wave
An open-source, AI-integrated cross-platform terminal with durable SSH sessions, built-in file editing, and flexible workspace organization.
What is wave?
Wave Terminal is an open-source, cross-platform terminal application that integrates AI assistance directly into command-line workflows. It solves the problem of fragmented development environments by providing durable SSH sessions, built-in file editing, and flexible workspace organization in a single application. The terminal works with any AI model, allowing users to bring their own API keys for services like OpenAI, Claude, or Gemini, or run local models via Ollama and LM Studio.
Developers and system administrators who work with remote servers via SSH and want AI-assisted terminal workflows with persistent connections and integrated file management. It's particularly useful for those managing multiple remote environments who need reliable connections and inline file editing capabilities.
Developers choose Wave Terminal for its unique combination of AI integration, durable SSH sessions that survive network interruptions, and flexible workspace organization—all in an open-source package. Unlike traditional terminals, it provides built-in file editing, rich file previews, and secure local credential storage without requiring external tools or accounts.
Overview
An open-source, AI-integrated, cross-platform terminal for seamless workflows
Use Cases
Best For
- Managing remote servers with unreliable network connections
- AI-assisted command-line debugging and analysis
- Editing remote files directly within the terminal
- Organizing multiple terminal sessions and tools in a flexible workspace
- Previewing various file types (markdown, images, PDFs) inline
- Running local AI models alongside terminal workflows
Not Ideal For
- Users needing a minimal, text-only terminal for embedded systems or low-resource environments
- Teams requiring extensive third-party plugin ecosystems and community themes
- Developers who work exclusively locally and prefer lightweight, traditional terminals without GUI features
Pros & Cons
Pros
Automatically reconnects after network interruptions, changes, or app restarts, ensuring reliable remote terminal access as highlighted in the README.
Wave AI provides context-aware assistance by reading terminal output and supports multiple models including OpenAI, Claude, and local ones via Ollama, with CLI integration through `wsh ai`.
Drag-and-drop interface allows organizing terminals, editors, browsers, and AI in a single workspace, with quick full-screen toggles for better visibility.
Edit remote files with syntax highlighting and preview markdown, images, PDFs inline, eliminating the need for external tools as described in the features.
Cons
The README notes that command execution for Wave AI is 'coming soon,' indicating it's still in beta and lacks full automation capabilities for advanced workflows.
With AI integration, GUI, and multiple features, it likely consumes more memory and CPU than basic terminals, which could impact performance on older or resource-constrained systems.
As a newer project, it has a smaller ecosystem of plugins and themes compared to established terminals like iTerm2, potentially restricting customization options.
Frequently Asked Questions
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