cli.news

Terminals

Terminal directory by operating system

Bring platform starter paths, terminal apps, shells and session tools into one system map.

#001No built-in AI; great if you want the terminal to stay focused.

Ghostty

Fast, minimal and strongly native.

Developers who want fast rendering and a modern native feel.

DownloadDetails
#002No built-in AI, but it fits existing shell workflows extremely well.

iTerm2

Mature ecosystem with strong splits, profiles and triggers.

Mac users who want a mature, highly configurable terminal.

DownloadDetails
#003Strong built-in AI, with more of a productized workstation feel.

Warp

Command blocks, collaboration and a modern interface are the main draw.

People who want collaboration and AI assistance inside the terminal.

DownloadDetails
#004No built-in AI, but excellent for connecting your own CLI and agent workflows.

WezTerm

Lua-based configuration and strong consistency across platforms.

Cross-platform power users comfortable with configuration.

DownloadDetails
#005No extra workstation features; keeps the terminal core minimal.

Alacritty

Pure, lightweight and fast to launch.

People who want simple config and very high-performance rendering.

DownloadDetails
#006More of a terminal management platform than an AI-first product.

Tabby

Stronger plugin and connection-management story.

Users who want visual management, connectors and extensibility.

DownloadDetails
#007No AI layer, but strong native integration and stability.

Windows Terminal

Best integration with PowerShell, WSL and Command Prompt.

The safe native default on Windows.

DownloadDetails
#008Great for remote agents, not local heavy AI.

Termux

One of the closest experiences to a real shell on mobile.

Lightweight shell, SSH and scripting on Android.

DownloadDetails
#009Works well with remote services, not heavyweight local workflows.

a-Shell

Better suited as a learning and supporting mobile tool.

Learning basic commands and scripting on iPhone or iPad.

DownloadDetails

Shell matrix

ShellPlatformsTraitsAudience
BashLinux / macOS / WSLThe de facto baseline shell with the broadest tutorial and script coverage.Everyone should know at least some Bash.
ZshmacOS / LinuxStrong interactive experience with a rich plugin and prompt ecosystem.macOS users and people who enjoy customization.
PowerShellWindows / macOS / LinuxStrong object pipelines and automation features.Windows administrators and cross-platform scripting users.
fishWindows / macOS / LinuxFriendly completions and interaction patterns with a lower learning curve.Newcomers who care about interactive ergonomics.
NushellWindows / macOS / LinuxMore structured-data oriented, especially strong with tables and JSON.People who want something beyond plain-text pipelines.

Stay ahead of the stack

Get weekly reports on terminal innovation, CLI tool reviews, and productivity hacks sent directly to your inbox.