Software Alternatives & Startups

iTerm2 VS Ice

Compare iTerm2 VS Ice and see what are their differences

iTerm2

A terminal emulator for macOS that does amazing things.

Rating
4.0 · 1 review
Pricing
Open source
Ice

Develop in C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, MATLAB, Objective-C, PHP, Python, and Ruby. Deploy on Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, iTerm2 seems to be a lot more popular than Ice. While we know about 119 links to iTerm2, we've tracked only 2 mentions of Ice.

social mentions
119 vs 2
Developer Tools popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 59

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

iTerm2
Ice
Website iterm2.com zeroc.com
Pricing
Open source
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

iTerm2 6 features
Ice 0 features
  • Versatility
    iTerm2 supports a wide range of features such as split panes, multiple tab management, and hotkey-activated terminal windows, making it highly versatile for different workflows.
  • Customization
    Offers extensive customization options, including themes, color schemes, and key bindings, allowing users to tailor the terminal to their preferences.
  • Advanced Features
    Includes advanced functionality like instant replay, which allows users to rewind their terminal session, and integration with automation tools like AppleScript.
  • Performance
    Designed to be efficient and responsive, ensuring it performs well even with multiple sessions and tabs open simultaneously.
  • Integrations
    Seamless integration with macOS features such as native notifications, fullscreen mode, and support for external editors.
  • Community Support
    Active community and comprehensive documentation, which can be very helpful for troubleshooting and learning advanced configurations.

Possible disadvantages

  • Mac-Only
    iTerm2 is exclusive to macOS, which means users on other operating systems cannot utilize its features.
  • Complexity
    The sheer number of features and customization options can be overwhelming for beginners, requiring a learning curve to utilize efficiently.
  • System Resource Usage
    iTerm2 may consume more system resources compared to simpler terminal emulators, which could be a concern on lower-end hardware.
  • Update Frequency
    Occasional updates can introduce bugs or unexpected behavior, requiring users to adjust settings or find workarounds.

No features have been listed yet.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

iTerm2
Ice

Overall verdict

  • iTerm2 is regarded as an excellent terminal emulator for macOS due to its robust feature set and usability, making it a top choice for power users.

Why this product is good

  • iTerm2 is often praised for its advanced features, customization options, and efficiency that enhance productivity for users who work with the command line frequently. It offers split panes, hotkey window, undo close, instant replay, and a highly configurable interface that caters to power users, making it a versatile tool for developers and system administrators.

Recommended for

  • Developers and programmers who need a highly customizable terminal.
  • System administrators who require powerful scripting and automation capabilities.
  • Users who frequently work with command-line interfaces and require multiple sessions handled efficiently.
  • Anyone seeking an enhanced, feature-rich alternative to the default macOS terminal.

Overall verdict

  • ZeroC's Ice (Internet Communications Engine) is a mature, high-performance RPC framework that is well-regarded for building distributed and networked applications, offering robust features and cross-language support.

Why this product is good

  • Provides efficient, high-performance remote procedure calls (RPC) with a compact binary protocol
  • Supports many programming languages including C++, Java, C#, Python, JavaScript, and more, enabling cross-language interoperability
  • Includes a rich set of built-in services such as IceGrid for deployment, IceStorm for pub/sub messaging, and Glacier2 for firewall traversal and security
  • Offers strong security features including SSL/TLS encryption and authentication
  • Well-documented with a stable, battle-tested codebase used in production systems
  • Handles complex distributed computing concerns like load balancing, failover, and object lifecycle management

Recommended for

  • Developers building large-scale distributed systems and microservices
  • Applications requiring cross-language communication between heterogeneous components
  • Enterprise systems needing reliable, secure, and high-performance RPC
  • Real-time and low-latency networked applications such as gaming or financial systems
  • Teams that need built-in services for service discovery, messaging, and deployment management

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

iTerm2 1 video + Add
Ice 3 videos + Add

Customizing iterm2 with ZSH and PowerLevel9k | Z shell Tutorial

ICE Professional Review Preparation Course - An Overview

More videos

  • - The New High-Speed Train Germany LOVES to HATE! - DB ICE 4 Review
  • - Ice Planet Barbarians! (ADULT REVIEW)

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
iTerm2
Ice
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
SSH
0% 0%
0% 0%
Mac
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using iTerm2 and Ice. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

iTerm2 4.0 · 1 review
Ice no reviews yet

We have no reviews of Ice yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

iTerm2 119 mentions
Ice 2 mentions

View more

  • The Rise and Fall of Corba (2006)
    We still don't have anything that can do what CORBA could do. Grpc doesn't even come close. If you are interested in this type of technology, I recommend looking at ZeroC's Ice. https://zeroc.com It's CORBA with all the warts removed,... - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • Strive for simplicity: sanctions, transactions and a big refactoring
    Are you saying: “This solution does not look particularly great”? Well, there's more. The system was not just your average, boring product, it was a modern and fancy distributed system, so it used a framework called Zeroc Ice. This is an... - Source: dev.to / about 4 years ago

Alternatives to iTerm2 and Ice

When comparing iTerm2 and Ice, you can also consider the following products.