How does Ghostty compare to Alacritty?

Ghostty offers similar high performance with GPU acceleration but adds rich windowing features and native platform integration, making it more feature-rich while maintaining speed. However, Alacritty is more minimal and focuses solely on performance.

How to install Ghostty on macOS?

Visit the official download page on ghostty.org for the latest macOS release, which provides a native SwiftUI application with easy installation via DMG or package manager. Detailed instructions are available in the documentation.

Does Ghostty support GPU acceleration on Linux?

Yes, Ghostty uses OpenGL for GPU-accelerated rendering on Linux, ensuring fast performance comparable to other high-speed terminals. This is part of its multi-threaded architecture for competitive speed.

Can I embed a terminal in my app using Ghostty?

Absolutely, via libghostty, a cross-platform library available in C and Zig. Check the examples directory or the Ghostling project for implementation guidance, though note the API is still unstable.

Is Ghostty available for Windows?

While libghostty supports Windows for embedding, the standalone GUI terminal application is not available for Windows, limiting its use as a native terminal emulator on that OS. Users on Windows should consider other options.

How do I handle crash reports in Ghostty?

Crash reports are saved locally and can be listed with `ghostty +crash-report`. To analyze, use the Sentry CLI or upload to a Sentry account, as the format is based on Sentry envelopes, which may require manual handling for debugging.

Open-Awesome

Ghostty

MITZig

A fast, feature-rich, cross-platform terminal emulator with native UI and GPU acceleration, plus an embeddable library.

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56.1k stars2.9k forks0 contributors

What is Ghostty?

Ghostty is a fast, feature-rich, and cross-platform terminal emulator that uses platform-native UI toolkits and GPU acceleration for rendering. It solves the common compromise between terminal speed, advanced features, and a native application feel by delivering all three simultaneously. The project also provides `libghostty`, a library for embedding terminal emulation into other applications.

Target Audience

Developers and power users who prioritize terminal performance, modern features, and a native desktop experience on macOS and Linux. It also targets developers building applications that require embedded terminal functionality.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Ghostty for its unique combination of competitive performance (rivaling minimal terminals like Alacritty), extensive modern feature support (like graphics protocols and rich windowing), and deep native platform integration that makes it feel like a first-class citizen on each OS.

Overview

👻 Ghostty is a fast, feature-rich, and cross-platform terminal emulator that uses platform-native UI and GPU acceleration.

Use Cases

Best For

Developers seeking a terminal emulator with both high speed and rich features like tabs and splits
Users who want a terminal that feels like a native macOS or Linux application
Embedding terminal functionality into custom desktop or IDE applications via libghostty
Running modern terminal programs that utilize graphics or image protocols
Power users who organize workflows with multiple windows, tabs, and panes
Projects requiring a cross-platform, zero-dependency terminal emulation library

Not Ideal For

Windows users needing a full-featured native GUI terminal emulator
Minimalists who prefer terminals without native UI toolkits or rich windowing features
Teams dependent on extensive plugin ecosystems or themes from established terminals like Terminator

Pros & Cons

Pros

Wide Terminal Compatibility

Supports a comprehensive range of legacy and modern control sequences, including the Kitty graphics protocol, ensuring it runs mainstream terminal programs without issues.

High Performance Rendering

Utilizes a multi-threaded architecture with GPU acceleration (Metal on macOS, OpenGL on Linux), making it competitively fast compared to terminals like Alacritty.

Native Platform Integration

Built with SwiftUI on macOS and GTK on Linux, offering deep system features like AppleScript support and systemd integration for a seamless native experience.

Embeddable Library

Provides libghostty, a cross-platform C/Zig library for embedding terminal functionality, with practical examples available in the repository.

Cons

Unstable Library API

The libghostty library's API is still in flux and not versioned, which can lead to breaking changes and complicate long-term project integration.

Limited Windows GUI

The full GUI application is only available for macOS and Linux, with no native Windows version, restricting its use on that platform.

Proprietary Features Pending

Planned Ghostty-only terminal control sequences are not yet implemented, meaning it may lack innovative features found in other terminals with custom extensions.

Frequently Asked Questions

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