Ghostty vs iTerm2

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

   iTerm2—none0/10

   Probes explicitly show no llms.txt or machine-readable/agent-oriented docs endpoint exists (404s), and no other evidence indicates agent-oriented documentation formats are offered.

   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://iterm2.com/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE docs-md: HTTP 404 at https://iterm2.com/documentation.html.md”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://iterm2.com/openapi.json, https://iterm2.com/swagger.json, https://iterm2.com/api/openapi.jso…”

   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

   iTerm2—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

   iTerm2—none0/10

   iTerm2 has an AI chat plugin and Python scripting API, but no evidence anywhere in the pack of MCP server integration or ability to plug in MCP tools. This is a plausible axis for a terminal with AI features, but absent evidence it defaults to none.

   ⚑ flag

4. ai-native userUse an official CLI

   weight 2 · round to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2~partialprobed4/10

   iTerm2 ships official automation surfaces — a Python scripting API and AppleScript support (iterm2-docs-13, iterm2-docs-14, iterm2-gh-15) — and community reports mention bundled command-line utilities like imgcat and it2dl for scripting terminal interactions (iterm2-comm-5, iterm2-comm-6), which could serve AI-native/agentic automation. However none of this constitutes a dedicated, documented 'official CLI' tool designed for agentic/AI-native control (e.g., no `iterm2` command-line binary with subcommands is described), and probes for machine-readable API docs (llms.txt, openapi.json) all 404 (iterm2-probe-1, iterm2-probe-3). Missing for 10: a first-party CLI binary/tool explicitly documented for scripting/automation, official docs framing it for AI-agent use, and independent confirmation of CLI-driven agentic workflows.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 offers a Python package which makes it easy to write Python scripts that control iTerm2 and extend its behavior.”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 has sophisticated AppleScript support allowing one to write stand-alone scripts to launch the application and open multiple sessions …”
   • [github] “Python Scripting API - Full automation and customization via Python. Create custom status bar components, triggers, menu items, or entirely …”
   • [community] “"imgcat: you can view images without leaving your terminal. Somehow this works even across SSH connections… Python scripting API: basically …”
   • [community] “"Along with imgcat there's it2dl. Downloads a file from the remote system browser-style. It's much more convenient than scp, especially when…”
   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://iterm2.com/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://iterm2.com/openapi.json, https://iterm2.com/swagger.json, https://iterm2.com/api/openapi.jso…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

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

   weight 3 · round to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullprobed8/10

   iTerm2 documents a full Python API (iterm2 package) for scripting/controlling the app, plus AppleScript support, both with dedicated documentation pages and community corroboration of hands-on use (imgcat, it2dl, Python scripting praised as far superior to AppleScript). This constitutes a documented public API for programmatic/agentic control, though it's not a modern REST/OpenAPI-style API and no llms.txt/OpenAPI spec exists. Missing for 10: a formal OpenAPI/REST-style spec or llms.txt discoverability layer, and no evidence of AI-agent-specific SDK usage beyond scripting.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 offers a Python package which makes it easy to write Python scripts that control iTerm2 and extend its behavior.”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 has sophisticated AppleScript support allowing one to write stand-alone scripts to launch the application and open multiple sessions …”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 has sophisticated AppleScript support allowing one to write stand-alone scripts to launch the application and open multiple sessions …”
   • [github] “Python Scripting API - Full automation and customization via Python. Create custom status bar components, triggers, menu items, or entirely …”
   • [community] “"imgcat: you can view images without leaving your terminal. Somehow this works even across SSH connections… Python scripting API: basically …”
   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://iterm2.com/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://iterm2.com/openapi.json, https://iterm2.com/swagger.json, https://iterm2.com/api/openapi.jso…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

6. ai-native userBuild against official SDKs

   weight 2 · round to iTerm2
   Ghostty~partialprobed5/10

   Ghostty does publish an official SDK — `libghostty`/`libghostty-vt`, a documented cross-platform C/Zig library for building terminal emulators or embedding terminal functionality, available across macOS/Linux/Windows/WASM. However, this is a general embedding library, not an AI-native or agent-oriented SDK, and a runtime probe found no remote-control/IPC interface, meaning agents can't programmatically drive a running Ghostty instance beyond config-time CLI actions. Missing for 10: AI-specific SDK documentation/examples, agent-facing runtime control API, and independent developer corroboration of building against libghostty for agentic use cases.

   • [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.”
   • [claimed-docs] “libghostty provides the core terminal emulation, font handling, and rendering 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…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   iTerm2~partialprobed6/10

   iTerm2 ships an official, documented Python API for scripting and automating the terminal (create triggers, status bar components, menu items, full control), which an AI-native builder could use to construct agentic integrations, and this is corroborated by community praise for the API's flexibility. However, there's no dedicated 'AI SDK' or agent-specific developer kit — the AI feature (docs-15) is a plugin/toggle for chat, not an SDK — and probes show no llms.txt, machine-readable docs, or OpenAPI spec. Missing for 10: AI/agent-specific SDK or API, multi-language SDK support, official developer docs/examples framed around AI-agent integration.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 offers a Python package which makes it easy to write Python scripts that control iTerm2 and extend its behavior.”
   • [github] “Python Scripting API - Full automation and customization via Python. Create custom status bar components, triggers, menu items, or entirely …”
   • [community] “"imgcat: you can view images without leaving your terminal. Somehow this works even across SSH connections… Python scripting API: basically …”
   • [claimed-docs] “This is an optional component you can install to enable generative AI features in iTerm2.”
   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://iterm2.com/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://iterm2.com/openapi.json, https://iterm2.com/swagger.json, https://iterm2.com/api/openapi.jso…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

7. 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

   iTerm2—none0/10

   No evidence of any webhook subscription mechanism; iTerm2 offers triggers and a Python scripting API for local automation but nothing about outbound webhook events or subscriptions is documented.

   ⚑ flag

Agentic features

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

   weight 2 · round to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2~partialcommunity5/10

   iTerm2 supports regex-based Triggers that autonomously fire actions (highlighting, running commands, notifications, invoking Python scripts) when patterns appear, and offers a full Python scripting API for background automation and custom features [iterm2-docs-16, iterm2-gh-2, iterm2-docs-13, iterm2-gh-15]. This provides generic background automation but isn't framed around AI-agent workflows specifically. missing for 10: evidence of AI-driven or agentic automations running unattended, scheduling/cron-like persistent background tasks tied to AI features, and independent confirmation that these automations run reliably without user oversight.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 supports user-defined triggers, which are actions that run when text matching a regular expression is received.”
   • [github] “Triggers - Regex patterns that fire actions when matched: highlight text, run commands, send notifications, open password manager, set marks…”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 offers a Python package which makes it easy to write Python scripts that control iTerm2 and extend its behavior.”
   • [github] “Python Scripting API - Full automation and customization via Python. Create custom status bar components, triggers, menu items, or entirely …”
   • [community] “"imgcat: you can view images without leaving your terminal. Somehow this works even across SSH connections… Python scripting API: basically …”

   proof ↗⚑ 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

   iTerm2—none0/10

   iTerm2 offers a Python scripting API but no evidence of a downloadable OpenAPI/machine-readable API spec; explicit probes for llms.txt, docs-md, and openapi.json all returned 404.

   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://iterm2.com/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE docs-md: HTTP 404 at https://iterm2.com/documentation.html.md”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://iterm2.com/openapi.json, https://iterm2.com/swagger.json, https://iterm2.com/api/openapi.jso…”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 offers a Python package which makes it easy to write Python scripts that control iTerm2 and extend its behavior.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

2. ai-native userRely on versioned APIs with a documented deprecation policy

   weight 2 · round drawn
   Ghostty—none0/10

   Ghostty exposes libghostty as an embeddable C/Zig API surface, which makes 'versioned API with deprecation policy' a fair question, but the evidence pack shows no mention of API versioning scheme or deprecation policy, and probes confirm no openapi/llms.txt docs describing such governance.

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

   proof ↗⚑ flag

   iTerm2—none0/10

   There is no evidence of a versioned API contract or documented deprecation policy; the Python API docs exist but no version/deprecation policy is mentioned, and probes for API discovery artifacts (llms.txt, openapi.json) all 404.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 offers a Python package which makes it easy to write Python scripts that control iTerm2 and extend its behavior.”
   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://iterm2.com/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE docs-md: HTTP 404 at https://iterm2.com/documentation.html.md”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://iterm2.com/openapi.json, https://iterm2.com/swagger.json, https://iterm2.com/api/openapi.jso…”

   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 to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2~partialcommunity5/10

   iTerm2 ships an optional AI plugin providing a built-in LLM chat that can be linked to a session to give context-aware help, explain output, and 'run commands on your behalf' (iterm2-docs-15, iterm2-gh-6), which is a real but thin form of AI-agent delegation. However, there's no documented explicit plan-then-approve workflow (e.g., showing a command and requiring confirmation before execution), and community reports raise concerns that the AI toggle's off/on state was ambiguous, undermining confidence in a clean approval gate (iterm2-comm-1, iterm2-comm-2). Missing for 10: documented step-by-step approval/confirmation UI before command execution, evidence of autonomous multi-step planning, and independent hands-on validation that the agent respects user approval before running commands.

   • [claimed-docs] “This is an optional component you can install to enable generative AI features in iTerm2.”
   • [github] “Built-in LLM chat window that can optionally interact with terminal contents. Link sessions to get context-aware help, run commands on your …”
   • [community] “"It takes much less effort for me to simply switch back to Terminal.app." (reacting to iTerm2 adding an opt-in OpenAI-based AI feature)”
   • [community] “Users reported that iTerm2's new AI feature wasn't a true disabled toggle: "Put anything in the box for the OpenAI key, valid or not, and th…”

   proof ↗⚑ 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 to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2!disputedcontradicted5/10

   iTerm2 ships AI chat as an optional, install-only plugin with no forced login (iterm2-docs-15, iterm2-gh-6), suggesting users can ignore or avoid it entirely. However, hands-on community reports concretely contradict 'clear control': a user found that merely putting any text (even a stray space) in the API key field silently activates data-sending to OpenAI, with no reliable way to see the feature is actually disabled (iterm2-comm-2), and another reacted by switching terminals entirely over trust concerns (iterm2-comm-1). Missing for 10: no documentation on exactly what session data leaves the machine when AI chat is enabled, no fix/acknowledgment of the toggle bug, and no independent verification that the issue was resolved.

   • [claimed-docs] “This is an optional component you can install to enable generative AI features in iTerm2.”
   • [github] “Built-in LLM chat window that can optionally interact with terminal contents. Link sessions to get context-aware help, run commands on your …”
   • [community] “"It takes much less effort for me to simply switch back to Terminal.app." (reacting to iTerm2 adding an opt-in OpenAI-based AI feature)”
   • [community] “Users reported that iTerm2's new AI feature wasn't a true disabled toggle: "Put anything in the box for the OpenAI key, valid or not, and th…”
   • [community] “Some users called the backlash overblown: "a feature that is inactive by default, consumes no processing power, memory or anything else" sti…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

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

   weight 3 · round to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullclaimed8/10

   iTerm2 supports user-defined Triggers that fire on regex matches from terminal output, enabling automatic actions like highlighting, running commands, sending notifications, invoking Python scripts, or opening a password manager — a documented rules-on-event automation system, further extensible via the Python API for custom triggers/behaviors. missing for 10: no independent hands-on validation of complex trigger chains, and no evidence of AI-specific event-triggering beyond generic regex triggers.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 supports user-defined triggers, which are actions that run when text matching a regular expression is received.”
   • [github] “Triggers - Regex patterns that fire actions when matched: highlight text, run commands, send notifications, open password manager, set marks…”
   • [github] “Python Scripting API - Full automation and customization via Python. Create custom status bar components, triggers, menu items, or entirely …”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 offers a Python package which makes it easy to write Python scripts that control iTerm2 and extend its behavior.”

   proof ↗⚑ 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

   iTerm2—none0/10

   iTerm2 offers triggers, Python scripting API, and AppleScript automation, but there is no evidence of a scheduler or mechanism for recurring/cron-like jobs or workflows; automation is event-triggered or manually scripted, not scheduled.

   ⚑ 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

   iTerm2—none0/10

   No evidence of any version control, review, or rollback mechanism for automations (triggers, Python scripts, profiles). iTerm2 supports scripting and triggers, but nothing in the evidence pack shows versioning, diffing, review workflows, or rollback of these automations.

   ⚑ 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 Ghostty
   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

   iTerm2—none0/10

   The evidence pack contains no mention of iTerm2's preferences file format, exporting/importing settings as plain-text/plist files, or any dotfiles-style sync workflow across machines. Without evidence for this specific capability, it cannot be credited even though it is a plausible axis for a terminal emulator.

   ⚑ 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

   iTerm2—none0/10

   The evidence pack contains no mention of font rendering, ligature support, fallback fonts, or font-tuning settings anywhere in iTerm2's docs, GitHub feature list, or community discussion; only general 'mind-boggling number of options' and color-mode claims are present, which don't address fonts specifically. Missing for 10: any mention of font selection, ligature support, fallback font configuration, or font-size/spacing tuning options.

   ⚑ 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

   iTerm2—none0/10

   The evidence pack contains no mention of color schemes, themes, or automatic light/dark mode switching for iTerm2 despite this being a plausible and well-known capability for a terminal emulator; no docs, GitHub, or community citations address theming at all. missing for 10: any documentation or mention of color scheme/theme support, dark mode toggling, or automatic OS appearance syncing.

   ⚑ flag

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

   weight 2 · round to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2~partialprobed6/10

   iTerm2's Python API is documented as controlling and extending iTerm2 behavior (custom status bar, triggers, menu items, session control), and a community hands-on review calls it able to 'touch pretty much everything' via scripting, which supports broad API-driven control. However, there's no evidence of a formal claim or documentation of full UI/API parity — no explicit list mapping every UI feature (e.g. AI chat, browser profiles, tmux integration) to API equivalents, and probes show no OpenAPI spec or llms.txt for verifying coverage. Missing for 10: explicit parity documentation, API coverage for newer UI features (AI chat, browser profiles), and independent verification that all UI actions are scriptable.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 offers a Python package which makes it easy to write Python scripts that control iTerm2 and extend its behavior.”
   • [github] “Python Scripting API - Full automation and customization via Python. Create custom status bar components, triggers, menu items, or entirely …”
   • [community] “"imgcat: you can view images without leaving your terminal. Somehow this works even across SSH connections… Python scripting API: basically …”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://iterm2.com/openapi.json, https://iterm2.com/swagger.json, https://iterm2.com/api/openapi.jso…”

   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

   iTerm2—none0/10

   No evidence of any data export feature or open-format export for iTerm2's own data (settings, session history, paste history, profiles); the evidence pack instead shows probes for llms.txt/openapi returning 404s and no mention of export/portability tooling. missing for 10: documented export of preferences/profiles/history in open formats, data portability guarantees, migration/export tooling.

   • [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://iterm2.com/llms.txt”
   • [probe] “PROBE docs-md: HTTP 404 at https://iterm2.com/documentation.html.md”
   • [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://iterm2.com/openapi.json, https://iterm2.com/swagger.json, https://iterm2.com/api/openapi.jso…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

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

   weight 2 · round drawn
   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

   iTerm2~partialclaimed6/10

   The evidence repeatedly cites a public GitHub repository (github.com/gnachman/iTerm2) as the canonical source for iTerm2's features, indicating the source code is publicly hosted and readable. However, none of the evidence explicitly states or links to a specific open-source license (e.g., GPL) or license file, so the 'open license' claim is not directly confirmed. Missing for 10: explicit license identification/text, documentation page confirming licensing terms, independent confirmation of license compliance.

   • [github] “Browser profiles integrate web browsing into iTerm2's window/tab/pane hierarchy. Copy mode, triggers, AI chat, and other terminal features w…”
   • [github] “Session Restoration - Sessions run in long-lived server processes. If iTerm2 crashes or upgrades, your shells keep running. When iTerm2 rest…”
   • [github] “Python Scripting API - Full automation and customization via Python. Create custom status bar components, triggers, menu items, or entirely …”

   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

   iTerm2—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 iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullclaimed9/10

   iTerm2 natively supports splitting tabs into multiple panes (vertical/horizontal) and organizing sessions across tabs and windows, directly replacing the need for tmux/screen for basic pane-and-tab workflows, with session restoration and profile-based organization further supporting this. missing for 10: independent hands-on verification specifically of pane-splitting workflow (community evidence focuses on other features like imgcat/scripting rather than confirming multiplexing usability directly).

   • [claimed-docs] “Divide a tab up into multiple panes, each one showing a different session. You can slice vertically and horizontally”
   • [claimed-docs] “Divide a tab up into multiple panes, each one showing a different session.”
   • [github] “Session Restoration - Sessions run in long-lived server processes. If iTerm2 crashes or upgrades, your shells keep running. When iTerm2 rest…”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 provides a taggable and searchable profiles database so you can easily find the profile you're looking for.”
   • [claimed-docs] “you can define a profile that's always used when you ssh to some hostname. Or when your username is root. Or even when you're in a particula…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Quick access

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

   weight 1 · round to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullclaimed9/10

   Docs explicitly describe a global hotkey to bring iTerm2 to the foreground from any app, and GitHub evidence confirms a quake-style dropdown that slides down from a screen edge, even over fullscreen apps. Missing for 10: independent hands-on user testimonial specifically praising the hotkey/dropdown window feature.

   • [claimed-docs] “Register a hotkey that brings iTerm2 to the foreground when you're in another application. A terminal is always a keypress away.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Register a hotkey that brings iTerm2 to the foreground when you're in another application.”
   • [github] “System-wide hotkey summons a terminal that slides down from the top of the screen (or any edge), even over fullscreen apps.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Sessions

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

   weight 2 · round to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullclaimed8/10

   Session restoration via long-lived server processes reconnects shells (including working directories via shell integration) after crash/restart, and tmux -CC integration persists windows/tabs/panes even when iTerm2 or the SSH session drops. Missing for 10: no independent/hands-on confirmation of restoring exact tab/pane layout after a full app crash, only vendor/docs claims.

   • [github] “Session Restoration - Sessions run in long-lived server processes. If iTerm2 crashes or upgrades, your shells keep running. When iTerm2 rest…”
   • [github] “Sessions run in long-lived server processes. If iTerm2 crashes or upgrades, your shells keep running. When iTerm2 restarts, it reconnects to…”
   • [github] “Sessions run in long-lived server processes. If iTerm2 crashes or upgrades, your shells keep running.”
   • [claimed-docs] “When you run "tmux -CC", a new tmux session is created. An iTerm2 window opens and it acts like a normal iTerm2 window. The difference is th…”
   • [claimed-docs] “When iTerm2 quits or the ssh session is lost, tmux keeps running. You can return to the host you were ssh'ed into and run "tmux -CC attach" …”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 may be integrated with the unix shell so that it can keep track of your command history, current working directory, host name, and mo…”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 can integrate with your shell so it knows where your shell prompt is, what commands you're entering, which host you are on, and what …”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Benchmarks

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

   weight 2 · round to Ghostty
   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

   iTerm2—none0/10

   No evidence pack item presents published benchmarks, latency/throughput numbers, or any measured performance data for iTerm2; the material covers features (panes, tmux integration, scripting) and unrelated community discussion (AI feature controversy, a security disclosure) with no performance metrics whatsoever.

   ⚑ flag

Rendering

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

   weight 3 · round to Ghostty
   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

   iTerm2—none0/10

   No evidence in the pack mentions GPU acceleration, rendering architecture, or performance under heavy output/scrollback; the docs and community items cover features like panes, triggers, search, and scripting but nothing about rendering performance or GPU usage.

   ⚑ flag

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

   weight 2 · round to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2!disputedcontradicted5/10

   iTerm2's AI feature is documented as an optional, install-only component (iterm2-docs-15), implying users can opt out of any AI-related data sharing by not installing/enabling it. However, hands-on community reports directly contradict this: users found that entering any text (even a stray space) in the OpenAI API key field silently activated data-sending, meaning the feature wasn't truly opt-out/disabled as claimed [iterm2-comm-2], while other users defended the feature as inactive-by-default [iterm2-comm-3]. Missing for 10: no general telemetry/usage-tracking opt-out setting is documented at all (the evidence only covers the AI plugin's data flow to OpenAI, not broader telemetry), and no vendor response addressing the toggle bug is provided.

   • [claimed-docs] “This is an optional component you can install to enable generative AI features in iTerm2.”
   • [community] “"It takes much less effort for me to simply switch back to Terminal.app." (reacting to iTerm2 adding an opt-in OpenAI-based AI feature)”
   • [community] “Users reported that iTerm2's new AI feature wasn't a true disabled toggle: "Put anything in the box for the OpenAI key, valid or not, and th…”
   • [community] “Some users called the backlash overblown: "a feature that is inactive by default, consumes no processing power, memory or anything else" sti…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Graphics

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

   weight 2 · round drawn
   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

   iTerm2✓fullcommunity8/10

   iTerm2 documents a custom escape sequence for inline image display (including animated GIFs), and community hands-on evidence corroborates real-world use via imgcat working over SSH. missing for 10: a formal protocol specification page/name (e.g. explicit 'inline images protocol' spec doc) and broader third-party adoption/compatibility discussion beyond one HN thread.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 has a custom escape sequence to display images right in the terminal. Even animated GIFs!”
   • [community] “"imgcat: you can view images without leaving your terminal. Somehow this works even across SSH connections… Python scripting API: basically …”

   proof ↗⚑ 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

   iTerm2—none0/10

   iTerm2 is a macOS-only application; no evidence pack item claims Linux or Windows support, and a community source explicitly notes the lack of a comparable replacement on Windows or Linux, confirming it does not run cross-platform.

   • [community] “"I'm a little jealous of iTerm, not going to lie. The UX is pretty nice from what I've seen, but I can't find a like for like replacement fo…”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 is a replacement for Terminal and the successor to iTerm.”

   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 iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullcommunity8/10

   iTerm2 documents shell integration explicitly designed to work 'even over ssh', tracking command history, cwd, and hostname (iterm2-docs-8, iterm2-docs-31), plus automatic profile switching keyed to SSH hostname/user (iterm2-docs-10, iterm2-docs-32) and tmux -CC integration that persists sessions across SSH drops (iterm2-docs-12, iterm2-docs-19, iterm2-docs-23). Community hands-on reports corroborate SSH-aware features working in practice, e.g. imgcat rendering images 'even across SSH connections' and it2dl for remote file downloads (iterm2-comm-5, iterm2-comm-6). Missing for 10: explicit documentation of terminfo propagation itself and independent benchmarking of config/profile carry-over reliability across varied SSH setups.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 may be integrated with the unix shell so that it can keep track of your command history, current working directory, host name, and mo…”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 can integrate with your shell so it knows where your shell prompt is, what commands you're entering, which host you are on, and what …”
   • [claimed-docs] “you can have iTerm2 switch profiles depending on what you're doing. For example, you can define a profile that's always used when you ssh to…”
   • [claimed-docs] “you can define a profile that's always used when you ssh to some hostname. Or when your username is root. Or even when you're in a particula…”
   • [claimed-docs] “When you run "tmux -CC", a new tmux session is created. An iTerm2 window opens and it acts like a normal iTerm2 window. The difference is th…”
   • [claimed-docs] “When iTerm2 quits or the ssh session is lost, tmux keeps running. You can return to the host you were ssh'ed into and run "tmux -CC attach" …”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 is integrated with tmux, allowing you to enjoy a native user interface with all the benefits of tmux's persistence.”
   • [community] “"imgcat: you can view images without leaving your terminal. Somehow this works even across SSH connections… Python scripting API: basically …”
   • [community] “"Along with imgcat there's it2dl. Downloads a file from the remote system browser-style. It's much more convenient than scp, especially when…”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Tmux

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

   weight 2 · round to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullclaimed9/10

   iTerm2 has a well-documented native tmux control mode (tmux -CC) that integrates tmux sessions natively into iTerm2's window/pane UI while preserving persistence across SSH disconnects and app restarts, plus standard tmux-in-terminal usage is naturally supported. Missing for 10: independent hands-on corroboration specifically of tmux -CC mode (community evidence covers other features, not tmux integration directly).

   • [claimed-docs] “When you run "tmux -CC", a new tmux session is created. An iTerm2 window opens and it acts like a normal iTerm2 window. The difference is th…”
   • [claimed-docs] “When iTerm2 quits or the ssh session is lost, tmux keeps running. You can return to the host you were ssh'ed into and run "tmux -CC attach" …”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 is integrated with tmux, allowing you to enjoy a native user interface with all the benefits of tmux's persistence.”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2's tmux integration solves these problems... A terminal window opens and it acts like a normal iTerm2 window.”

   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 iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullcommunity8/10

   iTerm2 ships a documented Python API explicitly for programmatic control — creating/manipulating sessions, panes, tabs, windows, reading and sending text, and building custom automation — plus AppleScript scripting, both well documented and corroborated by independent community praise calling the Python API 'basically AppleScript... but lets you touch pretty much everything.' This directly satisfies an agent programmatically driving panes/commands/output. missing for 10: no explicit example of an AI agent using the API end-to-end, and no independent hands-on report of agent-driven automation specifically (only general scripting use).

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 offers a Python package which makes it easy to write Python scripts that control iTerm2 and extend its behavior.”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 has sophisticated AppleScript support allowing one to write stand-alone scripts to launch the application and open multiple sessions …”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 has sophisticated AppleScript support allowing one to write stand-alone scripts to launch the application and open multiple sessions …”
   • [github] “Python Scripting API - Full automation and customization via Python. Create custom status bar components, triggers, menu items, or entirely …”
   • [community] “"imgcat: you can view images without leaving your terminal. Somehow this works even across SSH connections… Python scripting API: basically …”

   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 iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullcommunity8/10

   iTerm2 offers a documented Python API for full automation/customization (custom status bar components, triggers, menu items, new features), plus AppleScript scripting and trigger-invoked Python scripts, with community hands-on praise calling it 'basically AppleScript... but not soul-crushing to write' and noting real-world tools like imgcat/it2dl built on it. This covers 'real language' scripting well beyond built-in options, though there's no mention of Lua or 'kittens' (a kitty-terminal concept) support specifically. Missing for 10: Lua scripting support, kitten-style plugin format, independent third-party plugin ecosystem showcase.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 offers a Python package which makes it easy to write Python scripts that control iTerm2 and extend its behavior.”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 has sophisticated AppleScript support allowing one to write stand-alone scripts to launch the application and open multiple sessions …”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 has sophisticated AppleScript support allowing one to write stand-alone scripts to launch the application and open multiple sessions …”
   • [github] “Python Scripting API - Full automation and customization via Python. Create custom status bar components, triggers, menu items, or entirely …”
   • [github] “Triggers - Regex patterns that fire actions when matched: highlight text, run commands, send notifications, open password manager, set marks…”
   • [community] “"imgcat: you can view images without leaving your terminal. Somehow this works even across SSH connections… Python scripting API: basically …”

   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 iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullcommunity8/10

   iTerm2's AppleScript scripting explicitly supports launching the app and opening multiple sessions with profiles into new tabs/windows (a scripted workspace startup), and the Python API/triggers offer additional automation of session/window setup; profiles themselves can also be tied to directories/hosts for one-command workspace opening. missing for 10: no first-party example of a saved 'window arrangement' config file format or direct hands-on community confirmation of a single-command full-layout launch.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 has sophisticated AppleScript support allowing one to write stand-alone scripts to launch the application and open multiple sessions …”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 has sophisticated AppleScript support allowing one to write stand-alone scripts to launch the application and open multiple sessions …”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 offers a Python package which makes it easy to write Python scripts that control iTerm2 and extend its behavior.”
   • [claimed-docs] “you can define a profile that's always used when you ssh to some hostname. Or when your username is root. Or even when you're in a particula…”
   • [community] “"imgcat: you can view images without leaving your terminal. Somehow this works even across SSH connections… Python scripting API: basically …”

   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 iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullcommunity8/10

   iTerm2 documents a robust Python API for scripting/controlling the terminal (open sessions, send text, query state) and AppleScript support for launching/controlling sessions, with independent community corroboration praising the Python API's power over AppleScript. missing for 10: no evidence of a CLI-only (non-Python/AppleScript) IPC socket documentation, and no hands-on demonstration of specific 'query state' calls beyond general docs.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 offers a Python package which makes it easy to write Python scripts that control iTerm2 and extend its behavior.”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 has sophisticated AppleScript support allowing one to write stand-alone scripts to launch the application and open multiple sessions …”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 has sophisticated AppleScript support allowing one to write stand-alone scripts to launch the application and open multiple sessions …”
   • [github] “Python Scripting API - Full automation and customization via Python. Create custom status bar components, triggers, menu items, or entirely …”
   • [community] “"imgcat: you can view images without leaving your terminal. Somehow this works even across SSH connections… Python scripting API: basically …”

   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 to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullclaimed8/10

   iTerm2's shell integration docs confirm tracking of command history, prompts, directories, and hostnames, plus notifications for job completion/bells/activity and prompt navigation shortcuts. missing for 10: explicit documentation citing per-command exit status/duration display and independent hands-on confirmation of the notification-on-completion behavior.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 may be integrated with the unix shell so that it can keep track of your command history, current working directory, host name, and mo…”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 can integrate with your shell so it knows where your shell prompt is, what commands you're entering, which host you are on, and what …”
   • [claimed-docs] “You can choose to receive notifications of activity, bells, job completion, and more.”
   • [claimed-docs] “you can easily navigate to previous shell prompts with ⇧⌘↑ and ⇧⌘↓”
   • [claimed-docs] “you can enable shell integration by enabling **Load shell integration automatically** in **Settings > Profiles > General**”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Marks

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

   weight 2 · round to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullclaimed9/10

   iTerm2's shell integration explicitly tracks prompts and sets marks at each command, and docs describe navigating between previous shell prompts with ⇧⌘↑/⇧⌘↓, corroborated by GitHub feature list mentioning marks at each prompt and copy mode working with marks to jump between prompts. Missing for 10: no independent hands-on account specifically confirming the prompt-jump keybinding in practice beyond docs/GitHub summaries.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 may be integrated with the unix shell so that it can keep track of your command history, current working directory, host name, and mo…”
   • [claimed-docs] “you can easily navigate to previous shell prompts with ⇧⌘↑ and ⇧⌘↓”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 can integrate with your shell so it knows where your shell prompt is, what commands you're entering, which host you are on, and what …”
   • [claimed-docs] “you can enable shell integration by enabling **Load shell integration automatically** in **Settings > Profiles > General**”
   • [github] “Enables click-to-download files via SCP, drag-and-drop uploads, command history per host, recent directories by "frecency," and marks at eac…”
   • [github] “Vim-like keyboard selection. Navigate and select text without touching the mouse. Works with marks to jump between command prompts.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Discoverability

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

   weight 1 · round to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2~partialclaimed4/10

   iTerm2's 'Open Quickly' (Cmd-Shift-O) is a searchable palette, but evidence describes it only as a search across sessions by tab title, command, hostname, directory, or badge — not a general command palette for discovering and invoking arbitrary terminal actions/menu commands. Missing for 10: evidence of listing/searching actual app commands or actions (not just sessions), evidence of executing arbitrary actions from the palette, and independent confirmation of this behaving like a true command palette.

   • [github] “Open Quickly - Cmd-Shift-O opens a search across all sessions by tab title, command, hostname, directory, or badge. Navigate large session c…”
   • [github] “Cmd-Shift-O opens a search across all sessions by tab title, command, hostname, directory, or badge. Navigate large session collections inst…”
   • [github] “Open Quickly - Cmd-Shift-O opens a search across all sessions by tab title, command, hostname, directory, or badge.”
   • [claimed-docs] “Just type the start of any word that has ever appeared in your window and then Cmd-; will pop open a window with suggestions.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Hyperlinks

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

   weight 2 · round to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullcommunity9/10

   Smart Selection with quad-click and Cmd-click to open URLs/paths, plus keyboard-based selection (Copy Mode/vim-like navigation), are documented and corroborated by community hands-on reports (Semantic History opening files in editor via Cmd+Click). missing for 10: no independent verification of full keyboard-only 'select and open' flow beyond selection, only Cmd-click for opening.

   • [github] “Smart Selection - Quad-click selects semantic objects (URLs, file paths, email addresses, quoted strings). Right-click for context actions. …”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 can perform "smart selection" to highlight URLs, email addresses, filenames, and more by recognizing what is under the cursor”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 can perform "smart selection" to highlight URLs, email addresses, filenames, and more by recognizing what is under the cursor.”
   • [github] “Vim-like keyboard selection. Navigate and select text without touching the mouse. Works with marks to jump between command prompts.”
   • [github] “Copy Mode - Vim-like keyboard selection. Navigate and select text without touching the mouse.”
   • [community] “"Semantic History is pretty handy and not well-known. It lets you Command+Click on a path to open it in your editor (or associated applicati…”
   • [claimed-docs] “Use the keyboard to make and modify selections.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag

Scrollback

1. developerSearch my scrollback quickly and jump between matches

   weight 2 · round to iTerm2
   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

   iTerm2✓fullclaimed8/10

   Docs describe a robust find-on-page feature with instant highlighting of all matches and regex support, plus Global Search across all tabs, directly matching the story of searching scrollback and jumping between matches. Missing for 10: independent hands-on confirmation of match-jump behavior (next/prev match navigation) and details on keyboard shortcuts for cycling matches.

   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 comes with a robust find-on-page feature. The UI stays out of the way. All matches are immediately highlighted. Even regular expressi…”
   • [claimed-docs] “iTerm2 comes with a robust find-on-page feature... Even regular expression support is offered!”
   • [claimed-docs] “Search all your tabs at once with Global Search.”

   proof ↗⚑ flag