Alacritty vs WezTerm

Agent access

1. ai-native userPoint an agent at llms.txt or agent-oriented docs

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   Alacritty is a terminal emulator with no llms.txt or agent-oriented documentation; a direct probe confirms llms.txt returns 404 and no OpenAPI/agent docs exist.

   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://alacritty.org/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://alacritty.org/openapi.json, https://alacritty.org/swagger.json, https://alacritty.org/api/op…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   WezTerm is a terminal emulator with no llms.txt or agent-oriented documentation endpoint; probes explicitly confirm 404s for llms.txt and markdown doc variants, and there is no mention of agent-facing docs anywhere in the docs or community evidence.

   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://wezterm.org/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE docs-md: HTTP 404 at https://wezterm.org/features.html.md”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

2. ai-native userRun the product headlessly / in CI for automation

   weight 2 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm✓fullprobed8/10

   The CLI subcommand explicitly documents spawning/manipulating panes on a running instance, and a hands-on runtime probe confirms a fully headless control loop (mux-server --daemonize, cli spawn, send-text, get-text, list) with no GUI session required — directly matching the CI/automation story. Missing for 10: explicit first-party CI documentation/examples and independent community reports of using WezTerm in CI pipelines.

   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, wezterm 20240203 via brew cask): fully headless control loop verified — `wezterm-mux-server --daemonize`…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The _cli_ subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The cli subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and p…”
   • [probe] “official CLI documented at https://wezterm.org/cli/cli/index.html”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

3. ai-native userPlug MCP servers into this product so it can use their tools

   weight 3 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

4. ai-native userConnect an agent via an official MCP server

   weight 3 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   This product is not itself an agent, so publishing an official MCP server is plausible and the axis applies; no first-party MCP server appears in the evidence. (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   This product is not itself an agent, so publishing an official MCP server is plausible and the axis applies; no first-party MCP server appears in the evidence. (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

5. ai-native userUse an official CLI

   weight 2 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty✓fullclaimed6/10

   Alacritty ships an official CLI: the `alacritty` binary itself plus documented subcommands like `alacritty msg create-window` for IPC control, which any script or agent can invoke non-interactively. Missing for 10: no AI-agent-specific documentation, no broader scripting/automation API beyond window creation/message IPC, and no independent corroboration of AI-driven usage.

   • [claimed-docs] “New windows can be created either by using the `CreateNewWindow` keybinding action, or by executing the `alacritty msg create-window` subcom…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Offer IPC using _alacritty msg_”
   • [claimed-docs] “Offer IPC using alacritty msg”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm✓fullprobed8/10

   WezTerm ships an official `wezterm cli` subcommand documented for spawning programs, sending text, reading pane content, and manipulating tabs/panes/windows, and a runtime probe confirms it works fully headless (mux-server daemonized, spawn/send-text/get-text/list all functioning without a GUI) — exactly the kind of scriptable, agent-drivable CLI an AI-native user would need. Missing for 10: no explicit first-party framing or examples for AI/agent orchestration use-cases, and no independent (non-vendor) confirmation beyond the single runtime probe.

   • [claimed-docs] “The _cli_ subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The cli subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and p…”
   • [probe] “official CLI documented at https://wezterm.org/cli/cli/index.html”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, wezterm 20240203 via brew cask): fully headless control loop verified — `wezterm-mux-server --daemonize`…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

6. ai-native userDrive the product through a documented public API

   weight 3 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty~partialprobed4/10

   Alacritty documents a limited IPC surface via `alacritty msg` (e.g. create-window, config reload) that could be scripted by an external agent, but this is a narrow CLI/IPC mechanism rather than a full documented public API, and explicit probes show no OpenAPI spec or llms.txt endpoint exists. missing for 10: a comprehensive API reference (REST/RPC/plugin API), machine-readable API spec (OpenAPI/llms.txt), and evidence of AI/agent tooling built against it.

   • [claimed-docs] “Offer IPC using _alacritty msg_”
   • [claimed-docs] “Offer IPC using alacritty msg”
   • [claimed-docs] “New windows can be created either by using the `CreateNewWindow` keybinding action, or by executing the `alacritty msg create-window` subcom…”
   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://alacritty.org/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://alacritty.org/openapi.json, https://alacritty.org/swagger.json, https://alacritty.org/api/op…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm~partialprobed6/10

   WezTerm exposes a documented CLI (wezterm cli spawn/send-text/get-text/list) and a Lua config API, and a runtime probe confirms headless scripted control works end-to-end without a GUI, which is strong evidence for programmatic/agentic driving. However this is a CLI/Lua surface rather than a formal public API spec, and explicit machine-readable API docs (llms.txt, OpenAPI) both 404. missing for 10: an official structured API spec (OpenAPI/schema) or llms.txt for machine consumption, first-party documentation framing this as an 'AI-native' or agent-facing API, and independent third-party corroboration of scripted/agentic use beyond the single runtime probe.

   • [claimed-docs] “The _cli_ subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The cli subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and p…”
   • [probe] “official CLI documented at https://wezterm.org/cli/cli/index.html”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, wezterm 20240203 via brew cask): fully headless control loop verified — `wezterm-mux-server --daemonize`…”
   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://wezterm.org/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://wezterm.org/openapi.json, https://wezterm.org/swagger.json, https://wezterm.org/api/openapi.…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

7. ai-native userSubscribe to events via webhooks

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

Agentic features

1. ai-native userSet up automations that run autonomously in the background

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   WezTerm provides CLI/mux scripting and headless control (spawn, send-text, get-text) that could be used as building blocks, but there is no evidence of a scheduler, trigger system, or persistent background automation framework that runs autonomously without an external orchestrator invoking it. missing for 10: any documented scheduling/trigger mechanism, autonomous background job execution, or agent-loop capability distinct from manual/CLI-invoked scripting.

   • [claimed-docs] “The _cli_ subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The cli subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and p…”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, wezterm 20240203 via brew cask): fully headless control loop verified — `wezterm-mux-server --daemonize`…”
   • [probe] “official CLI documented at https://wezterm.org/cli/cli/index.html”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Api quality

1. ai-native userDownload a machine-readable API spec (OpenAPI or equivalent)

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   WezTerm exposes a CLI and mux protocol but no machine-readable API spec is documented; probes for llms.txt, docs-md, and OpenAPI/swagger endpoints all return 404.

   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://wezterm.org/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE docs-md: HTTP 404 at https://wezterm.org/features.html.md”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://wezterm.org/openapi.json, https://wezterm.org/swagger.json, https://wezterm.org/api/openapi.…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Ai agent

1. ai-native userDelegate terminal tasks to a built-in AI agent that plans and executes commands with my approval

   weight 3 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

Ai privacy

1. ai-native userUse or fully disable AI features with clear control over what session data leaves my machine, without a forced login

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

1. ai-native userDefine rules that trigger actions automatically on events

   weight 3 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm~partialprobed3/10

   WezTerm's docs show scripted automation hooks (CLI to spawn/manipulate panes headlessly, shell-integration user vars, and automatic config-reload on file change) that could be used to script reactive behavior, but there is no explicit documentation of a rule/event system (e.g., named event triggers or pattern-based action bindings) that fires automatically on terminal events. Missing for 10: explicit event-trigger/rule API documentation, examples of event-based automation, and independent confirmation that users define event-driven rules.

   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm will watch the config file that it loads; if/when it changes, the configuration will be automatically reloaded”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm will watch the config file that it loads; if/when it changes, the configuration will be automatically reloaded and the majority of o…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The shell integration provides a shell function named __wezterm_set_user_var which can be used to set your own user vars.”
   • [claimed-docs] “The cli subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and p…”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, wezterm 20240203 via brew cask): fully headless control loop verified — `wezterm-mux-server --daemonize`…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

2. ai-native userSchedule recurring jobs or workflows

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

3. ai-native userVersion, review, and roll back my automations

   weight 1 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

Dotfiles

1. power-userKeep the terminal's full configuration as plain-text files in my dotfiles and sync it across machines

   weight 3 · round drawn
   Alacritty✓fullclaimed9/10

   Alacritty's config is a plain-text TOML file that supports importing additional files (great for dotfiles modularity), making it straightforward to version-control and sync across machines. Docs explicitly confirm TOML format and file import support. Missing for 10: no explicit community testimonial about dotfiles syncing workflow specifically.

   • [claimed-docs] “Alacritty's configuration file uses the TOML format.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Import additional configuration files.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Import additional configuration files. Imports are loaded in order, skipping all missing files, with the importing file being loaded last.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm✓fullcommunity9/10

   WezTerm's config is plain Lua text (wezterm.lua) that lives in dotfiles, auto-reloads on change, and supports CLI overrides — and community evidence directly confirms this makes cross-machine syncing trivial ('it's just Lua code, easy to diff and easy to apply' vs. iTerm2 where syncing was 'next to impossible'). Missing for 10: no first-party doc explicitly discussing dotfiles/multi-machine sync workflows, only community corroboration.

   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm will watch the config file that it loads; if/when it changes, the configuration will be automatically reloaded”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm allows overriding configuration values via the command line”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm will watch the config file that it loads; if/when it changes, the configuration will be automatically reloaded and the majority of o…”
   • [community] “What killed iTerm2 for me was the fact that syncing settings between machines with chezmoi was next to impossible. With Wezterm it's just Lu…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Fonts

1. developerUse programming fonts with ligatures, fallback fonts, and fine-grained font tuning

   weight 2 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty—none0/10

   Community evidence explicitly states Alacritty lacks ligature support ('the classic ligature issue... given up hope there will ever be support') and no docs mention fallback-font configuration; only basic letter/line-spacing tuning (docs-33) is evidenced, which is insufficient to satisfy the combined ligatures+fallback+font-tuning story.

   • [community] “Ah! The 'classic' ligature issue. Have been following that for a while. Kind of given up hope that there will ever be any support for it.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Offset is the extra space around each character. _y_ can be thought of as modifying the line spacing, and _x_ as modifying the letter spacin…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm!disputedcontradicted6/10

   WezTerm's docs explicitly advertise ligatures, color emoji, and font fallback with true color, and config docs mention font-size/color-scheme tuning and live-reload of config changes, supporting fine-grained font control. However, hands-on community reports concretely contradict the polish of this: one user found WezTerm 'severely lacking in font configuration department contrary to popular opinion,' and another reports it 'renders Pragmata Pro Mono Liga much worse on Linux than Tilix does,' plus a Windows user found ligature rendering came with worse input latency than alternatives. Missing for 10: first-party deep-dive docs on fallback font ordering/fine-tuning knobs beyond font_size, and independent corroboration resolving the rendering-quality complaints.

   • [claimed-docs] “Ligatures, Color Emoji and font fallback, with true color and dynamic color schemes”
   • [claimed-docs] “Ligatures, Color Emoji and font fallback, with true color and dynamic color schemes.”
   • [claimed-docs] “changing the font size and color scheme.”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm will watch the config file that it loads; if/when it changes, the configuration will be automatically reloaded and the majority of o…”
   • [community] “I live inside tmux inside alacritty running wsl. I tried wezterm after reading all the great reviews... and i found it severely lacking in f…”
   • [community] “It renders Pragmata Pro Mono Liga much worse on Linux than Tilix does. Otherwise, I'd give it a shot.”
   • [community] “I tried WezTerm on Windows because I was looking for a terminal with ligature support and lower input latency than Windows Terminal. Unfortu…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Theming

1. power-userApply color schemes and themes, including automatic light/dark mode switching

   weight 2 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty~partialclaimed3/10

   Alacritty's TOML config lets users define custom colors via hex codes and import additional config files, which the community uses to build/swap color schemes, but there is no documented built-in mechanism for named themes or automatic OS light/dark mode switching. missing for 10: official theme gallery/switcher, automatic light/dark detection, live reload without restart for such changes.

   • [claimed-docs] “Colors are specified using their hexadecimal values with a # prefix: #RRGGBB.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Colors are specified using their hexadecimal values with a _#_ prefix: _#RRGGBB_.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Import additional configuration files.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Import additional configuration files. Imports are loaded in order, skipping all missing files, with the importing file being loaded last.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Live config reload (changes require restart)”
   • [claimed-docs] “Live config reload (changes require restart) Default: true”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm~partialclaimed4/10

   Evidence confirms WezTerm supports configurable color schemes and dynamic color scheme changes via config/live-reload, but nothing in the pack explicitly documents automatic OS light/dark mode detection or a scheme-switching mechanism tied to system appearance. Missing for 10: explicit documentation of automatic light/dark mode switching (e.g., appearance-based scheme selection), and independent confirmation it works in practice.

   • [claimed-docs] “Ligatures, Color Emoji and font fallback, with true color and dynamic color schemes”
   • [claimed-docs] “changing the font size and color scheme.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Ligatures, Color Emoji and font fallback, with true color and dynamic color schemes.”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm will watch the config file that it loads; if/when it changes, the configuration will be automatically reloaded and the majority of o…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

1. ai-native userDo everything through the API that I can do in the UI

   weight 2 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty~partialclaimed2/10

   Alacritty offers a limited IPC via `alacritty msg` for actions like creating new windows and reloading config, but the vast majority of UI-driven features (vi mode navigation, search, selection, mouse interactions, hints) have no documented API/CLI equivalent. missing for 10: API parity for search/selection/vi-mode/mouse actions, documented full IPC command reference, evidence of programmatic control beyond window creation/config reload.

   • [claimed-docs] “New windows can be created either by using the `CreateNewWindow` keybinding action, or by executing the `alacritty msg create-window` subcom…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Offer IPC using _alacritty msg_”
   • [claimed-docs] “Offer IPC using alacritty msg”
   • [claimed-docs] “The vi mode allows moving around Alacritty's viewport and scrollback using the keyboard.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Search allows you to find anything in Alacritty's scrollback buffer.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Terminal hints allow easily interacting with visible text without having to start vi mode.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm~partialprobed6/10

   WezTerm ships a genuine CLI/mux API (`wezterm cli spawn/send-text/get-text/list`) that a hands-on probe confirms works fully headless without a GUI session, covering pane/tab/window manipulation and text I/O — a strong basis for AI-native control. However, there's no evidence of full UI/API parity (e.g. scripting quick-select, font/color-scheme changes, image protocol, or search-mode equivalents via CLI), and no OpenAPI/machine-readable API surface (probes for openapi.json and llms.txt returned 404s), so many UI-only interactions remain unaddressed by the API. Missing for 10: documented CLI/Lua equivalents for all interactive UI features (quick select, scrollback search, image display, appearance changes), and any formal API spec.

   • [claimed-docs] “The _cli_ subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The cli subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and p…”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, wezterm 20240203 via brew cask): fully headless control loop verified — `wezterm-mux-server --daemonize`…”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://wezterm.org/openapi.json, https://wezterm.org/swagger.json, https://wezterm.org/api/openapi.…”
   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://wezterm.org/llms.txt”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

2. ai-native userExport all of my data in open formats and leave

   weight 3 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm~partialcommunity5/10

   WezTerm's configuration is plain-text Lua stored locally (not locked in a proprietary format or cloud service), and community evidence shows scrollback/session content can be dumped via `wezterm cli get-text`, giving a de facto path to extract your data and leave. However, there is no explicit documented 'export all data' feature, no bundled data-portability tool, and no discussion of migrating multiplexer session state elsewhere. Missing for 10: an explicit export/backup feature or documentation addressing full data portability beyond config files and scrollback dumps, and independent confirmation of leaving with all state intact.

   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm will watch the config file that it loads; if/when it changes, the configuration will be automatically reloaded”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm allows overriding configuration values via the command line”
   • [community] “One thing I was looking for just yesterday was a way to dump my terminal's scrollback - escape sequences and all - to stdout... wezterm does…”
   • [community] “What killed iTerm2 for me was the fact that syncing settings between machines with chezmoi was next to impossible. With Wezterm it's just Lu…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

3. ai-native userRead the product's source under an open license

   weight 2 · round to Alacritty
   Alacritty✓fullclaimed9/10

   Alacritty is a well-known open-source project hosted publicly on GitHub under an open license (BSD/Apache-style, common knowledge reinforced by the repo being the canonical source referenced throughout docs), with source, install instructions (cargo build/install), and INSTALL.md all publicly accessible. missing for 10: explicit citation of the LICENSE file text/name in the evidence pack.

   • [github] “The supported platforms currently consist of BSD, Linux, macOS and Windows.”
   • [claimed-docs] “cargo build --release”
   • [claimed-docs] “cargo install alacritty”
   • [claimed-docs] “If you're just interested in the Alacritty binary and you don't need the terminfo file, desktop entry, manual page or shell completions, you…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   No evidence in the pack references WezTerm's source license, GitHub repository, or open-source licensing terms; all citations concern terminal features, CLI usage, and user reviews, not code openness. Missing for 10: mention of the repository/license, license type (e.g. MIT), or any statement about source availability.

   ⚑ flag

4. ai-native userSelf-host the core product

   weight 3 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm✓fullprobed8/10

   WezTerm ships an embedded mux server that users can run themselves (self-hosted) and connect to via SSH domains, with docs on multiplexing and SSH domains plus a runtime probe confirming a fully headless `wezterm-mux-server --daemonize` control loop with `wezterm cli` spawn/send-text/get-text/list working without a GUI session. missing for 10: independent/community confirmation of self-hosted mux server usage specifically (most community quotes discuss desktop terminal use, not self-hosted server operation), and explicit licensing/deployment guidance for running it as a persistent self-hosted service.

   • [claimed-docs] “A connection to a remote wezterm multiplexer made via an ssh connection is referred to as an _SSH domain_.”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm uses an embedded ssh library to provide an integrated SSH client. The client can be used to make ad-hoc SSH connections to remote ho…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Take a look at the multiplexing section for an alternative configuration that connects to a remote wezterm instance and preserves your tabs.”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, wezterm 20240203 via brew cask): fully headless control loop verified — `wezterm-mux-server --daemonize`…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The _cli_ subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Multiplexing

1. developerSplit windows into panes and organize work across tabs without an external multiplexer

   weight 3 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty—none0/10

   Alacritty's own GitHub docs explicitly state it does not support tabs or splits, deferring that to a window manager or terminal multiplexer, and community feedback confirms the lack of tabs was a dealbreaker for some users.

   • [github] “This means you won't find things like tabs or splits (which are best left to a window manager or terminal multiplexer)”
   • [community] “I used to use kitty, but its CPU usage was on the higher side. I tried alacritty but the lack of tabs was a deal-breaker, so I switched to W…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm✓fullprobed9/10

   WezTerm natively multiplexes panes, tabs, and windows locally and remotely with CLI control and persistent mux server, and multiple hands-on community reports confirm fast, responsive pane splitting used as a tmux replacement. missing for 10: no independent third-party benchmark comparing full multiplexer feature parity (session detach/reattach robustness) across platforms.

   • [claimed-docs] “Multiplex terminal panes, tabs and windows on local and remote hosts, with native mouse and scrollback”
   • [claimed-docs] “The _cli_ subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The cli subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and p…”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, wezterm 20240203 via brew cask): fully headless control loop verified — `wezterm-mux-server --daemonize`…”
   • [community] “The main feature for me is splitting panes... The Lua configuration is very intuitive as well. I do get some indirect crashes when Xwayland …”
   • [community] “I finally went back and gave wezterm a serious try... The mouse issues I was seeing go away. Splitting panes and resizing lots of panes is f…”
   • [community] “I have been able to completely replace tmux with wezterm on Linux and Mac and love it. It even works on Windows.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Quick access

1. power-userSummon the terminal instantly with a global hotkey or quake-style dropdown window

   weight 1 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   No evidence of a global hotkey summon or quake-style dropdown window feature; Alacritty explicitly omits window-management features like tabs/splits, leaving such behavior to external tools (window managers/multiplexers), and no dropdown/hotkey capability is documented.

   • [github] “This means you won't find things like tabs or splits (which are best left to a window manager or terminal multiplexer)”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   No evidence in the pack of a global-hotkey summon or quake-style dropdown window feature; documentation covers panes/tabs/multiplexing, SSH, CLI control, and scrollback but never mentions an instant-summon/dropdown mode, and no community citation confirms this capability exists.

   ⚑ flag

Sessions

1. developerRestore my windows, tabs, and working directories after a restart or crash

   weight 2 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty—none0/10

   Alacritty explicitly does not implement tabs or splits, delegating such functionality to a window manager or multiplexer, and there is no evidence of any session/window/working-directory restoration feature after crash or restart.

   • [github] “This means you won't find things like tabs or splits (which are best left to a window manager or terminal multiplexer)”
   • [community] “I used to use kitty, but its CPU usage was on the higher side. I tried alacritty but the lack of tabs was a deal-breaker, so I switched to W…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm~partialclaimed3/10

   WezTerm's mux-server/SSH-domain feature lets tabs and panes survive a GUI crash or restart by reconnecting to a persistent multiplexer instance, and OSC7-based cwd tracking lets new tabs inherit a working directory — but these require manually setting up a separate mux-server domain rather than being an automatic 'restore my session' feature, and there's no evidence of full window-layout or automatic state persistence on plain restart. Missing for 10: documented automatic session/workspace save-and-restore across app restarts, evidence of working-directory restoration (not just inheritance) after crash, and independent confirmation the mux-domain workflow reliably recovers full window/tab state.

   • [claimed-docs] “A connection to a remote wezterm multiplexer made via an ssh connection is referred to as an _SSH domain_.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Take a look at the multiplexing section for an alternative configuration that connects to a remote wezterm instance and preserves your tabs.”
   • [claimed-docs] “When the current working directory has been set via OSC 7, spawning a new tab will use the current working directory of the current tab, so …”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm uses an embedded ssh library to provide an integrated SSH client. The client can be used to make ad-hoc SSH connections to remote ho…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Benchmarks

1. power-userSee published benchmarks or measured latency/throughput numbers backing the terminal's performance claims

   weight 2 · round to Alacritty
   Alacritty~partialcommunity5/10

   Alacritty's GitHub README explicitly cites use of vtebench to quantify terminal throughput and claims it consistently outperforms competitors, and community anecdotes (HN threads) corroborate a perception of superior speed (e.g. faster startup than kitty, faster than iTerm2/Terminal in a `find` test). However, no actual published benchmark numbers, methodology, or reproducible latency/throughput figures are included in the evidence pack — only a claim of the benchmark's existence and qualitative community praise. Missing for 10: concrete vtebench output/numbers, methodology details, independent reproducible latency measurements.

   • [github] “Alacritty uses vtebench to quantify terminal emulator throughput and manages to consistently score better than the competition using it.”
   • [community] “It really is the fastest one I ever used. Font rendering is great.”
   • [community] “find /Applications results: Hyper crashed, iTerm2 1:28, Terminal 0:20... Alacritty was surprisingly good, very impressive stuff.”
   • [community] “it also opens faster [than kitty], which is important for me, as I use a tiling window manager and open/close terminals fairly often instead…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   No evidence pack item shows WezTerm publishing formal benchmarks, latency/throughput measurements, or comparative performance data; docs only list features, and community comments are anecdotal impressions (some praising speed, others reporting higher latency than cmd.exe/kitty/alacritty) rather than measured numbers.

   ⚑ flag

Rendering

1. developerRely on GPU-accelerated rendering that stays fast and responsive under heavy output

   weight 3 · round to Alacritty
   Alacritty!disputedcontradicted5/10

   Alacritty documents GPU rendering benchmarks (vtebench) showing it beats competitors, and multiple community users independently confirm it 'is the fastest' terminal they've used with performance described as 'amazing' [alacritty-gh-6, alacritty-comm-2, alacritty-comm-3, alacritty-comm-9]. However, a hands-on report describes concrete crashes during use — 'pty reader panicked at index out of bounds' and 'cursor fell off grid' — which are exactly the kind of failures that would occur under heavy terminal output, directly undermining the 'stays fast and responsive under heavy output' claim [alacritty-comm-5]. missing for 10: recent (non-2016) reproduction of the crash to confirm it still occurs, and first-party acknowledgment/fix of the pty-reader panic issue.

   • [github] “Alacritty uses vtebench to quantify terminal emulator throughput and manages to consistently score better than the competition using it.”
   • [community] “It really is the fastest one I ever used. Font rendering is great.”
   • [community] “find /Applications results: Hyper crashed, iTerm2 1:28, Terminal 0:20... Alacritty was surprisingly good, very impressive stuff.”
   • [community] “I really enjoy Alacritty and use it every day. The performance is amazing!”
   • [community] “Nice, but: thread 'pty reader' panicked at 'index out of bounds'... or thread 'pty reader' panicked at 'cursor fell off grid'.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm!disputedcontradicted4/10

   WezTerm's docs tout GPU-based rendering features (ligatures, true color, dynamic schemes) and community reports frequently praise it as fast/responsive (e.g., wezterm-comm-3, wezterm-comm-4, wezterm-comm-5), but multiple hands-on reports directly contradict sustained performance under heavy output — lag when scrolling long lists (wezterm-comm-11), higher input latency than Kitty/cmd.exe and blank-line rendering glitches in vim (wezterm-comm-6, wezterm-comm-12), and poor font rendering vs other GPU terminals (wezterm-comm-18). Missing for 10: explicit first-party GPU-rendering documentation/benchmarks and resolution of the latency/rendering-glitch reports.

   • [claimed-docs] “Ligatures, Color Emoji and font fallback, with true color and dynamic color schemes”
   • [claimed-docs] “Ligatures, Color Emoji and font fallback, with true color and dynamic color schemes.”
   • [community] “Recently switched to WezTerm and I'm very happy... WezTerm is leaps and bounds better in terms of what comes out-of-the-box. My terminal con…”
   • [community] “I finally went back and gave wezterm a serious try... The mouse issues I was seeing go away. Splitting panes and resizing lots of panes is f…”
   • [community] “WezTerm is just so much faster than iTerm2, wish I had switched sooner!”
   • [community] “I tried WezTerm on Windows because I was looking for a terminal with ligature support and lower input latency than Windows Terminal. Unfortu…”
   • [community] “Downloaded the latest stable for macOS and still has the same problem as before - if you have long list of items you want to scroll through …”
   • [community] “I really wanted WezTerm to be the best terminal on macOS. However...WezTerm's latency was noticeably higher than Kitty and WezTerm often pai…”
   • [community] “It renders Pragmata Pro Mono Liga much worse on Linux than Tilix does. Otherwise, I'd give it a shot.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

1. ai-native userOpt out of telemetry and usage tracking

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   The evidence pack contains no mention of telemetry, usage tracking, or any opt-out configuration setting for Alacritty; the docs cover config format, keybindings, and installation but never address data collection. missing for 10: any documentation or config option confirming telemetry exists or an opt-out mechanism, or explicit statement that no telemetry is collected.

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   The axis applies to terminal emulators as a kind (peer products hold positive or none verdicts on this story), so lack of evidence for an applicable capability is "none", never "na". (na/none harmonized at arena bring-up — see pipeline/scripts/terminals-na-harmonize.ts.)

   ⚑ flag

Graphics

1. developerDisplay inline images and rich graphics via a documented terminal graphics protocol

   weight 2 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty—none0/10

   No evidence pack item mentions any inline image protocol (e.g., Sixel, Kitty graphics protocol, iTerm2 image protocol) or documented graphics support; Alacritty's docs focus on selection, search, vi mode, config, and IPC, with no mention of image rendering capability.

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm!disputedcontradicted6/10

   WezTerm documents iTerm2-compatible inline image protocol support plus a built-in imgcat CLI for outputting images to the terminal, which is a genuine documented graphics protocol implementation. However, a hands-on community report states the image support 'didn't play well with tmux,' a concrete real-world failure that led a user to switch away, contradicting a fully seamless graphics experience. Missing for 10: independent hands-on confirmation that images render cleanly outside tmux edge cases, and evidence of broader protocol support (e.g., Sixel/Kitty graphics) beyond iTerm2 compatibility.

   • [claimed-docs] “Output an image to the terminal”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 compatible image protocol support, and built-in imgcat command”
   • [community] “The thing that made me switch to Ghostty was the image support in wez didn't play well with tmux. After testing wez, kitty, and Ghostty, I e…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Platforms

1. developerRun the same terminal with the same config on macOS, Linux, and Windows

   weight 2 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty!disputedcontradicted5/10

   Alacritty documents cross-platform support (Linux, macOS, Windows, BSD) with a single TOML config file that can be imported across platforms (alacritty-gh-1, alacritty-gh-2, alacritty-docs-17, alacritty-docs-8/14), which is the vendor's basis for 'same config everywhere'. However hands-on reports concretely contradict smooth cross-platform parity: a user on Windows/WSL2 hit config gotchas after the TOML switch and couldn't get tmux/neovim shortcuts working before giving up (alacritty-comm-12), another notes modifier-key/shortcut problems in general (alacritty-comm-10), and a current runtime probe shows the macOS Homebrew cask install is broken due to a Gatekeeper failure, blocking straightforward install/use on macOS (alacritty-probe-rt-1). Missing for 10: independent confirmation that an identical config file behaves identically (especially keybindings) across all three OSes, and a working current macOS install path.

   • [github] “The supported platforms currently consist of BSD, Linux, macOS and Windows.”
   • [github] “Alacritty can be installed by using various package managers on Linux, BSD, macOS and Windows.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Alacritty's configuration file uses the TOML format.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Import additional configuration files.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Import additional configuration files. Imports are loaded in order, skipping all missing files, with the importing file being loaded last.”
   • [community] “I gave it a shot on Windows with wsl2. Hit weird config gotchas since they switched to toml, couldn't get tmux/neovim shortcuts to work, gav…”
   • [community] “Alacritty doesn't do well with modifier keys and a lot of keyboard shortcuts don't work in neovim by default. I recommend using foot instead…”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (2026-09-04): `brew install --cask alacritty` fails — Homebrew disabled the cask on 2026-09-01 because the published binaries …”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm✓fullcommunity8/10

   WezTerm's Lua-based config is designed to be portable, with docs describing config file watching/reloading and command-line overrides, and community evidence confirms real cross-platform parity: "I have been able to completely replace tmux with wezterm on Linux and Mac... It even works on Windows" and a user reporting seamless config sync across machines via chezmoi/Lua. macOS install via brew is explicitly documented. Missing for 10: explicit first-party install docs/citations for Linux and Windows in this pack (only macOS install doc present), and no direct doc statement guaranteeing identical behavior across all three OSes.

   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm will watch the config file that it loads; if/when it changes, the configuration will be automatically reloaded”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm allows overriding configuration values via the command line”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm will watch the config file that it loads; if/when it changes, the configuration will be automatically reloaded and the majority of o…”
   • [claimed-docs] “WezTerm is available for brew users”
   • [claimed-docs] “$ brew install --cask wezterm”
   • [community] “I have been able to completely replace tmux with wezterm on Linux and Mac and love it. It even works on Windows.”
   • [community] “What killed iTerm2 for me was the fact that syncing settings between machines with chezmoi was next to impossible. With Wezterm it's just Lu…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Ssh

1. developerSSH to remote hosts with the terminal's own integration carrying my terminfo, shell integration, and config along

   weight 2 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty—none0/10

   No evidence of any built-in SSH integration feature (e.g., automatic terminfo installation on remote host, shell-integration injection, or config sync over SSH) — only a passing mention that the local install ships a terminfo file. Community reports even describe friction with shortcuts inside tmux/neovim, but nothing about SSH-specific tooling.

   • [claimed-docs] “If you're just interested in the Alacritty binary and you don't need the terminfo file, desktop entry, manual page or shell completions, you…”
   • [community] “Alacritty doesn't do well with modifier keys and a lot of keyboard shortcuts don't work in neovim by default. I recommend using foot instead…”
   • [community] “I gave it a shot on Windows with wsl2. Hit weird config gotchas since they switched to toml, couldn't get tmux/neovim shortcuts to work, gav…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm~partialclaimed6/10

   WezTerm ships a built-in SSH client and 'SSH domains' that let you multiplex tabs/panes over an SSH connection to a remote wezterm mux, and it exposes shell-integration features (OSC7 cwd tracking, user vars) for local sessions, but the evidence never explicitly confirms that terminfo, shell-integration scripts, or local config are automatically propagated/carried to the remote host on ad-hoc SSH connections (docs-9/14/18 note an 'alternative configuration' needed for full tab/pane preservation, implying the basic ad-hoc SSH mode doesn't fully carry everything). missing for 10: explicit documentation/evidence of terminfo propagation to remote host, confirmation that shell-integration scripts/config are auto-installed or carried over plain SSH (not just via the multiplexer/domain setup), and independent hands-on confirmation of this remote workflow working smoothly.

   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm uses an embedded ssh library to provide an integrated SSH client. The client can be used to make ad-hoc SSH connections to remote ho…”
   • [claimed-docs] “A connection to a remote wezterm multiplexer made via an ssh connection is referred to as an _SSH domain_.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Take a look at the multiplexing section for an alternative configuration that connects to a remote wezterm instance and preserves your tabs.”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm uses an embedded ssh library to provide an integrated SSH client.”
   • [claimed-docs] “When the current working directory has been set via OSC 7, spawning a new tab will use the current working directory of the current tab, so …”
   • [claimed-docs] “The shell integration provides a shell function named __wezterm_set_user_var which can be used to set your own user vars.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Tmux

1. developerUse tmux inside the terminal, or a documented native tmux integration/control mode

   weight 2 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty~partialcommunity5/10

   Alacritty explicitly positions itself as a minimal terminal that expects tabs/splits/multiplexing to be handled by an external tool like tmux (alacritty-gh-3), so tmux can be run inside it, but there is no documented native tmux integration or control mode. One community report even describes failing to get tmux shortcuts working properly under WSL2 (alacritty-comm-12), showing this isn't always frictionless. missing for 10: any native tmux control-mode/integration docs, first-party guidance on tmux keybinding compatibility, and stronger independent corroboration that tmux works smoothly.

   • [github] “This means you won't find things like tabs or splits (which are best left to a window manager or terminal multiplexer)”
   • [community] “I gave it a shot on Windows with wsl2. Hit weird config gotchas since they switched to toml, couldn't get tmux/neovim shortcuts to work, gav…”
   • [community] “it also opens faster [than kitty], which is important for me, as I use a tiling window manager and open/close terminals fairly often instead…”
   • [community] “Alacritty doesn't do well with modifier keys and a lot of keyboard shortcuts don't work in neovim by default. I recommend using foot instead…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm~partialprobed6/10

   WezTerm documents its own native multiplexing (panes/tabs/windows, SSH domains, mux server, cli spawn/send-text/get-text control mode verified in a headless probe) as a built-in alternative to tmux, and users can also run tmux inside it. However, this is WezTerm's own multiplexer, not a documented tmux control-mode/integration, and community evidence shows friction when combining WezTerm with actual tmux (image protocol issues causing a user to switch to Ghostty). missing for 10: explicit documentation of tmux control-mode (tmux -CC) support or a first-party statement about compatibility/integration with tmux itself, and resolution of the tmux+image-support conflict noted by a user.

   • [claimed-docs] “Multiplex terminal panes, tabs and windows on local and remote hosts, with native mouse and scrollback”
   • [claimed-docs] “The _cli_ subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and…”
   • [claimed-docs] “A connection to a remote wezterm multiplexer made via an ssh connection is referred to as an _SSH domain_.”
   • [claimed-docs] “The cli subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and p…”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, wezterm 20240203 via brew cask): fully headless control loop verified — `wezterm-mux-server --daemonize`…”
   • [community] “I have been able to completely replace tmux with wezterm on Linux and Mac and love it. It even works on Windows.”
   • [community] “The thing that made me switch to Ghostty was the image support in wez didn't play well with tmux. After testing wez, kitty, and Ghostty, I e…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Agent control

1. ai-native userLet a coding agent programmatically drive the terminal itself — create panes, run commands, read output — through a documented control protocol or API

   weight 3 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty—none0/10

   Alacritty's only scripting surface is `alacritty msg` IPC, documented solely for creating new windows and reloading config (alacritty-docs-5, alacritty-docs-11/16) — there is no documented protocol for creating panes, running commands, or reading terminal output. The project explicitly states it deliberately excludes panes/splits, leaving that to window managers or multiplexers (alacritty-gh-3), and probes confirm no llms.txt or OpenAPI/API surface exists (alacritty-probe-1, alacritty-probe-2).

   • [claimed-docs] “New windows can be created either by using the `CreateNewWindow` keybinding action, or by executing the `alacritty msg create-window` subcom…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Offer IPC using _alacritty msg_”
   • [claimed-docs] “Offer IPC using alacritty msg”
   • [github] “This means you won't find things like tabs or splits (which are best left to a window manager or terminal multiplexer)”
   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://alacritty.org/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://alacritty.org/openapi.json, https://alacritty.org/swagger.json, https://alacritty.org/api/op…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm✓fullprobed9/10

   WezTerm documents a CLI subcommand (wezterm cli) that can spawn programs, manipulate tabs/panes, and read pane text (get-text), and a runtime probe confirms an agent-driven headless workflow: spawning panes, sending text/commands, and reading output via a mux server with no GUI required. This is a documented, hands-on-verified programmatic control protocol suitable for an AI agent to drive the terminal. Missing for 10: no formal OpenAPI/RPC schema (llms.txt and openapi probes 404) and no first-party example of an AI agent integration specifically.

   • [claimed-docs] “The _cli_ subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The cli subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and p…”
   • [probe] “official CLI documented at https://wezterm.org/cli/cli/index.html”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, wezterm 20240203 via brew cask): fully headless control loop verified — `wezterm-mux-server --daemonize`…”
   • [community] “One thing I was looking for just yesterday was a way to dump my terminal's scrollback - escape sequences and all - to stdout... wezterm does…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Extensibility

1. developerExtend the terminal with scripts or plugins in a real language (Lua, Python, kittens) beyond built-in options

   weight 2 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty—none0/10

   Alacritty's documented feature set is limited to TOML config, IPC via `alacritty msg`, vi-mode, search, and hints — there is no mention of Lua/Python scripting or a kittens-style plugin system, and the project explicitly positions itself as minimal (leaving multiplexing/extra features to other tools).

   • [claimed-docs] “Import additional configuration files.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Offer IPC using _alacritty msg_”
   • [claimed-docs] “Alacritty's configuration file uses the TOML format.”
   • [github] “This means you won't find things like tabs or splits (which are best left to a window manager or terminal multiplexer)”
   • [github] “The software is considered to be at a **beta** level of readiness; there are a few missing features and bugs to be fixed, but it is already …”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm~partialcommunity6/10

   WezTerm's configuration and extensibility system is Lua-based, confirmed by community reports (e.g., 'with Wezterm it's just Lua code, easy to diff and easy to apply') and supported by docs showing config-file hooks, live-reload, CLI overrides, and user-variable functions that imply a scripting surface beyond simple config. However, the evidence pack lacks direct first-party documentation explicitly describing the Lua API/plugin system, and there is no support for Python or kitten-style extensions (those are a different terminal's feature) — missing for 10: explicit docs citation of the Lua scripting/plugin API, evidence of a plugin ecosystem, and any Python/kittens equivalent.

   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm will watch the config file that it loads; if/when it changes, the configuration will be automatically reloaded”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm will watch the config file that it loads; if/when it changes, the configuration will be automatically reloaded and the majority of o…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The shell integration provides a shell function named __wezterm_set_user_var which can be used to set your own user vars.”
   • [community] “What killed iTerm2 for me was the fact that syncing settings between machines with chezmoi was next to impossible. With Wezterm it's just Lu…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Layouts

1. power-userDefine startup sessions and window layouts in config or scripts so a project workspace opens in one command

   weight 2 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty—none0/10

   Alacritty explicitly excludes window/session management, deferring tabs, splits, and layouts to external window managers or terminal multiplexers rather than providing built-in session/workspace config; no evidence of a startup-session or layout scripting mechanism exists in the pack.

   • [github] “This means you won't find things like tabs or splits (which are best left to a window manager or terminal multiplexer)”
   • [community] “I really disagree with the author's definition of minimal. I need scrollback, tabs, and monitor for activity/silence - I can't really use th…”
   • [community] “I used to use kitty, but its CPU usage was on the higher side. I tried alacritty but the lack of tabs was a deal-breaker, so I switched to W…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm✓fullprobed7/10

   WezTerm's Lua-based config supports scripting startup behavior, and the documented `cli` subcommand can spawn programs and manipulate tabs/panes; a hands-on probe confirms a fully headless control loop (spawn window, send commands, enumerate panes) without GUI interaction, which is exactly the kind of single-command scripted session/layout setup the story describes. Missing for 10: explicit vendor documentation of a named 'workspace' or multi-pane layout template feature (e.g. gui-startup event) and independent community confirmation specifically of launching complex multi-window/pane project layouts via one script.

   • [claimed-docs] “The _cli_ subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The cli subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and p…”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm will watch the config file that it loads; if/when it changes, the configuration will be automatically reloaded”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm will watch the config file that it loads; if/when it changes, the configuration will be automatically reloaded and the majority of o…”
   • [claimed-docs] “wezterm allows overriding configuration values via the command line”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, wezterm 20240203 via brew cask): fully headless control loop verified — `wezterm-mux-server --daemonize`…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Remote control

1. developerScript and control the terminal from the command line — open windows, send text, query state — via a documented CLI or IPC interface

   weight 3 · round to WezTerm
   Alacritty~partialprobed5/10

   Alacritty documents an IPC mechanism (`alacritty msg`) and explicitly shows opening new windows via `alacritty msg create-window` [alacritty-docs-5][alacritty-docs-11][alacritty-docs-16], satisfying the 'open windows' part of the story. However, there is no documentation of sending text to a running instance or querying terminal state via CLI/IPC, and a runtime probe could not even exercise `alacritty msg` on macOS due to a broken Homebrew cask [alacritty-probe-rt-1]. missing for 10: documented support for sending text input via CLI/IPC, ability to query terminal state, independent hands-on confirmation that `alacritty msg` works as described.

   • [claimed-docs] “New windows can be created either by using the `CreateNewWindow` keybinding action, or by executing the `alacritty msg create-window` subcom…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Offer IPC using _alacritty msg_”
   • [claimed-docs] “Offer IPC using alacritty msg”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (2026-09-04): `brew install --cask alacritty` fails — Homebrew disabled the cask on 2026-09-01 because the published binaries …”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm✓fullprobed9/10

   WezTerm ships a documented `cli` subcommand (spawn, send-text, get-text, list, activate, etc.) that controls a running GUI or multiplexer instance, and this was independently verified headless (daemonized mux server + spawn/send-text/get-text/list roundtrip) plus corroborated by a community user dumping scrollback via get-text. Missing for 10: no first-party mention of a richer structured IPC/JSON-RPC protocol beyond the CLI wrapper, and no independent third-party write-up beyond the single HN mention.

   • [claimed-docs] “The _cli_ subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The cli subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and p…”
   • [probe] “official CLI documented at https://wezterm.org/cli/cli/index.html”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, wezterm 20240203 via brew cask): fully headless control loop verified — `wezterm-mux-server --daemonize`…”
   • [community] “One thing I was looking for just yesterday was a way to dump my terminal's scrollback - escape sequences and all - to stdout... wezterm does…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Command tracking

1. developerI get command-aware features from shell integration, like exit status, duration, and notifications when long commands finish

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   No evidence of any shell-integration features like exit status reporting, command duration tracking, or completion notifications; Alacritty's documented feature set covers vi mode, search, selection, IPC/config, but nothing about command-aware shell integration.

   ⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   WezTerm's shell-integration docs describe OSC 7 cwd-tracking and custom user vars (wezterm-docs-10, wezterm-docs-20, wezterm-docs-25), but the evidence pack contains no mention of exit-status tracking, command duration, or notifications when long-running commands finish — features other terminals' shell integrations advertise. Missing for 10: documented exit-status capture, command-duration timing, and completion notifications.

   • [claimed-docs] “When the current working directory has been set via OSC 7, spawning a new tab will use the current working directory of the current tab, so …”
   • [claimed-docs] “spawning a new tab will use the current working directory of the current tab, so that you don't have to manually change the directory”
   • [claimed-docs] “The shell integration provides a shell function named __wezterm_set_user_var which can be used to set your own user vars.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Marks

1. developerJump between prompts and command marks in my scrollback thanks to shell integration

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   The evidence covers vi-mode navigation, scrollback search, and text selection, but there is no mention of shell integration (e.g., OSC 133 prompt/command marks) or a jump-to-previous/next-prompt feature. Missing for 10: any documentation of shell-integration hooks, prompt marks, or command-jump keybindings.

   • [claimed-docs] “The vi mode allows moving around Alacritty's viewport and scrollback using the keyboard.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Search allows you to find anything in Alacritty's scrollback buffer.”
   • [claimed-docs] “In vi mode the search is bound to / for forward and ? for backward search.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   Evidence pack's shell-integration docs (wezterm-docs-10, wezterm-docs-20, wezterm-docs-25) only cover OSC 7 working-directory tracking and custom user vars — there is no mention of OSC 133 semantic prompt/command marks or any keybinding/feature to jump between prompts or command outputs in scrollback. Missing for 10: documentation or evidence of prompt-jump/command-mark navigation, keybindings for 'jump to previous/next prompt', and any independent confirmation of this specific capability.

   • [claimed-docs] “When the current working directory has been set via OSC 7, spawning a new tab will use the current working directory of the current tab, so …”
   • [claimed-docs] “spawning a new tab will use the current working directory of the current tab, so that you don't have to manually change the directory”
   • [claimed-docs] “The shell integration provides a shell function named __wezterm_set_user_var which can be used to set your own user vars.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Discoverability

1. power-userDiscover and run terminal actions from a searchable command palette

   weight 1 · round drawn
   Alacritty—none0/10

   Alacritty explicitly positions itself as a minimal terminal with no built-in tabs, splits, or higher-level UI chrome, and there is no mention anywhere in docs or community evidence of a command palette or searchable action launcher; only scrollback search and vi-mode navigation exist, which are distinct features. No evidence supports discoverable/searchable command execution.

   • [github] “This means you won't find things like tabs or splits (which are best left to a window manager or terminal multiplexer)”
   • [claimed-docs] “Search allows you to find anything in Alacritty's scrollback buffer.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Terminal hints allow easily interacting with visible text without having to start vi mode.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm—none0/10

   The evidence pack documents CLI subcommands, quick-select, scrollback search, and SSH/multiplexing features, but nowhere mentions a searchable command palette for discovering/running actions. A community comment even notes that WezTerm's many features 'are not really discoverable,' reinforcing the absence of such a UI. Missing for 10: any documentation or user report of a command-palette UI, its keybinding, or its action list.

   • [community] “my only complaint is that its many features are not really discoverable. Sure, the documentation is really good, and the author is very enga…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The _cli_ subcommand interacts with a running wezterm GUI or multiplexer instance, and can be used to spawn programs and manipulate tabs and…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Quick Select mode allows you to quickly highlight text that matches commonly copied patterns, select a match by typing a one-or-two characte…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Hyperlinks

1. developerOpen URLs and file paths from output by clicking them or selecting them from the keyboard

   weight 2 · round to Alacritty
   Alacritty~partialclaimed6/10

   Alacritty documents mouse-click URL opening (alacritty-docs-7, alacritty-docs-29) and keyboard-driven interaction via vi mode and 'terminal hints' for visible text (alacritty-docs-13, alacritty-docs-1), but the evidence never explicitly confirms hint/keyboard support for opening file paths specifically, only URLs. missing for 10: explicit documentation of file-path hint/click support, independent hands-on confirmation of URL/file clicking behavior.

   • [claimed-docs] “You can open URLs with your mouse by clicking on them.”
   • [claimed-docs] “You can open URLs with your mouse by clicking on them. The modifiers required to be held and program which should open the URL can be setup …”
   • [claimed-docs] “Terminal hints allow easily interacting with visible text without having to start vi mode.”
   • [claimed-docs] “The vi mode allows moving around Alacritty's viewport and scrollback using the keyboard.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm~partialclaimed4/10

   WezTerm's Quick Select mode lets users highlight and copy commonly-matched text patterns via keyboard shortcuts, which could cover URLs/paths, but the evidence pack never explicitly documents clickable URL/file opening or an 'open with' action, nor mouse-click-to-open behavior. missing for 10: explicit doc on clicking URLs/paths to open them, evidence of file-path recognition, independent confirmation of click-to-open working in practice.

   • [claimed-docs] “Quick Select mode allows you to quickly highlight text that matches commonly copied patterns, select a match by typing a one-or-two characte…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Searchable Scrollback (use mouse wheel and `Shift-PageUp` and `Shift PageDown` to navigate, Ctrl-Shift-F to activate search mode)”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Scrollback

1. developerSearch my scrollback quickly and jump between matches

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Alacritty✓fullclaimed8/10

   Alacritty documents dedicated search functionality with forward/backward keybindings (Ctrl+Shift+F/B), and SearchStart/SearchEnd actions to jump between matches, plus vi-mode / (forward) and ? (backward) search integration. This directly satisfies searching scrollback and jumping between matches. Missing for 10: independent hands-on corroboration of search UX specifically (community evidence is silent on search quality) and no mention of match highlighting/count details.

   • [claimed-docs] “Search allows you to find anything in Alacritty's scrollback buffer.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Search allows you to find anything in Alacritty's scrollback buffer. You can search forward using Ctrl Shift f (Command f on macOS) and back…”
   • [claimed-docs] “The `SearchStart` and `SearchEnd` keybinding actions can be bound if you're looking for a way to jump to the start or the end of a match.”
   • [claimed-docs] “In vi mode the search is bound to / for forward and ? for backward search.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   WezTerm✓fullcommunity8/10

   WezTerm documents a Searchable Scrollback feature with Ctrl-Shift-F search mode and keyboard navigation (Shift-PageUp/PageDown, mouse wheel), directly matching the story of quickly searching and jumping between matches; Quick Select mode further complements this for jumping to specific text patterns. Community evidence corroborates related scrollback tooling (get-text dump) though no direct hands-on account of search-and-jump-between-matches UX specifically. Missing for 10: independent hands-on account of the search-mode match-navigation experience (e.g., keybindings for next/prev match) and any friction/limitations reported by users.

   • [claimed-docs] “Searchable Scrollback (use mouse wheel and `Shift-PageUp` and `Shift PageDown` to navigate, Ctrl-Shift-F to activate search mode)”
   • [claimed-docs] “Searchable Scrollback (use mouse wheel and Shift-PageUp and Shift PageDown to navigate, Ctrl-Shift-F to activate search mode)”
   • [claimed-docs] “Quick Select mode allows you to quickly highlight text that matches commonly copied patterns, select a match by typing a one-or-two characte…”
   • [community] “One thing I was looking for just yesterday was a way to dump my terminal's scrollback - escape sequences and all - to stdout... wezterm does…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag