ScriptsApr 12, 2026·2 min read

Ghostty — Fast Feature-Rich Cross-Platform Terminal Emulator

Ghostty is a fast, feature-rich, and cross-platform terminal emulator that uses platform-native UI and GPU acceleration. Written in Zig by Mitchell Hashimoto (co-founder of HashiCorp). Combines native OS feel with terminal power user features.

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Intro

Ghostty is a fast, feature-rich, and cross-platform terminal emulator created by Mitchell Hashimoto (co-founder of HashiCorp, creator of Vagrant, Terraform, Consul, Nomad). Written in Zig, Ghostty uses platform-native UI (AppKit on macOS, GTK on Linux) combined with GPU-accelerated rendering for the best of both worlds: native OS feel with power-user terminal features.

What Ghostty Does

  • Platform-native UI — macOS AppKit, Linux GTK4
  • GPU rendering — Metal (macOS), OpenGL (Linux)
  • Tabs and splits — built-in, no tmux needed
  • Shell integration — prompt marking, working directory tracking
  • Themes — 300+ built-in themes
  • Ligatures — font ligature support
  • Image protocol — Kitty graphics protocol
  • Quick terminal — hotkey dropdown terminal
  • True color — 24-bit
  • Fast — competitive with Alacritty

Architecture

Zig + platform native frameworks. On macOS: AppKit for window management, Metal for text rendering. On Linux: GTK4 for window management, OpenGL for rendering. Terminal state machine implemented in Zig for correctness and performance.

Self-Hosting

Terminal application.

Key Features

  • Platform-native window chrome
  • GPU-accelerated rendering
  • Built-in tabs and splits
  • Shell integration
  • 300+ themes
  • Image support (Kitty protocol)
  • Quick terminal (hotkey)
  • Font ligatures
  • True color
  • Actively developed by Mitchell Hashimoto

Comparison

Terminal Native UI Tabs Image Language
Ghostty Yes Yes Kitty protocol Zig
Alacritty No No No Rust
Kitty Partial Yes Own protocol C+Python
WezTerm No Yes Multiple Rust
iTerm2 Yes Yes Own protocol ObjC

FAQ

Q: Compared to Alacritty? A: Ghostty has native platform UI, built-in tabs/splits, and shell integration; Alacritty is more minimal and mature. Ghostty is better for users who don't want to use tmux.

Q: Linux support? A: Supported, via GTK4 backend. You need to build it yourself.

Q: Is it stable? A: The source code was only open-sourced in late 2024, but Mitchell had been developing it independently for over 2 years. Core features are stable; edge features are still iterating.

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