Xtermcompatible

Xtermcompatible is a designation used for terminal emulators and related software that aim to replicate the behavior of the original xterm terminal emulator. It denotes compatibility with the control sequences, modes, and reporting mechanisms that xterm introduced, and that many terminal-aware programs rely on. Emulators described as xterm-compatible typically implement the common escape sequences used to control cursor movement, text attributes, screen buffering, mouse reporting, and color selection, so programs render predictably across environments.

Typical features associated with xterm compatibility include support for standard ANSI escape sequences, VT100/VT220 modes, CSI sequences, OSC commands for window titles and color palettes, 256-color support, and true color in modern implementations. Additional capabilities often included are bracketed paste mode, alternate screen buffer, and xterm-style mouse reporting with various tracking modes. Keyboard input and function key mappings also align with xterm behavior.

In practice, many contemporary terminals identify themselves as xterm-compatible or provide an xterm-256color terminfo entry. The label is sometimes applied loosely, and individual emulators may exhibit small deviations. For software development, assuming xterm compatibility provides a stable baseline for terminal user interfaces and text-mode applications, enabling portability across environments.

Historically, xterm compatibility helped standardize terminal capabilities through databases such as termcap and terminfo, and it remains a common assumption for tools like vim, tmux, and screen.