Ghostty vs Alacritty

Agent access

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

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Ghostty—none0/10

   Ghostty is a terminal emulator, not a service with agent-facing docs; a direct probe confirms llms.txt and docs.md endpoints both return 404, meaning no agent-oriented docs are published for it to point at.

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

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

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

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Ghostty—none0/10

   Ghostty is a GUI terminal emulator with GTK/macOS windowing dependencies (ghostty-comm-3, ghostty-comm-4), and a runtime probe found no remote-control/IPC interface, meaning scripts or agents cannot drive a running instance or invoke it headlessly for CI automation (ghostty-probe-rt-1). libghostty is for embedding terminal emulation in other apps, not for running Ghostty itself headlessly in CI.

   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, Ghostty 1.3.1 via brew cask): `ghostty +list-actions` enumerates 85 bindable actions (new_split, new_tab…”
   • [community] “Building from source needs specific deps: 'sudo apt install libgtk-4-dev libadwaita-1-dev git', otherwise you get 'unable to spawn glib-comp…”
   • [community] “It also seems to need a fairly new gtk4. At least the version in Ubuntu 22.04 is too old.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

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

   weight 3 · round drawn
   Ghostty—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

   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

4. ai-native userUse an official CLI

   weight 2 · round to Alacritty
   Ghostty—none0/10

   Ghostty only exposes a launch-time CLI (config flags, +list-actions/+help for bindable actions) but a runtime probe explicitly found no remote-control/IPC interface, meaning an external script or AI agent cannot send commands to or read output from a running Ghostty instance — the CLI is not built for agentic automation.

   • [claimed-docs] “Every configuration key is a valid CLI flag when launching Ghostty from the command-line.”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, Ghostty 1.3.1 via brew cask): `ghostty +list-actions` enumerates 85 bindable actions (new_split, new_tab…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

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

   weight 3 · round drawn
   Ghostty~partialprobed4/10

   Ghostty documents a macOS-only AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows/tabs/terminals/layouts and input events, and a libghostty C/Zig library for embedding terminal functionality, but these are aimed at embedding or macOS-specific automation, not a general documented public API for driving a running instance. A hands-on runtime probe found no remote-control/IPC interface — only a config-actions CLI — so an external agent/script cannot send commands to or read output from a live Ghostty session on the tested platform. Missing for 10: cross-platform scripting API, evidence AppleScript automation actually works end-to-end for external control, ability to read terminal output/state programmatically, and independent corroboration beyond vendor docs.

   • [claimed-docs] “AppleScript Automation: Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [github] “libghostty is a cross-platform, zero-dependency C and Zig library for building terminal emulators or utilizing terminal functionality”
   • [github] “`libghostty-vt` is already available and usable today for Zig and C and is compatible for macOS, Linux, Windows, and WebAssembly.”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, Ghostty 1.3.1 via brew cask): `ghostty +list-actions` enumerates 85 bindable actions (new_split, new_tab…”
   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://ghostty.org/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE docs-md: HTTP 404 at https://ghostty.org/docs.md”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://ghostty.org/openapi.json, https://ghostty.org/swagger.json, https://ghostty.org/api/openapi.…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

6. ai-native userSubscribe to events via webhooks

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Ghostty—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

   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

Agentic features

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

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Ghostty—none0/10

   Ghostty is a terminal emulator, not an automation/orchestration platform; evidence shows only config, theming, and AppleScript scripting for launching windows/tabs, with a runtime probe explicitly confirming no remote-control/IPC interface exists for scripts or agents to run background automations. No evidence of scheduled tasks, background job runners, or agent-triggerable automation capabilities.

   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, Ghostty 1.3.1 via brew cask): `ghostty +list-actions` enumerates 85 bindable actions (new_split, new_tab…”
   • [claimed-docs] “AppleScript Automation: Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

Api quality

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

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Ghostty—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

   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

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
   Ghostty—none0/10

   Ghostty is a terminal emulator with no built-in AI agent, planning, or command-approval workflow anywhere in its documented feature set; evidence covers configuration, themes, rendering, and scripting via AppleScript/CLI actions only. A runtime probe explicitly found no remote-control/IPC interface that would let an external agent send or approve commands, confirming absence of this capability.

   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, Ghostty 1.3.1 via brew cask): `ghostty +list-actions` enumerates 85 bindable actions (new_split, new_tab…”
   • [claimed-docs] “AppleScript Automation: Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Every configuration key is a valid CLI flag when launching Ghostty from the command-line.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

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
   Ghostty—none0/10

   The evidence pack contains no mention of any AI features, AI settings, session-data controls, or login requirements for Ghostty — it is documented purely as a native terminal emulator with configuration, theming, and libghostty embedding capabilities. Since terminal emulators (e.g., AI-augmented ones) can plausibly ship such features, the axis is applicable, but no evidence shows Ghostty offers or disables AI functionality or addresses data-egress/login controls.

   ⚑ flag

   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

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

   weight 3 · round drawn
   Ghostty—none0/10

   Ghostty offers fixed automatic behaviors (auto-detect password prompts, dark/light theme switching) and on-demand AppleScript scripting, but there is no evidence of a general user-definable rule/trigger system that fires actions on arbitrary terminal events, and a runtime probe explicitly found no remote-control/IPC surface for such automation.

   • [claimed-docs] “AppleScript Automation: Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Secure Keyboard Entry: Automatically detect password prompts or manually enable secure keyboard entry to protect passwords from other proces…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Themes can be switched automatically based on system dark/light mode.”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, Ghostty 1.3.1 via brew cask): `ghostty +list-actions` enumerates 85 bindable actions (new_split, new_tab…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

2. ai-native userSchedule recurring jobs or workflows

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Ghostty—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

   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

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

   weight 1 · round drawn
   Ghostty—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

   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

Dotfiles

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

   weight 3 · round to Alacritty
   Ghostty✓fullclaimed8/10

   Ghostty's config is a plain-text file (config-file key), supports splitting into multiple files for modular dotfiles, every key works as a CLI flag, and it can be reloaded live without restart, all of which make it straightforward to keep in a dotfiles repo and sync across machines. missing for 10: no explicit documentation or community confirmation of cross-platform (macOS/Linux/Windows) path consistency for the config file, and no first-party dotfiles-sync tooling or guide is mentioned.

   • [claimed-docs] “You can split your configuration into multiple files by using the `config-file` key in your configuration file.”
   • [claimed-docs] “The configuration can be reloaded at runtime by pressing `ctrl+shift+,` (Linux) or `cmd+shift+,` (macOS).”
   • [claimed-docs] “The configuration can be reloaded at runtime by pressing ctrl+shift+, (Linux) or cmd+shift+, (macOS).”
   • [claimed-docs] “Every configuration key is a valid CLI flag when launching Ghostty from the command-line.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Ghostty supports hundreds of configuration options to make it look and behave exactly how you want.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

Fonts

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

   weight 2 · round to Ghostty
   Ghostty✓fullcommunity9/10

   Ghostty's docs explicitly cover ligature rendering (ghostty-docs-22/33), toggling programming ligatures via -calt (ghostty-docs-7), specifying font-features applied across all fonts (ghostty-docs-26), and configurable fallback fonts for missing codepoints (ghostty-docs-38), plus built-in nerd fonts and a default JetBrains Mono font (ghostty-docs-28). Community feedback corroborates deep, granular config tuning (minimum-contrast, selection colors) as a strength (ghostty-comm-5, ghostty-comm-6). Missing for 10: independent hands-on verification specifically of ligature rendering quality/fallback behavior beyond docs claims.

   • [claimed-docs] “You can use fonts that have ligatures and Ghostty will render them correctly.”
   • [claimed-docs] “You can use fonts that have ligatures and Ghostty will render them correctly. You can also specify specific font features to enable or disab…”
   • [claimed-docs] “To disable programming ligatures, use `-calt` since this is the typical feature name for programming ligatures.”
   • [claimed-docs] “The font feature will apply to all fonts rendered by Ghostty.”
   • [claimed-docs] “This configuration can be repeated multiple times to specify preferred fallback fonts when the requested codepoint is not available in the p…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Ghostty is designed to work out of the box with no configuration for most users. Ghostty has sensible defaults, embeds a default font (JetBr…”
   • [community] “Thanks for the minimum-contrast option (ghostty.org/docs/config/reference#minimum-contrast) - sick of tools with unreadable dark-on-black te…”
   • [community] “selection-foreground and selection-background config to set highlight colors makes a massive difference, versus the translucent selection on…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

Theming

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

   weight 2 · round to Ghostty
   Ghostty✓fullcommunity9/10

   Docs explicitly confirm hundreds of built-in themes selectable via config, custom theme authoring, and automatic switching based on system light/dark mode, plus related fine-grained color config (minimum-contrast, selection colors) corroborated by community users praising these theming features. missing for 10: no independent hands-on demo/screenshot verifying auto light/dark switching in practice beyond docs claims.

   • [claimed-docs] “Themes: Ghostty ships with hundreds of themes that can be selected with a single line of configuration. Themes can be switched automatically…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Themes can be switched automatically based on system dark/light mode.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Ghostty ships with hundreds of built-in themes, supports different themes for light and dark mode, and more.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Users can author their own themes.”
   • [community] “Thanks for the minimum-contrast option (ghostty.org/docs/config/reference#minimum-contrast) - sick of tools with unreadable dark-on-black te…”
   • [community] “selection-foreground and selection-background config to set highlight colors makes a massive difference, versus the translucent selection on…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

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

   weight 2 · round to Alacritty
   Ghostty!disputedcontradicted3/10

   Ghostty documents AppleScript automation for scripting windows/tabs/terminals (macOS only) and exposes config keys as CLI flags, but a hands-on runtime probe found no remote-control/IPC interface: the CLI only supports config/action listing, and there is no way for an external script or agent to send commands to or read output from a running Ghostty instance. This directly contradicts the idea of full UI/API parity for an AI-native user. missing for 10: a documented remote-control/scripting API beyond macOS AppleScript, ability to read terminal state/output programmatically, cross-platform (Linux/Windows) automation parity.

   • [claimed-docs] “AppleScript Automation: Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, Ghostty 1.3.1 via brew cask): `ghostty +list-actions` enumerates 85 bindable actions (new_split, new_tab…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Every configuration key is a valid CLI flag when launching Ghostty from the command-line.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

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

   weight 3 · round to Ghostty
   Ghostty~partialprobed4/10

   Ghostty's configuration lives in plain, human-readable text files that can be split, version-controlled, and passed as CLI flags, which gives a basic form of open, portable settings data — but there is no explicit 'export my data' feature, session/history export, or documented data-portability guarantee (and probes for llms.txt/docs export endpoints return 404). missing for 10: an explicit export/backup mechanism for data beyond config (e.g., scrollback, session state), documentation framing this as a data-ownership/exit story, and independent confirmation that users rely on this for full data portability.

   • [claimed-docs] “Ghostty supports hundreds of configuration options to make it look and behave exactly how you want.”
   • [claimed-docs] “You can split your configuration into multiple files by using the `config-file` key in your configuration file.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Every configuration key is a valid CLI flag when launching Ghostty from the command-line.”
   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://ghostty.org/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE docs-md: HTTP 404 at https://ghostty.org/docs.md”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

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

   weight 2 · round to Alacritty
   Ghostty~partialclaimed6/10

   Ghostty's source is hosted publicly on GitHub and the evidence confirms a public repo plus the libghostty/libghostty-vt libraries usable by developers, implying an open-source, readable codebase. However, no evidence item explicitly names or links the license text (e.g., MIT/Apache) confirming the terms under which the source can be read/used. Missing for 10: explicit license identification/citation, confirmation of license permissiveness, and any independent commentary on licensing terms.

   • [github] “Anyone can use `libghostty` to build a terminal emulator or embed a terminal into their own applications.”
   • [github] “libghostty is a cross-platform, zero-dependency C and Zig library for building terminal emulators or utilizing terminal functionality”
   • [github] “`libghostty` is a cross-platform, zero-dependency C and Zig library for building terminal emulators or utilizing terminal functionality (suc…”
   • [github] “`libghostty-vt` is already available and usable today for Zig and C and is compatible for macOS, Linux, Windows, and WebAssembly.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

4. ai-native userSelf-host the core product

   weight 3 · round drawn
   Ghostty—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

   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

Multiplexing

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

   weight 3 · round to Ghostty
   Ghostty✓fullclaimed8/10

   Ghostty's official docs explicitly describe native support for multiple windows, each with its own tabs and splits, directly addressing the story of organizing work without an external multiplexer (ghostty-docs-32, ghostty-docs-40). Community discussion corroborates general daily-use satisfaction but does not specifically validate the pane/tab experience in depth. Missing for 10: independent hands-on validation specifically of the splits/tabs workflow (community comments focus on other features like search or scrollback), and no mention of pane resizing/navigation keybindings specifics.

   • [claimed-docs] “Ghostty supports multiple windows, each with its own tabs and splits. These are all rendered using native UI components.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Windows, tabs, and splits: Ghostty supports multiple windows, each with its own tabs and splits.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Ghostty supports flexible, custom keybindings through the keybind configuration option.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

Quick access

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

   weight 1 · round to Ghostty
   Ghostty✓fullcommunity8/10

   Ghostty documents a dedicated Quick Terminal feature that animates down for instant access without interrupting work, matching the quake-style dropdown request, and this is independently corroborated by a community member calling it 'ghostty's killer feature.' Custom global keybindings are also configurable via the keybind option. Missing for 10: explicit documentation confirming the Quick Terminal is bound to a global hotkey configurable across all platforms (evidence emphasizes macOS) and no independent hands-on walkthrough of summoning it via a custom global shortcut.

   • [claimed-docs] “Quick Terminal: Lightweight terminal that animates down below the menu bar for instant access without interrupting work.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Lightweight terminal that animates down below the menu bar for instant access without interrupting work.”
   • [community] “The quick terminal feature is ghostty's killer feature for me.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Ghostty supports flexible, custom keybindings through the keybind configuration option.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

Sessions

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

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Ghostty—none0/10

   No evidence in the pack of any session/window/tab restoration feature after restart or crash; docs only describe windows/tabs/splits creation and configuration, not persistence of state. This is a plausible axis for a terminal emulator (comparable tools offer session restore), but nothing here confirms Ghostty supports it.

   ⚑ flag

   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

Benchmarks

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

   weight 2 · round to Alacritty
   Ghostty~partialcommunity4/10

   No first-party published benchmarks exist in Ghostty's docs, but independent community benchmarks provide measured latency and throughput numbers (input latency improved to ~13ms in a newer test, throughput comparable to Alacritty/Ptyxis), while an older benchmark and a hands-on user reported markedly worse input latency and memory footprint than competitors. missing for 10: official vendor-published benchmark suite, consistent/reproducible throughput-latency methodology, and resolution of the conflicting community measurements.

   • [community] “According to an 11-month-old benchmark, Ghostty had the worst input latency across all contenders; a newer benchmark from ~4 months ago show…”
   • [community] “On throughput (catting a large file), Ghostty performs very well, among the same league as Alacritty and Ptyxis.”
   • [community] “After testing Ghostty for a while: input lag is higher than xfce4-terminal, font rendering is blurrier, UI is less consistent with my deskto…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

Rendering

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

   weight 3 · round drawn
   Ghostty!disputedcontradicted5/10

   Ghostty's docs/github tier claim libghostty provides core rendering performance (rendering capabilities, cross-platform GPU-based terminal library), but hands-on community reports concretely contradict smooth, fast performance under load: one user found higher input lag, blurrier fonts and 3-4x memory footprint versus a lightweight terminal, and an older independent latency benchmark showed Ghostty had the worst input latency among terminals tested — though a newer benchmark reported improved ~13ms latency and strong throughput comparable to Alacritty/Ptyxis. missing for 10: first-party performance benchmarks or documentation of GPU-rendering architecture, resolution of the reported high-memory/input-lag complaints, and consistent independent benchmark corroboration across time.

   • [claimed-docs] “libghostty provides the core terminal emulation, font handling, and rendering capabilities.”
   • [github] “libghostty is a cross-platform, zero-dependency C and Zig library for building terminal emulators or utilizing terminal functionality”
   • [github] “`libghostty` is a cross-platform, zero-dependency C and Zig library for building terminal emulators or utilizing terminal functionality (suc…”
   • [community] “After testing Ghostty for a while: input lag is higher than xfce4-terminal, font rendering is blurrier, UI is less consistent with my deskto…”
   • [community] “According to an 11-month-old benchmark, Ghostty had the worst input latency across all contenders; a newer benchmark from ~4 months ago show…”
   • [community] “On throughput (catting a large file), Ghostty performs very well, among the same league as Alacritty and Ptyxis.”
   • [community] “It feels amazing on linux. I find it very noticably better than konsole. Foot/Alacritty also feel amazing but they don't have some features …”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

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

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Ghostty—none0/10

   No evidence in the pack mentions telemetry, usage tracking, or an opt-out setting for Ghostty; the docs cover configuration, features, and performance but say nothing about data collection practices. Since this is a locally-installed terminal emulator, the axis is plausible (any app could collect usage data) but unaddressed, so it defaults to none rather than na.

   ⚑ flag

   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

Graphics

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

   weight 2 · round to Ghostty
   Ghostty✓fullclaimed8/10

   Ghostty's official docs explicitly document support for the Kitty graphics protocol, enabling inline image rendering directly in the terminal, and this is listed as a core feature alongside a broader reference on supported control sequences. Missing for 10: independent hands-on confirmation/testing of the graphics protocol specifically (community evidence covers other features but not image rendering) and detail on protocol coverage limits.

   • [claimed-docs] “Kitty graphics protocol: Ghostty supports the Kitty graphics protocol, which allows terminal applications to render images directly in the t…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Ghostty supports the Kitty graphics protocol, which allows terminal applications to render images directly in the terminal.”
   • [claimed-docs] “For terminal application developers, a reference on terminal concepts and supported control sequences.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

Platforms

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

   weight 2 · round to Ghostty
   Ghostty~partialclaimed4/10

   Ghostty documents strong config portability (single config file, config-file includes, hundreds of options, CLI-flag equivalence) and confirms macOS and Linux binaries, but the evidence pack never shows an actual Ghostty terminal app for Windows — only the underlying libghostty-vt library is said to target Windows/WebAssembly, and the docs explicitly note different default keybindings on macOS vs Linux, undercutting an identical experience even across the two platforms that are supported. missing for 10: confirmed Windows terminal application/binary release, identical default keybindings across platforms, and independent testimony of using the same config file on all three OSes.

   • [claimed-docs] “Ghostty supports hundreds of configuration options to make it look and behave exactly how you want.”
   • [claimed-docs] “You can split your configuration into multiple files by using the `config-file` key in your configuration file.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Every configuration key is a valid CLI flag when launching Ghostty from the command-line.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Ghostty uses different default bindings on macOS and Linux to match the conventions of each platform.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Another part is using standard keyboard and mouse shortcuts that you're already familiar with. Ghostty uses different default bindings on ma…”
   • [github] “`libghostty-vt` is already available and usable today for Zig and C and is compatible for macOS, Linux, Windows, and WebAssembly.”
   • [claimed-docs] “A [Homebrew cask](https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/ghostty) is available and maintained by the Ghostty community.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

Ssh

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

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Ghostty—none0/10

   There is no documentation in the evidence pack describing an SSH integration feature that carries terminfo, shell integration, and config to remote hosts; instead, community reports describe Ghostty's custom TERM value causing 'missing or unsuitable terminal' errors on SSH and users citing SSH breakage as a recurring blocker.

   • [community] “Using its own TERM is a deliberate design decision that can cause SSH 'missing or unsuitable terminal' errors on servers that hardcode xterm…”
   • [community] “I have tried every possible setting but SSH ends up breaking more often than not. As opposed to iTerm which just works. Sometimes I'm back t…”
   • [community] “Missing search and weird ssh control character issues are my blockers. It's great otherwise!”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

Tmux

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

   weight 2 · round to Alacritty
   Ghostty—none0/10

   The evidence pack contains no mention of tmux compatibility, tmux control mode, or any native tmux integration in Ghostty's docs or community reports; only SSH-related terminfo/control-character friction is discussed, which is a different issue. Since terminal emulators like iTerm2 do document explicit tmux control-mode support, this is a fair axis to expect evidence for, and none exists here.

   • [community] “Using its own TERM is a deliberate design decision that can cause SSH 'missing or unsuitable terminal' errors on servers that hardcode xterm…”
   • [community] “I have tried every possible setting but SSH ends up breaking more often than not. As opposed to iTerm which just works. Sometimes I'm back t…”
   • [community] “Missing search and weird ssh control character issues are my blockers. It's great otherwise!”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

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 Ghostty
   Ghostty~partialprobed4/10

   Ghostty documents a built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events, which could let an agent create panes and send commands on macOS, but this is a niche, platform-limited mechanism, not a documented cross-platform control API, and there's no evidence it supports reading terminal output. A hands-on runtime probe explicitly found no remote-control/IPC interface beyond local CLI keybinding actions, meaning an external agent cannot send commands to or read output from a running instance via any documented protocol. missing for 10: cross-platform control API, documented output-reading mechanism, and confirmation that AppleScript scripting actually supports agent-driven read/write loops.

   • [claimed-docs] “AppleScript Automation: Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, Ghostty 1.3.1 via brew cask): `ghostty +list-actions` enumerates 85 bindable actions (new_split, new_tab…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

Extensibility

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

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Ghostty—none0/10

   Ghostty offers only configuration-file options, keybindings, and macOS-only AppleScript automation for driving the app externally; there is no evidence of a Lua/Python scripting API, plugin system, or kitten-style extension mechanism. The runtime probe explicitly confirms no remote-control/IPC surface exists beyond a fixed set of bindable actions, meaning scripts/plugins in a real language cannot extend the terminal.

   • [claimed-docs] “AppleScript Automation: Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, Ghostty 1.3.1 via brew cask): `ghostty +list-actions` enumerates 85 bindable actions (new_split, new_tab…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Ghostty supports flexible, custom keybindings through the keybind configuration option.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

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 Ghostty
   Ghostty~partialprobed3/10

   Ghostty offers rich config options, keybindings, and multi-window/tab/split support, plus a macOS-only AppleScript dictionary for 'scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts' which could approximate scripted startup layouts, but there is no documented session/layout file format or CLI flag to launch a predefined multi-window/tab/split workspace in one command (and probe evidence shows no external IPC/remote-control interface). missing for 10: cross-platform session/layout config file, documented 'launch project workspace' example, evidence of one-command startup replicating saved layouts, and confirmation the AppleScript route actually achieves this in practice.

   • [claimed-docs] “Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [claimed-docs] “AppleScript Automation: Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Ghostty supports multiple windows, each with its own tabs and splits. These are all rendered using native UI components.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Windows, tabs, and splits: Ghostty supports multiple windows, each with its own tabs and splits.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Every configuration key is a valid CLI flag when launching Ghostty from the command-line.”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, Ghostty 1.3.1 via brew cask): `ghostty +list-actions` enumerates 85 bindable actions (new_split, new_tab…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

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 Alacritty
   Ghostty~partialprobed4/10

   Ghostty documents an AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events (macOS only), and exposes CLI flags mapping to config keys, but hands-on probing found no cross-platform CLI/IPC mechanism to remote-control a running instance — the CLI's +action surface only lists/binds actions locally, it cannot send text or query state of a live terminal from another process. missing for 10: a documented cross-platform IPC/socket/CLI remote-control protocol, evidence of sending text/querying state from an external script, and Linux/Windows equivalent to AppleScript automation.

   • [claimed-docs] “AppleScript Automation: Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Built-in AppleScript dictionary for scripting windows, tabs, terminals, layouts, and input events.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Every configuration key is a valid CLI flag when launching Ghostty from the command-line.”
   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, Ghostty 1.3.1 via brew cask): `ghostty +list-actions` enumerates 85 bindable actions (new_split, new_tab…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

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
   Ghostty—none0/10

   The evidence pack contains no mention of shell integration, exit status tracking, command duration, or completion notifications for Ghostty; only general feature docs (themes, keybindings, quick terminal, etc.) are present.

   ⚑ flag

   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

Marks

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

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Ghostty—none0/10

   No evidence in the pack mentions shell integration, prompt/command marks, or scrollback navigation features (e.g., jump-to-prompt) for Ghostty; community feedback even highlights basic scrollback/search gaps without mentioning mark navigation.

   ⚑ flag

   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

Discoverability

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

   weight 1 · round drawn
   Ghostty—none0/10

   Evidence shows Ghostty exposes keybindings, a config-driven action system, and a CLI `+list-actions`/`+help` surface, but nothing describes a searchable/discoverable command palette UI for running terminal actions interactively; the runtime probe explicitly notes there's no remote-control/interactive command surface beyond static CLI listing.

   • [probe] “PROBE runtime (recorded 2026-09-04, Ghostty 1.3.1 via brew cask): `ghostty +list-actions` enumerates 85 bindable actions (new_split, new_tab…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Ghostty supports flexible, custom keybindings through the keybind configuration option.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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

Hyperlinks

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

   weight 2 · round to Alacritty
   Ghostty—none0/10

   The evidence pack contains no mention of clickable URL/path detection in terminal output; the closest feature (proxy icon drag) only concerns the current session's working directory in the title bar, not clicking links or paths within terminal output. Missing for 10: any documentation or community mention of URL/path hyperlink detection, click-to-open behavior, or keyboard-based link selection.

   ⚑ flag

   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

Scrollback

1. developerSearch my scrollback quickly and jump between matches

   weight 2 · round to Alacritty
   Ghostty—none0/10

   No documentation feature for scrollback search exists, and multiple independent user reports confirm cmd-f/ctrl-f search does not work in Ghostty, calling it a blocker.

   • [community] “Ghostty is awesome and I almost dropped iTerm for it until I hit cmd-f and nothing happened.”
   • [community] “Missing search and weird ssh control character issues are my blockers. It's great otherwise!”
   • [community] “Missing scrollbars. That and ctrl-f are my two annoyances, apart from that I love ghostty and use it daily at work.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   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