.0, it might be soon after. - If you love customization and integration: - WezTerm is a top pick for power users who don’t mind spending an afternoon configuring. If you have cross-platform needs, WezTerm is especially recommended (use it on Linux servers, Windows laptop, and Mac desktop all the same). It’s also great if you want to replace tmux and unify your environment – fewer moving parts once set up. - Hyper could be considered if customization for you means visuals and JavaScript hacking. Perhaps you want your terminal to match your Electron-based workflow or you want to create a unique-looking terminal UI. It’s not the most efficient, but it can be made very unique. - If you want a modern, assistive experience out of the box: Warp is tailored for that. A developer who doesn’t want to tinker with config and instead wants AI help or an easier path to productivity might enjoy Warp. It’s somewhat opinionated (you use it largely how they designed it, not a lot of user tweaking beyond themes), but that streamlining can be beneficial. Teams might adopt Warp to help junior devs learn command-line with AI assistance, for example. - Special cases: - If you need to connect to legacy systems (mainframes, older equipment), consider ZOC Terminal or MacWise. Those are niche, but indispensable in those scenarios – no amount of “cool” in Warp will help you emulate a Wyse-50 terminal correctly. - If you prefer integrated workflows, e.g., a GUI file manager with terminal, try Commander One for a while. It might make you more efficient in file operations. - If managing SSH connections is a big part of your day, Core Shell plus a regular terminal could be your combo – use Core Shell to handle the jumping and key management, but still run your main terminal emulator for the actual work on the remote shell (you can even configure Core Shell to open sessions in an external terminal of your choice).
Regardless of which terminal emulator you use, remember that terminals are not system monitors. They won’t show you CPU graphs or memory usage by themselves (unless you integrate or script something small). So it’s wise to incorporate a tool like btop into your workflow for certain situations: - Long-running tasks or heavy CPU/GPU loads: If you’re compiling a large project, rendering video, running a local Kubernetes cluster, or fine-tuning an ML model on your Mac, it’s helpful to see resource usage. Running btop in a split pane or separate window can show you if, say, all performance cores are maxed out, how memory is holding up, and if any rogue process (maybe a runaway Chrome tab) is stealing cycles. This can inform decisions – e.g., close other apps to allocate resources, or stop the task if it’s thrashing memory. - Diagnosing lag or issues: If your terminal (or whole Mac) feels sluggish, pop open btop. It could reveal that a background process is hogging CPU, or that you’re out of RAM and swapping (which on an SSD can slow things). It might even show that the terminal emulator itself is using too much CPU (for instance, some reported Hyper using more CPU to render than expected[23] – btop would make that visible). Then you might decide to switch to a lighter terminal for that scenario. - Server monitoring: If you SSH into servers, you might run btop there to monitor them. Even though this is not local Mac monitoring, it’s part of many developers’ workflow to monitor remote builds or deployments. In such cases, a terminal emulator with good performance (for rendering btop’s interface) and compatibility (handles the line-drawing characters correctly) is important – fortunately all modern ones do, especially those with proper Unicode support (WezTerm, iTerm2, etc., handle btop’s graphics nicely; some older or very minimal terms might not). - Aesthetic setups and focus: Some users keep a small btop running on a secondary display or in the corner with a translucent background, just because it looks cool and gives a quick read on system health. If you use iTerm2 or kitty, you can make a profile that launches btop with a transparent background and pin it on top as a mini-dashboard. This is arguably both utilitarian and part of the “cool factor” of a setup.
The key is, don’t expect your terminal emulator to do everything. It’s tempting when seeing Warp’s AI or WezTerm’s scriptability to think “maybe I can get system stats in there.” While you can to an extent, a dedicated tool like btop is specialized and will do it better. Terminals and monitors fulfill different needs – use each for what they’re best at.
Integration Tip: If you want seamless usage, you can create shortcuts or shell aliases to quickly launch btop in a new pane or window of your terminal. For example, in iTerm2 you might bind ⌘+B to split a pane and run btop. In WezTerm, you could set a key to spawn a new tab with bash -c btop. This way, whenever you feel the need, your monitor is one keystroke away.
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Evaluate your priorities: Do you need raw speed, advanced features, AI help, or legacy support? This will narrow down choices.
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Try a couple in parallel: It’s not too hard to install multiple terminals (they won’t conflict). You can run iTerm2 and Warp side by side for a week to see which feels better, for instance. Similarly, test Ghostty vs WezTerm vs kitty by doing the same tasks in each (some people even automate a “cat a huge log” test to compare responsiveness).
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Mind your shell and environment: Whichever terminal you choose, you’ll get most benefit if your shell (zsh, fish, etc.) is configured well – e.g., using features like autosuggestions (Fish shell or Zsh plugins) or a nice prompt (Starship prompt works in any terminal). Terminals amplify a good shell setup; they don’t replace it. Warp bundles some of that, but with others you’ll want to install Oh-My-Zsh or similar to get, say, syntax highlighting in your prompt.
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Keep an eye on updates: Terminal emulators are improving rapidly. New releases of Warp or Ghostty or WezTerm often bring big changes. For example, if Ghostty lacks a feature today, it might gain it in a month – so check release notes. iTerm2 updates are rarer but can bring important fixes (especially for new macOS versions).
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Don’t overload on novelty: It’s fun to chase the coolest new terminal, but remember the goal is to improve productivity or comfort. If a terminal’s cool features aren’t actually useful to you (say, you find Warp’s AI suggestions neat but never actually use them), you might be just as happy or happier on a simpler setup. Cool factor for its own sake can wear off – ideally the tool should make your daily work smoother.
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Combine tools for best effect: There’s no rule you can only use one. Some users use different terminals for different tasks (e.g., iTerm2 for work SSH sessions because of tmux integration, but Warp for quick local tasks). Or using a GUI like Core Shell to start an SSH session, then continuing in WezTerm once connected. Identify strengths and use accordingly.
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Security Considerations: If working with sensitive code/data, you might avoid terminals that phone home (so lean to open source with telemetry off). Also, ensure any new terminal is from a trustworthy source (especially lesser-known ones) – stick to official downloads or Homebrew casks.
In context of resource monitoring: make it a habit to monitor when needed. For instance, if you compile code, run tests, or do anything that suddenly makes your laptop warm, glance at btop or equivalent. This will help you catch runaway processes or realize if you need to optimize something.
Conclusion: for a Mac developer in 2025, an ideal setup might look like this – Choose a modern terminal emulator that fits your style (be it Warp’s AI-assisted ease, Ghostty’s lightning speed, WezTerm’s configurability, etc.), tune your shell environment, and know when to pop open btop or similar to keep your system in check. This way you leverage the strengths of both worlds: a powerful command-line interface and vigilant system awareness.
The terminal landscape on macOS in 2024–2025 is vibrant and “cool” in a way it hasn’t been in years. Developers are no longer limited to the default Terminal.app or even the long-favored iTerm2 – there’s a whole spectrum of tools, each with its own philosophy: - Innovation vs Tradition: On one end, we have Warp pushing the envelope by infusing AI and cloud collaboration into the terminal, essentially blending IDE-like intelligence into the shell. On the other end, tools like Ghostty and WezTerm innovate within the traditional paradigm – boosting performance, flexibility, and openness while keeping the classic command-line spirit. This gives users a choice aligned to their comfort level with new paradigms. - Performance as a feature: Terminals like Kitty, Alacritty, Ghostty, WezTerm show that performance (GPU acceleration, low latency) is a key battleground. The result is that even stalwarts like iTerm2 had to adapt (Metal renderer)[4]. In practical terms, this means modern terminals can handle huge outputs and high-DPI displays with ease. For users, smoother terminals reduce friction – no more waiting or freezing when a command spews thousands of lines. - Feature convergence and differentiation: Many of the “cool” features (split panes, images, multiplexing) are becoming common – multiple emulators now support them in some form. Differentiators are thus moving to higher-level concepts: AI integration (Warp), native experience (Ghostty), extreme configurability (WezTerm), or web-based extensibility (Hyper). It’s likely we’ll continue to see terminals borrow good ideas from each other (e.g., maybe others will implement Warp-like command search, or Warp might add plugin APIs if demand rises). This cross-pollination benefits users, as the general quality of all terminals improves. - “Cool kids” and culture: It’s noteworthy that command-line tools are enjoying “cool” status at all – a decade ago, one might assume GUIs reign, but now a slick terminal setup is a point of pride. There’s a cultural element where being proficient with these tools (and having a beautifully configured terminal) is seen as a mark of a power developer. Whether it’s sharing your .dotfiles including a WezTerm config or showing off Warp’s AI helping solve a bug, terminals are in the limelight. This drives tool makers to cater to that sense of community – e.g., Warp enabling sharing of workflows, or open-source devs creating awesome themed configurations to share. - Resource monitoring remains important but in the background: Tools like btop and other monitors might not be as hyped, but they quietly complement this renaissance by ensuring that all this power usage remains visible and manageable. As Mac users push their machines with heavier dev tasks (Docker, Kubernetes, local AI models), monitors are their guardian angels to prevent meltdown. And yes, they’re cool in their own right – turning a terminal into a live dashboard of system vitals is both useful and impressive-looking.
Trends to watch for the future: - We might see more AI integration in terminals – Warp’s head start might inspire open-source versions (perhaps a Ghostty plugin hooking to local LLMs or a WezTerm script interfacing with ChatGPT API). - Better OS integration: Apple’s moves (like improving Metal performance, or any terminal-related APIs) could affect these tools. Maybe one day Apple will revamp Terminal.app or add their own AI features – which would really validate this trend. - Cross-platform unification: Tools that run everywhere (WezTerm, kitty, maybe Ghostty soon) will be appealing as dev teams often use mixed OSs. The “cool kid” might soon be the one whose environment is identical on Mac, Linux, and codespaces – terminals like those help achieve that. - Collaboration features: Warp is not the only way; there’s also “Teleconsole” or “tmate” for sharing terminals. Perhaps other emulators will incorporate easier sharing or recording of sessions for teaching/demonstrations, since that’s a valued use-case (like live coding or support). - Security and privacy focus: With the rise of cloud terminals, expect some focus on encryption, local-only modes, etc., because developers (and companies) will demand control over what data leaves the machine. Open-source terminals have an inherent advantage here by being inspectable.
In choosing your setup, the best practice is to align tools with your workflow and values. Thanks to this diverse ecosystem, if you’re a macOS user in 2025, you can truly personalize your command-line experience: whether you want a no-nonsense lightning-fast interface, a futuristic AI-assisted environment, or something in between. And you can augment it as needed with tools like btop to keep your Mac’s performance in check.
In the end, the appeal of the terminal – whether it’s the emulator or the monitoring tools – comes down to empowerment and aesthetics. The “cool kids” use these tools not just because they’re trendy, but because they make working in the CLI more efficient, insightful, and yes, even enjoyable. And when work is enjoyable and efficient, that’s the ultimate cool factor.
Table: Comparison of Notable macOS Terminal Tools (2024–25)
| Tool | Open Source? (Maintainer) | Platforms | Notable Features & “Cool” Factors | Target Users & Use Case | Pricing / Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iTerm2 | Yes (GPL) – community (GNachman) | macOS (10.14+) | Rich feature set (splits, tabs, tmux integration, triggers), stable and very customizable[13]. Rock-solid Mac choice, though “old guard”. | Power users wanting a proven, full-featured Mac-only terminal. Great tmux GUI support. | Free. Actively maintained (slower pace, but updates for macOS compatibility, security fixes). |
| kitty | Yes (GPL) – K. Goyal | macOS, Linux, Win (WSL) | GPU-accelerated fast rendering[91], tabs & splits, Kitty Graphics Protocol (inline images), “kittens” extension scripts. Highly configurable via text config. | Users who live in terminal and want speed + features, cross-platform config. Requires comfort with manual config. | Free. Very active (frequent releases – e.g., v0.44 in Nov 2025[18]). Strong community (GitHub ★29k+). |
| Alacritty | Yes (Apache/MIT) – community | macOS, Linux, Windows | Extreme performance focus (GPU accelerated)[22], minimal features (no tabs, no ligatures[21]). Configuration in YAML. | Developers wanting a no-frills, lightning-fast terminal and willing to use tmux/IDE for multiplexing. | Free. Actively maintained but slower feature addition (mature). Lower frequency updates. |
| Hyper | Yes (MIT) – Vercel community | macOS, Linux, Windows | Electron-based terminal with plugin ecosystem (extensible via JavaScript/CSS)[23]. Modern UI and themes, but higher resource use. | Web developers, JavaScript aficionados, or those wanting maximum theming/extensibility and not as concerned about performance. | Free. Maintained, but community-driven (plugins may break with updates). Moderate update pace. |
| Warp | No (Proprietary, Warp, Inc.) | macOS (11+), Linux, Win (beta) | AI-powered completions & chat, rich-text command/output blocks, team collaboration (shareable links, cloud sync). Polished UI, command palette. Requires login for cloud features[6]. | Developers who want productivity boosts and AI assistance out-of-the-box. Also teams looking to share CLI workflows. Good for those who prefer an IDE-like experience in terminal. | Core terminal Free. Pro plan for AI features (e.g., $15/mo for more AI queries[92]). Very actively developed (startup-backed, frequent releases). |
| ZOC Terminal | No (Proprietary, EmTec) | macOS, Windows | Professional emulator supporting dozens of legacy protocols (VT, Wyse, TN3270, etc.)[37]. Tabbed UI, scripting (REXX), serial/modem support. Highly reliable for enterprise use. | Sysadmins/network engineers dealing with varied systems (mainframes, network gear) on Mac. Not aimed at modern web dev workflows. | ~$80 one-time license[36]. Actively maintained (v9, updates in 2025). |
| MacTerm | Yes (Apache 2.0) – community | macOS | Open-source Mac terminal with 24-bit color, image protocols support, and extensive preferences[40]. A spiritual alternative to iTerm2, with scripting and unique features (vector graphics mode). | Mac users wanting an open-source Terminal.app replacement with advanced features, possibly those nostalgic of older Mac telnet apps. | Free. Maintained by volunteers (updates for macOS compatibility, slower new feature addition). Small but dedicated user base. |
| MacWise | No (Proprietary, Carnation) | macOS | Classic terminal emulator for connecting to legacy hosts (Wyse 50/60, VT100, etc.) via telnet, SSH, serial[43]. Simple UI, single session style. | Niche: users connecting to legacy systems (businesses with mainframes, BBS hobbyists). Not for modern development needs. | ~$49 shareware[41] (free trial available). Continuously updated for OS compatibility (current v14, 64-bit). |
| Commander One | Partially (Free base, closed-source Pro) | macOS | Dual-pane file manager with integrated Terminal pane[93]. Does FTP/SFTP, cloud mounts (Pro), archive management. Terminal follows GUI navigation. | Users who prefer Norton Commander/Total Commander style workflow and want terminal and file management in one. Useful for heavy file operations with occasional CLI commands. | Free version (basic features). Pro Pack ~$29.99 one-time[44]. Actively maintained (Electronic Team updates for new macOS). |
| Core Shell | No (Proprietary, Codinn) | macOS | GUI SSH client using native macOS ssh. Offers host management, one-click login[48], advanced config editing with UI[49], Keychain integration[50], and auto-reconnect. Terminal interface for each session. | Developers/DevOps with many SSH targets who want to organize and streamline connections. Great for those who find manual ssh config tedious. | Free for basic use. Premium ~$9.99 (unlocks syncing, scripting)[55]. Actively developed (on App Store, Setapp). |
| Ghostty | Yes (MIT) – M. Hashimoto & community | macOS (1.0), Linux/Win (planned) | Blazing-fast Zig-powered terminal focusing on performance and native UI. Uses Metal (GPU) on Mac[67]. Supports Kitty graphics (images)[60], multiple windows/tabs, session restore. Minimal config needed (sane defaults). “Mac-like” look & feel[11]. | Developers wanting the latest in speed and smoothness without sacrificing a native Mac experience. Good for those who used kitty/Alacritty but want better Mac integration. | Free. Open-source community buzz (GitHub ★38k[63]). Rapid development (1.0 in Dec 2024[86], frequent dev logs). Expect regular feature adds post-1.0. |
| WezTerm | Yes (MIT) – Wez Furlong & community | macOS, Linux, Windows | GPU-accelerated modern terminal + built-in multiplexer[7]. Highly configurable in Lua (scriptable actions, custom status bar)[8]. Cross-platform uniformity. Supports ligatures, emoji, images, etc. Strong remote SSH integration (smart domains). | Power users and tinkerers, those who want to unify tmux+terminal and configure every aspect. Cross-platform teams or users who want same terminal on all OS. | Free. Very active (GitHub ★22k[90], frequent updates). Fast-growing adoption among advanced users. |
| btop (monitor) | Yes (C++ MPL) – aristocratos | Linux, macOS, *BSD, Windows (WSL) | Terminal-based system monitor – shows CPU usage (per core graphs), memory, disks, network, and processes with a slick TUI[81]. Interactive (sort processes, send signals), themeable, and low-resource. | Any user needing to monitor system performance. Developers running heavy tasks, sysadmins watching server load, or enthusiasts who like visual system stats. | Free. Actively maintained (successor to bashtop). Use alongside any terminal emulator (runs within it). Provides the “eyes” on system resources. |
(Note: “Platforms” indicates official support. Some Mac-specific tools can run on Linux via source in limited capacity but are not intended for it. Pricing is in USD. Maintenance info as of late 2025.)
In summary, macOS users in 2025 have an enviable toolkit at their disposal. The “cool” factor is not just flash – each of these tools earned buzz by offering tangible improvements, whether in speed, capabilities, or user experience. By understanding their differences and using them in tandem with system monitors as needed, you can craft a command-line environment that is uniquely yours – one that maximizes productivity, reflects your style, and keeps your Mac’s resources well-managed. Happy terminal-ing![7][6]
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[3] [15] [70] [71] [73] [75] [79] [80] [89] From iTerm To WezTerm. For many years, I used iTerm2 as my… | by vladkens | Medium
https://medium.com/@vladkens/from-iterm-to-wezterm-24db2ccb8dc1
[4] iTerm2 version 3.5 released - iTerm2 - macOS Terminal Replacement
[5] [7] [22] [23] [65] [74] [87] [91] Most trusted terminal tools for developers - DEV Community
https://dev.to/rohitg00/most-trusted-terminal-tools-for-developers-g1m
[6] [76] iterm2 vs. terminal vs. warp vs. kitty vs. alacritty vs. hyper - Ritza Articles
https://ritza.co/articles/gen-articles/iterm2-vs-terminal-vs-warp-vs-kitty-vs-alacritty-vs-hyper/
[8] [14] [58] [62] [68] [78] Public release of Ghostty 1.0, a terminal emulator written in zig, is coming in December. Will you be trying it? : r/neovim
https://www.reddit.com/r/neovim/comments/1g9ibzg/public_release_of_ghostty_10_a_terminal_emulator/
[12] Ghostty Docs
[16] [17] [18] GitHub - kovidgoyal/kitty: If you live in the terminal, kitty is made for you! Cross-platform, fast, feature-rich, GPU based.
https://github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty
[19] kitty - Kovid Goyal
https://sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty/
[20] kovidgoyal/kitty-themes: Themes for the kitty terminal emulator
https://github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty-themes
[24] Why I Switched From Cursor to Warp Code | by Jim Clyde Monge
https://generativeai.pub/why-i-switched-from-cursor-to-warp-code-df32692e5381
[25] Warp: The Agentic Development Environment
[26] [84] Warp Wrapped: 2024 in Review
https://www.warp.dev/blog/2024-in-review
[27] Warp: Finally, A Terminal with a Brain | by Ritik | Everyday AI - Medium
https://medium.com/everyday-ai/warp-finally-a-terminal-with-a-brain-5825e9f0badd
[28] In-Depth Profile: Warp Terminal - Innovating the Tech Startup ...
https://sparkco.ai/blog/warp-terminal
[29] Thought on the new Warp terminal? : r/neovim - Reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/neovim/comments/1bddh1r/thought_on_the_new_warp_terminal/
[30] Understanding Warp's New Pricing: Your Complete Transition Guide
[31] Open sourcing Warp and business model #400 - GitHub
[32] Is Warp Code The Best Terminal In 2025? - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1WlMuFR1NM
[33] Warp turns the terminal into an agent platform — at $200 a month
https://www.implicator.ai/warp-turns-the-terminal-into-an-agent-platform-at-200-a-month/
[34] The Agentic Development Environment - Warp
[35] [36] [37] [39] ZOC (software) - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZOC_(software)
[38] ZOC Terminal for Mac - Download (2025 Latest Version) - FileHorse
https://mac.filehorse.com/download-zoc-terminal/
[40] MacTerm Reviews in 2025 - SourceForge
https://sourceforge.net/software/product/MacTerm/
[41] MacWise terminal emulation for Mac OSX - telnet / serial for Wyse ...
[42] MacWise - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacWise
[43] MacWise terminal emulation for Macintosh - Carnation Software
https://www.carnationsoftware.com/domains/MacWise/Index.html
[44] FTP Client for Mac | Commander One - Electronic Team
https://www.electronic.us/products/commander-one/
[45] Commander One Software Reviews, Demo & Pricing - 2025
https://www.softwareadvice.com/file-sharing/commander-one-profile/
[46] [47] [48] [49] [50] [51] [52] [54] [55] [56] Core Shell – Terminal to make SSH life easy
[53] Core Shell - Full-featured SSH client for Mac - Setapp
https://setapp.com/apps/core-shell?srsltid=AfmBOoplqezqTtcikJgmH9NZrJWW_19tlMH07_GI2UGCphDlJGAkxbSA
[57] [63] [64] [69] [72] GitHub - ghostty-org/ghostty: Ghostty is a fast, feature-rich, and cross-platform terminal emulator that uses platform-native UI and GPU acceleration.
https://github.com/ghostty-org/ghostty
[59] Ghostty
[61] [66] [86] Ghostty – Mitchell Hashimoto
[77] macOS - Wez's Terminal Emulator
https://wezterm.org/install/macos.html
[81] [83] btop: The Ultimate Real-Time System Monitoring Tool - Tecmint
https://www.tecmint.com/btop-system-monitoring-tool-for-linux/
[82] aristocratos/btop: A monitor of resources - GitHub
https://github.com/aristocratos/btop
[85] Warp terminal – no more login required | Hacker News
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42247583
[90] GitHub - wezterm/wezterm: A GPU-accelerated cross-platform terminal emulator and multiplexer written by @wez and implemented in Rust
https://github.com/wezterm/wezterm
[92] Warp AI vs Claude Pro: A Terminal Developer's Dilemma - Medium
https://medium.com/@eric_abell/warp-ai-vs-claude-pro-a-terminal-developers-dilemma-756441afc2ce
[93] Commander One: Dual-panel File Manager for macOS - Eltima