alacritty

Alacritty is a cross-platform terminal emulator that prioritizes speed and simplicity. It uses GPU acceleration to render text, aiming to deliver low CPU usage and smooth rendering. The project is written in Rust and is open source, with releases and development hosted on GitHub. It is available on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Features include true color support, configurable fonts and color schemes, and optional background transparency. It uses a single configuration file, typically located at ~/.config/alacritty/alacritty.yml, allowing users to adjust key aspects such as font size, line spacing, and scrolling behavior. The software intentionally focuses on core terminal emulation without providing built-in tabs, splits, or advanced shell features; users typically combine it with a shell multiplexer such as tmux or a window manager for layout.

Design and performance: Alacritty renders through the GPU to achieve high frame rates and consistent text rendering across platforms. It aims for minimalism and external dependencies, relying on the host system for features rather than implementing them in-app.

Development and licensing: Alacritty is maintained by an open-source community with contributions from volunteers. It is released under a dual license: Apache-2.0 or MIT.

Adoption and reception: The project has gained wide adoption among developers seeking a fast, lightweight terminal and is commonly recommended in performance-focused workflows.