Learn how iTerm 2 and WezTerm 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.
WezTerm appears to have several advantages over iTerm 2, particularly in popularity, growth and licensing. Consider your specific needs regarding popularity, growth, activity, technology, maturity, licensing and features when making your decision.
WezTerm leads in popularity with 28,373 stars vs 17,932 stars for iTerm 2. The 58% higher star count indicates stronger community adoption. In terms of developer contributions, WezTerm has 1,677 forks, indicating strong developer engagement.
WezTerm is growing faster, adding 747 stars in the last 30 days (+2.7%) against adding 104 stars for iTerm 2 (+0.6%). WezTerm is both larger and pulling further ahead.
Both projects show recent activity, with iTerm 2 last updated 2 days ago and WezTerm 11 hours ago.
Both tools share common technology foundations, being built with JavaScript, CSS, Bash, Python, C, Objective-C. However, they differ in their additional technology choices: iTerm 2 uses Swift, C++, Ruby, MATLAB while WezTerm leverages Rust, GLSL.
iTerm 2 has been in development longer, starting 15 years ago, compared to WezTerm which began 9 years ago. This 6.9-year head start suggests iTerm 2 may have more mature features and established processes.
WezTerm uses the MIT license, which is more permissive than iTerm 2's GPL-2.0 license, potentially offering greater flexibility for commercial use and integration.
Both tools serve similar use cases in Terminal Emulators. However, they also have distinct specializations: WezTerm extends into Terminal Multiplexers.
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