Best Terminal for Linux

Using the terminal is one of the main draws that attracts users to a Linux system. It is very powerful and allows you to do many tasks just from your keyboard. But you can get even more use out of the command line if you have a good terminal to go along with it. Some terminals make things easier or allow you to split windows to increase your workflow efficiency, etc.

In this tutorial, we have compiled a list of our favorite terminals for Linux. Check out our picks below to find one that suits you best for your command line and administrative needs.

In this tutorial you will learn:

  • Best terminal for Linux
Best Terminal for Linux
Best Terminal for Linux
Software Requirements and Linux Command Line Conventions
Category Requirements, Conventions or Software Version Used
System Any Linux distro
Software Terminator, Tilda, Alacritty, Yakuake, Kitty
Other Privileged access to your Linux system as root or via the sudo command.
Conventions # – requires given linux commands to be executed with root privileges either directly as a root user or by use of sudo command
$ – requires given linux commands to be executed as a regular non-privileged user

Best Terminal for Linux




Here are some of our top picks for terminals on Linux. Which terminal is right for you? Almost all of the below command line terminals are available in most distribution repositories. Give them a try. You might be surprised.

Terminator

Terminator terminal
Terminator terminal

Terminator is a great multi-window terminal program which will allow you to work more professionally with multiple terminal windows at the same time. With Terminator, you can split windows and create auto-typing groups to broadcast your keystrokes to all windows. It also has many further configurations options available.

What we like about it:

  • Multiple terminal windows
  • Type in multiple terminals at the same time
  • Many advanced configuration options available

Tilda

Tilda terminal
Tilda terminal

Tilda features a simple design and a lot of customization options. It feels sleek and mostly stays out of your way while you work. Thanks to its key bindings, you can streamline many of your most used commands into a couple of keystrokes. This is a good option for users that want a terminal with a minimal design and graphic customization.

What we like about it:

  • Simple design
  • Key binding shortcuts
  • Highly customizable

Alacritty

Alacritty can utilize GPU for rendering, making it one of the fastest terminals (perhaps THE fastest) available. Alacritty achieves this amazing performance by being very lightweight. It also has a modern look that is very pleasing to the eyes, making it a good choice for users or administrators that stare at the Linux terminal all day.

What we like about it:

  • Modern look and feel
  • Fastest terminal available
  • Cross platform so you can use it anywhere


Yakuake

Yakuake terminal
Yakuake terminal

Yakuake is based on Konsole, the default terminal for the KDE desktop environment. It is very focused on performance, so this is another fast and responsive terminal. This is a drop down terminal, meaning you can use a keyboard shortcut to quickly access it from anywhere on your system. It can be customized with different color themes, but does not feature as many options as some other choices.

What we like about it:

  • Drop down style for super quick access
  • Allows for many open tabs
  • Fast and responsive terminal

Kitty

Kitty terminal
Kitty terminal

Kitty is the terminal for users that just want a very simple and minimal command line experience. It is GPU based, like some of the other performance focused terminals mentioned earlier. It is a good choice for users that do not need a lot of extra features and just want a fast terminal to get the job done.

What we like about it:

  • GPU based emulator
  • Very fast terminal
  • Simple design

Closing Thoughts




In this tutorial, we learned about some top picks for terminal software on a Linux system. These terminals make productivity on the command line much better, and some of them just make it a lot more enjoyable to use because of a sleek aesthetic and many configuration options. You will definitely enjoy working with the Linux command line even more, after trying one of the terminals in this guide.



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