Learn how iTerm 2 and Kitty differ in their key features, development activity, technology stack and community adoption, so you can decide which of these terminal emulators is best for you.
Both iTerm 2 and Kitty have their unique strengths and serve similar purposes effectively. Consider your specific needs regarding popularity, activity, technology, maturity, licensing and features when making your decision.
Kitty leads in popularity with 34,218 stars vs 17,899 stars for iTerm 2. The 91% higher star count indicates stronger community adoption. In terms of developer contributions, iTerm 2 has 1,449 forks, indicating strong developer engagement.
Both projects show recent activity, with iTerm 2 last updated 9 hours ago and Kitty 9 hours ago.
Both tools share common technology foundations, being built with JavaScript, CSS, Bash, Python, C, Objective-C, MATLAB. However, they differ in their additional technology choices: iTerm 2 uses Swift, C++, Ruby while Kitty leverages Golang, GLSL.
iTerm 2 has been in development longer, starting 15 years ago, compared to Kitty which began 10 years ago. This 5.6-year head start suggests iTerm 2 may have more mature features and established processes.
The projects use different licenses: iTerm 2 is licensed under GPL-2.0 while Kitty uses GPL-3.0. Consider the licensing requirements when choosing for your project.
Both tools serve similar use cases in Terminal Emulators.
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Sent – A unified API for sending messages across SMS, RCS, and apps like WhatsApp.
