Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

WindTerm VS Kitty terminal

Compare WindTerm VS Kitty terminal and see what are their differences

WindTerm logo WindTerm

WindTerm is a terminal emulator application that is used in cross-platforms such as SSH, Sftp, Shell, Telnet, and serial terminal and allows you to use the mouse to conduct any operation on its interface.

Kitty terminal logo Kitty terminal

Super fast, GPU and OpenGL based terminal emulator with tiling support
  • WindTerm Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-01

WindTerm is a partial open source project, and the source will be gradually opened.

Open source code includes, but is not limited to, the classes that can be used independently, such as functional, algorithms, gui widgets, etc., as well as functional libraries, such as network, protocols, etc., as well as all types that require open source according to the license.

  • Kitty terminal Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-21

WindTerm features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    WindTerm offers a clean and intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to navigate and operate, even for beginners.
  • Performance
    The application is known for its high performance and speed, enabling efficient handling of multiple terminal sessions without lag.
  • Customization
    Users have significant flexibility to customize the interface and functions according to their preferences with themes and settings.
  • Feature-Rich
    WindTerm supports numerous protocols, syntax highlighting, split views, and other advanced features that cater to professional needs.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    It is available on multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it versatile for different users.

Possible disadvantages of WindTerm

  • Complex Setup for Advanced Features
    Some users may find the setup for certain advanced features to be complex and not well-documented, requiring additional time to learn.
  • Limited Community Support
    Despite its capabilities, WindTerm has a smaller user base compared to more established terminal emulators, leading to fewer community-driven resources.
  • Lack of Plugin Ecosystem
    WindTerm does not have a robust plugin ecosystem, which limits users' ability to extend functionality beyond what is natively provided.
  • Infrequent Updates
    The software does not receive updates as frequently as some of its competitors, which may delay addressing bugs or introducing new features.

Kitty terminal features and specs

  • Performance
    Kitty is designed to be a fast and efficient terminal, with support for GPU rendering. This can provide smoother and quicker display updates, especially beneficial for intensive command-line tasks.
  • Features
    Kitty offers a rich set of features including support for tabs, multiple layouts, and extensions. It also supports features like ligatures, image display, and sixel graphics.
  • Customization
    Kitty is highly customizable, allowing users to modify key bindings, color schemes, and more through its comprehensive configuration files.
  • Remote Control
    Kitty provides a remote control framework, which allows users to script and control the terminal from the command line or other external programs.
  • Platform Support
    Kitty is available on multiple platforms including Linux, macOS, and Windows (through WSL), making it versatile for various operating systems.
  • Active Development
    The terminal is actively maintained by its developers, ensuring regular updates, bug fixes, and the addition of new features.

Possible disadvantages of Kitty terminal

  • Learning Curve
    Given its extensive feature set and customization options, there can be a steep learning curve for new users unfamiliar with its configuration and advanced features.
  • Configuration Complexity
    The extensive customization options, while powerful, can be overwhelming and may require a considerable amount of time to configure to a user's liking.
  • Font Support
    Although Kitty supports font ligatures and several other advanced font features, some users have reported occasional issues with font rendering and compatibility.
  • Resource Usage
    While designed for performance, the use of GPU rendering can mean higher resource usage compared to simpler terminals, which might be noticeable on older hardware.
  • Documentation
    Though extensive, the documentation can sometimes be challenging to navigate for new users, making it harder to find specific information or solutions to particular problems.
  • No Native Windows Support
    Kitty does not have native Windows support; it runs on Windows through the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). This might not be ideal for users looking for a fully native Windows terminal experience.

Analysis of Kitty terminal

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Kitty is a highly regarded terminal emulator that is considered good by many users.

Why this product is good

  • Kitty is fast, feature-rich, and supports GPU rendering, which can improve performance. It is highly customizable, supports modern terminal features, and has a friendly and active community. Additionally, it supports features like tabs, layouts, and window management, which many users find convenient.

Recommended for

  • Users who require a fast and efficient terminal emulator.
  • Those who need advanced features and customization options.
  • Developers who appreciate GPU acceleration for rendering.
  • Anyone looking for a terminal emulator with active community support.

WindTerm videos

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Kitty terminal videos

Kitty Is A Fast And Feature Rich Terminal Emulator

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to WindTerm and Kitty terminal)
SSH
20 20%
80% 80
Development
45 45%
55% 55
Terminal Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Tool
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Kitty terminal seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 93 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.

WindTerm mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of WindTerm yet. Tracking of WindTerm recommendations started around Apr 2022.

Kitty terminal mentions (93)

  • Optimizing My Dev Workflow in 2025
    Initially, I used the Mac's built-in Terminal, but encountered issues with font loading. This led me to explore alternative terminal options. I initially chose Kitty, but after the official release of Ghostty, I made the switch. It has been running flawlessly for me. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • iTerm2 Critical Security Fix
    Kitty (https://sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty) has been my go to for many years and with tmux it's fantastic. I have heard a lot of great things about https://ghostty.org/ but haven't had a chance to check it out. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Preview images, videos, fonts, PDFs ... in Vifm.
    The terminal I am currently using is st but I have also tested this "Vifm" enhancement in kitty and alacritty. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Show HN: Shpool, a Lightweight Tmux Alternative
    Oh, this might be the missing piece of the puzzle for me to get rid of tmux! I've been using screen/tmux for a long time. Recently I switched to kitty[0] locally. I like kitty a lot! But I've been stuck with tmux on my servers for session persistence. [0]: https://sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty/. - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
  • Ask HN: What macOS apps/programs do you use daily and recommend?
    Besides the usual Firefox/Chrome, Spotify, etc I use the following: - Karabiner-Elements for key remapping, specifically, for making caps lock into ctrl/esc. I don't know of anything else that does this job. Everyone who remaps keys seems to use this. - Kitty as my terminal of choice. I spend most of my time logged in remotely to a server via ssh where I attach to a tmux session. Kitty was easy enough to... - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing WindTerm and Kitty terminal, you can also consider the following products

Xfce-Terminal - Terminal is a modern terminal emulator for the Unix/Linux desktop - primarily for the Xfce desktop...

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

ST - Simple Terminal - st is a simple terminal implementation for X.

iTerm2 - A terminal emulator for macOS that does amazing things.

Foot - Foot is a terminal emulator app for Wayland that offers you many simple and easy-to-use functions or features and allows you to conduct the operation through your keyboard as well as the mouse.

Tabby.sh - Tabby is a free and open source SSH, local and Telnet terminal with everything you'll ever need.