The terminal is still the developer's power tool. Modern terminal emulators add GPU acceleration, split panes, AI assistance, and beautiful themes. We tested terminals across performance, features, and developer experience.
Warp reimagines the terminal with AI, blocks, and modern UX. Ask AI to explain or write commands. Block-based output makes it easy to work with results. Feels like a modern app versus legacy terminals.
iTerm2 is the power user's Mac terminal. Split panes, profiles, triggers, and endless customization. The shell integration adds file/directory tracking. Still the most configurable option for macOS.
Alacritty is the fastest terminal, period. GPU-accelerated rendering with minimal features means pure speed. Configure via YAML. Perfect for developers who want a fast, reliable terminal without extras.
Kitty combines GPU acceleration with rich features. Tabs, splits, images in terminal, and ligature support. Faster than most while still offering the features power users expect.
Windows Terminal finally gives Windows developers a modern terminal. GPU acceleration, tabs, profiles for CMD/PowerShell/WSL. Essential for anyone developing on Windows.
Hyper is built on Electron with web technologies. Easy theming with CSS, plugins with JavaScript. Not the fastest, but the most hackable for web developers.
Tabby (formerly Terminus) provides a modern cross-platform terminal with SSH management built-in. Plugin system, serial console support, and nice defaults.
We benchmarked performance and evaluated daily developer workflows.
Warp is more modern with AI features. iTerm2 offers more configuration and is more stable/proven. Many Mac developers are switching to Warp for the modern UX.
GPU-accelerated terminals (Alacritty, Kitty, Warp) are noticeably smoother with large output. If you cat large files or run verbose builds, you'll notice the difference.
Warp has the most approachable modern UX. Windows Terminal is great on Windows. iTerm2 with default settings works well on Mac.
