# 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on nightly builds, and the community explicitly asked for stable tags to resume (issues #7451 "Is this project no longer being updated?"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]]