Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

MSYS2 VS ZOC Terminal

Compare MSYS2 VS ZOC Terminal and see what are their differences

MSYS2 logo MSYS2

A Cygwin-derived software distro for Windows using Arch Linux's Pacman

ZOC Terminal logo ZOC Terminal

ZOC is a professional SSH/telnet client and terminal emulator. With its impressive list of emulations and features, it is a snap to access hosts and mainframes via secure shell, telnet, serial cable, modem/isdn and other methods of communication.
  • MSYS2 Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-05
  • ZOC Terminal Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-08

MSYS2 features and specs

  • Package Management
    MSYS2 uses the Pacman package manager, which is known for its speed and ease of use. This allows users to easily install, update, and manage software packages and dependencies.
  • Unix-like Environment
    MSYS2 provides a Unix-like environment on Windows, making it easier for developers familiar with Unix/Linux systems to work on Windows without having to adjust to a new command interface.
  • Compatibility
    MSYS2 is compatible with many popular Unix/Linux tools and software, making it a versatile option for developers who need access to these tools on a Windows system.
  • Frequent Updates
    The MSYS2 project is actively maintained, with frequent updates to keep up with new features, security patches, and bug fixes, ensuring a stable and secure environment.

Possible disadvantages of MSYS2

  • Complex Setup
    The initial setup of MSYS2 can be complex and intimidating for new users, as it requires multiple packages and configurations to get started.
  • Overhead
    Running a Unix-like environment on top of Windows can introduce some overhead, potentially impacting performance when compared to native Windows applications.
  • Learning Curve
    Users who are not already familiar with Unix/Linux command-line environments may face a steep learning curve when transitioning to MSYS2, due to its reliance on command-line operations.
  • Package Availability
    While MSYS2 has a wide range of packages, not every Linux package is available or may not work as expected due to differences between the environments.

ZOC Terminal features and specs

  • Versatile Connectivity
    ZOC Terminal supports a wide range of protocols such as SSH, Telnet, and serial communication, making it suitable for connecting to diverse systems and devices.
  • Tabbed Sessions
    It allows users to open multiple terminal sessions in a tabbed interface, providing a convenient way to manage different connections without cluttering the desktop.
  • Session Management
    ZOC Terminal offers robust session management features, including the ability to save sessions, organize them into folders, and quickly access frequently used connections.
  • Scripting Capabilities
    It supports scripting in languages like REXX, which can be used to automate tasks and streamline workflows, enhancing productivity for advanced users.
  • Customizability
    The terminal provides extensive customization options, including keyboard mappings, color schemes, and font styles, allowing users to tailor the interface to their preferences.

Possible disadvantages of ZOC Terminal

  • Cost
    ZOC Terminal is a commercial product, which means it requires a purchase or license for continued use, making it less appealing for those seeking a free solution.
  • Complexity for Beginners
    The rich feature set and extensive customization options can be overwhelming for beginners, making it less user-friendly compared to simpler terminal emulators.
  • Limited Platform Support
    ZOC Terminal is primarily designed for Windows and macOS, which limits its availability for users on other operating systems like Linux.
  • Resource Intensive
    Due to its advanced features, ZOC Terminal may consume more system resources compared to more lightweight terminal emulators, potentially affecting performance on less powerful machines.

Analysis of MSYS2

Overall verdict

  • MSYS2 is a highly recommended tool for developers looking to bring a Unix-like environment to Windows. It is versatile, regularly updated, and provides extensive support for building native Windows applications. The community-driven nature and the vast collection of packages available make it a robust choice for development tasks.

Why this product is good

  • MSYS2 is a software distribution and building platform for Windows that is based on the Arch Linux package distribution model. It provides a collection of Unix utilities, GNU toolchain, and various popular open-source libraries, all in a way that is native to Windows. This makes it a great choice for developers who need a Unix-like development environment or want to build software from source on Windows. MSYS2 uses the Pacman package manager, which simplifies installation and updates of software packages, making maintenance easy.

Recommended for

  • Windows developers who require Unix-like tools and software.
  • Developers and engineers looking to build and compile open-source projects on Windows.
  • Users needing a package manager for Windows to manage software installations efficiently.
  • Anyone who wants a more seamless experience transitioning between development environments on different operating systems.

MSYS2 videos

QMK Firmware Tutorial - MSYS2, and Drivers (Part 1)

More videos:

  • Review - Instalando e Atualizando o MSYS2

ZOC Terminal videos

How to Synchronise or Open ZOC Terminal in GNS3 instead of inbuilt GNS3 putty

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to MSYS2 and ZOC Terminal)
Terminal Tools
75 75%
25% 25
SSH
49 49%
51% 51
Server Management
55 55%
45% 45
OS & Utilities
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare MSYS2 and ZOC Terminal

MSYS2 Reviews

10 Termux Alternatives
MSYS2 is an advanced technology software with a user-friendly environment that provides libraries and tools for building, installing, and running a specific featured software on native 64bit windows. The software you generate on this platform would have a particular system of command called minty to have complete control over your profiles to run them smoothly. The primary...

ZOC Terminal Reviews

MobaXterm for Mac: Best Alternatives to MobaXterm for Mac
ZOC is a popular terminal emulator software developed for Mac OS and Windows computer. It is a reliable and elegant tool that connects you to hosts and mainframes via SSH, Telnet and Serial Cable. The impressive list of emulations and powerful features make ZOC Terminal the best alternative to MobaXterm for Mac with modern user interface.
Top 10 Best MobaXterm Alternatives for Windows, macOS & Linux In 2021
ZOC Terminal has been promoted as a popular ssh customer and terminal emulator that support Windows and macOS. It has a big list of emulations and features, that makes it among the very best tools for tasks such as connecting to hosts and mainframes utilizing a safe and secure shell, telnet, and other offered communication methods. It has a present user interface in which...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, MSYS2 seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 8 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

MSYS2 mentions (8)

  • Trying to find the real MinGW
    Hi, I have been learning C++ recently using Visual Studio and Replit and wanted to switch to using a compiler with the windows command prompt. When I search up how to install MinGW there are multiple tutorials of indian people and other people who use totally different links and download pages in each video and I'm not sure which one to trust. Is msys2.org the correct website or is sourceforge or a different... Source: about 2 years ago
  • Getting “QT with MinGW support”?
    Apart from what other people already said, http://msys2.org/ is another easy-to-setup option. Source: over 2 years ago
  • I Hate Windows!
    Also FYI: there’s a project called MSYS2 which derives from Cygwin and seeks to provide a proper set of Unix tools on Windows, including split: https://packages.msys2.org/package/coreutils. Source: over 2 years ago
  • std::cout << "It's a pain";
    Still, it isn't a compiler. You also need to install the Visual Studio build tools, or GCC and/or Clang through MSYS2. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Installing MinGW W64 with FFMPEG on Windows and fixing the weird "file downloaded incorrectly" error.
    Download the latest msys2 installer from http://msys2.org/ and run it. - Source: dev.to / almost 3 years ago
View more

ZOC Terminal mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of ZOC Terminal yet. Tracking of ZOC Terminal recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing MSYS2 and ZOC Terminal, you can also consider the following products

MinGW - MinGW ("Minimalistic GNU for Windows") is a port of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) and...

WinSSHTerm - A tabbed SSH solution for Windows, combining PuTTY/KiTTY, WinSCP and VcXsrv

Termux - Terminal emulator and Linux environment for Android

wezterm - GPU-accelerated cross-platform terminal emulator and multiplexer made with Rust.

Cygwin - Cygwin is a set of tools that provide Linux and POSIX functionality to Windows.

Console2 - Console2 is a modern Windows terminal that features different profiles and color schemes, running as a system service and with support for VIP profiles.