A terminal app is the window your shell lives in. A better window doesn’t make commands run faster, but easier tabs, splits, search, and copy keep you from losing your thread.

The options

AppPlatformCharacter
iTerm2macOSThe long-standing default. Splits, search, session restore, triggers — the most features
GhosttymacOS/LinuxGPU-accelerated and very fast. Configuration is a single text file
Windows TerminalWindowsTabs and splits, with WSL, PowerShell, and cmd in one window
WarpmacOS/Linux/WindowsBlock-based output and AI command suggestions. Requires an account
Built-in terminalEverywhereLight and always present. Splits and search are the weak points

Starting out, iTerm2 or Ghostty on macOS and Windows Terminal on Windows are safe picks.

Four things to fix right after install

  1. Font. Use a Nerd Font so prompt glyphs don’t render as boxes.
      brew install --cask font-jetbrains-mono-nerd-font
    Then select JetBrainsMono Nerd Font in the app’s font settings.
  2. Scrollback. The default is often small enough to truncate a long log. Raise it to 10,000 lines or more.
  3. Key repeat rate. On macOS, System Settings → Keyboard with repeat rate at maximum and delay at minimum makes cursor movement noticeably quicker.
  4. Learn the split keys. iTerm2 uses ⌘D (vertical) and ⌘⇧D (horizontal); Windows Terminal uses Alt+Shift++ and Alt+Shift+-.

Shortcuts that work everywhere

ActionmacOSWindows/Linux
Start / end of lineCtrl+A / Ctrl+ESame
Delete before / after cursorCtrl+U / Ctrl+KSame
Delete a wordCtrl+WSame
Interrupt the running commandCtrl+CSame
Clear the screenCtrl+LSame
Search historyCtrl+RSame

Learn just these six and your arrow-key time disappears.

Next

With the window settled, tidy up what’s inside it → zsh and Starship

Edit this page

Last updated 19 Aug 2026, 00:00 UTC. history