What is the main difference between WezTerm and Zellij?

WezTerm and Zellij are both terminal multiplexers but differ in their approach, features, and target audience. Compare their GitHub stats, technology stack, and community adoption to make the best choice.

Which is better: WezTerm or Zellij?

The choice between WezTerm and Zellij depends on your specific needs, technical requirements, and team preferences. Both are quality open source solutions with active communities.

Can I migrate from WezTerm to Zellij?

Migration between WezTerm and Zellij is possible but requires careful planning. Consider data export/import capabilities, feature parity, and potential workflow changes.

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WezTerm vs Zellij

Learn how WezTerm and Zellij differ in their key features, development activity, technology stack and community adoption, so you can decide which of these terminal multiplexers is best for you.

WezTerm

Cross-platform terminal emulator and multiplexer with GPU acceleration, true color support, and Lua configuration. Runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, FreeBSD, and NetBSD.

Visit WezTerm

Zellij

A terminal multiplexer that organizes your workflow with intuitive layouts, tabs, and panes. Includes batteries for seamless terminal workspace management.

Visit Zellij

Detailed Comparison

Both WezTerm and Zellij 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.

Comparable

Community & Popularity

Both tools have similar popularity levels, with WezTerm having 28,035 stars and Zellij having 34,582 stars on GitHub. In terms of developer contributions, WezTerm has 1,627 forks, indicating strong developer engagement.

Comparable

Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with WezTerm last updated 1 day ago and Zellij 1 day ago.

Comparable

Technology Stack

Both tools share common technology foundations, being built with JavaScript, CSS, Rust. However, they differ in their additional technology choices: WezTerm uses Bash, Python, C, Objective-C, GLSL.

WezTerm wins

Project Maturity

WezTerm has been in development longer, starting 8 years ago, compared to Zellij which began 6 years ago. This 2.6-year head start suggests WezTerm may have more mature features and established processes.

Zellij wins

Licensing

Zellij is licensed under MIT, while WezTerm's license terms are not publicly specified.

Comparable

Use Cases & Features

Both tools serve similar use cases in Terminal Multiplexers. However, they also have distinct specializations: WezTerm also focuses on Terminal Emulators.

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WezTerm vs Zellij: A Detailed Comparison of Terminal Multiplexers in 2026

WezTerm vs Zellij

Learn how WezTerm and Zellij differ in their key features, development activity, technology stack and community adoption, so you can decide which of these terminal multiplexers is best for you.

WezTerm

Cross-platform terminal emulator and multiplexer with GPU acceleration, true color support, and Lua configuration. Runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, FreeBSD, and NetBSD.

Visit WezTerm

Zellij

A terminal multiplexer that organizes your workflow with intuitive layouts, tabs, and panes. Includes batteries for seamless terminal workspace management.

Visit Zellij

Detailed Comparison

Both WezTerm and Zellij 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.

Comparable

Community & Popularity

Comparable

Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with WezTerm last updated 1 day ago and Zellij 1 day ago.

Comparable

Technology Stack

WezTerm wins

Project Maturity

Zellij wins

Licensing

Zellij is licensed under MIT, while WezTerm's license terms are not publicly specified.

Comparable

Use Cases & Features

Both tools serve similar use cases in Terminal Multiplexers. However, they also have distinct specializations: WezTerm also focuses on Terminal Emulators.

Other tool comparisons to consider