Windows Terminal
The modern Windows terminal app, plus the original Windows console host, in one repository.microsoft/terminal
- Stars
- 105k
- Forks
- 9.7k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- C++
- Last update
- 6 days ago
- Type
- App
What it is
Windows Terminal is a tabbed command-line application for Windows that supports multiple shells such as PowerShell, Command Prompt and WSL. This repository holds its source code, along with the source for conhost.exe, the original Windows console host that Windows itself is built from. People use it as a more capable replacement for the old Windows console window.
- Open PowerShell, Command Prompt and a WSL distro as separate tabs in one window
- Run the terminal from source by building the project with Visual Studio
- Study how the Windows console host and ConPTY are implemented
- Use the Canary or Preview builds to test features before the stable release
Great for
- Windows users who work in the command line every day and want tabs and rich text
- Developers who run PowerShell, Command Prompt and WSL side by side
- People who want to read or contribute to the source of Windows' console
- Users who want an app that updates automatically from the Microsoft Store
Not ideal for
- Users on Windows 10 builds older than 2004 (build 19041), because the README sets that as the minimum
- People on macOS or Linux, since this is a Windows-specific project
- Anyone who only wants to use the app and has no interest in building source code, which the repo itself is mainly for
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Windows 10 version 2004 (build 19041) or later
Install with winget (from the README)
winget install --id Microsoft.WindowsTerminal -e - 2
Run it
- Install Windows Terminal from the Microsoft Store, or use the winget command above.
- Open Windows Terminal from the Start menu.
- Open a new tab to choose a shell such as PowerShell, Command Prompt or a WSL distro.
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use the Microsoft Store install so the app updates itself automatically
- Try the Canary build to see the newest changes from the main branch, accepting it is the least stable option
- Read the official documentation at learn.microsoft.com/windows/terminal for configuration details
- Install the Cascadia Code font, which the README links as a related project
Downloads
Strengths
- Official Microsoft project with a large community and frequent releases
- Installable from the Microsoft Store with automatic updates
- Source is MIT licensed, so it can be read, modified and reused under those terms
Trade-offs
- Installing from GitHub or a package manager means updates are manual, as the README notes
- Building from source requires a Windows development setup and is aimed at contributors rather than casual users
- The README is truncated, so details about build tooling and configuration are not fully visible here
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| terminal (this) | 105k | App | beginner | 6 days ago | Windows users who work in the command line every day and want tabs and rich text |
| tabby | 75.3k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | Developers who keep many SSH sessions open and want them saved and organized |
| yazi | 43.2k | App | intermediate | 4 days ago | People who already spend time in a terminal and want a faster way to browse folders |
| cmder | 27k | App | beginner | 10 days ago | Windows users who want a nicer, tabbed command-line window |
| upterm | 19k | App | intermediate | 7.5 years ago | Developers who want to try an Electron-based terminal with autocompletion |
| Files | 46.4k | App | intermediate | 4 days ago | Windows users who want a more modern alternative to File Explorer |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.