# WezTerm WezTerm is a GPU-accelerated, cross-platform terminal emulator **with a built-in multiplexer**, written in [[Rust]] by Wez Furlong and configured entirely in Lua. Open source (MIT), it runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, and FreeBSD with the same configuration file everywhere. That combination — one config, every OS, multiplexing included — is its core pitch. ## Why it stands out Most terminal emulators make you choose: speed ([[Alacritty]]), native polish ([[Ghostty]]), or session persistence (tmux on top). WezTerm bundles more into one binary than any of them: - **Lua configuration.** The config is a program, not a settings file. Conditional logic per host, per OS, per GPU. Dynamic color schemes, event hooks, custom key tables. - **Built-in multiplexing.** Tabs, splits, and *domains*: local, SSH, and TLS domains let you attach to remote machines and keep sessions alive across disconnects, tmux-style but native. - **SSH client included.** `wezterm ssh` gives you multiplexed remote sessions without touching tmux on the server. - **Serious font handling.** Ligatures, color emoji, font fallback chains, and shaping via HarfBuzz. - **Scrollback search, quick select, copy mode** — keyboard-driven text capture without a plugin in sight. ## The catch: release cadence The last **stable** release dates back to February 2024 (`20240203-110809-5046fc22`). Development continues on nightly builds, and the community explicitly asked for stable tags to resume (issues #7451 "Is this project no longer being updated?" and #7825 "Please keep creating stable releases"). The project is alive but effectively nightly-only — a single-maintainer risk worth weighing before you build your whole workflow on it. ## Positioning | Tool | Sweet spot | |---|---| | WezTerm | One tool for terminal + multiplexer + SSH, scripted config | | [[Ghostty]] | Native platform feel, speed, minimal config | | [[Alacritty]] | Raw speed, deliberately minimal feature set | | [[Warp]] | AI-native workflows, team features | | [[Zellij]] | Multiplexing layer on top of any terminal | The distinction that matters for multiplexing: WezTerm's domains survive SSH disconnects like a [[Terminal Multiplexers|multiplexer]] does, while plain emulator splits die with the window. ## References - [WezTerm Website](https://wezterm.org) - [WezTerm on GitHub](https://github.com/wezterm/wezterm) - [Changelog](https://wezterm.org/changelog.html) - [Stable releases discussion (#7825)](https://github.com/wezterm/wezterm/issues/7825) ## Related - [[Terminal Multiplexers]] — the category WezTerm partially absorbs - [[Ghostty]] · [[Alacritty]] · [[Warp]] — emulator alternatives - [[Zellij]] — standalone multiplexer alternative - [[Termius]] — SSH-manager angle on the same space - [[Rust]]