Terminals are software that executes the line of code through the command line on Mac. While using the terminals, one must be very careful, as it can mess up the system if wrong commands are entered. One must know the basic commands and functions in order to execute the terminal on a Mac.
Mac comes with a built-in terminal. However, many people are not satisfied with it as it is not customizable. So, we have listed some of the best terminals for Mac in this article.
Best Terminal For Mac
iTerm2
If you are looking for a free terminal for Mac that has auto-complete commands, high-end customizations, and supports multiple profiles, then iTerm2 is the right one for you.
You can also split a single window into multiple panes, which helps in productivity.
Alacritty
Alacritty is another free and open-source Mac terminal emulator which is most popular for its simple user interface and powerful performance.
One can download and start using the terminal without any complex setup process involved.
Commander One
This is a powerful Mac emulator. It is both a file manager and works impressively with Mac FTP clients. Without leaving the app interface, you can use the hotkeys and execute the commands.
The dual panel of Commander One is extremely customizable and supports the workflow.
If you are looking for cloud storage support, FTP, and SFTP support, you can look into Commander One.
Download Now (Terminal Available in Pro pack)
Warp
Warp, a Rust-based terminal, functions like a modern app. It supports command editing with features like selections, auto-suggestions, and completion menus. AI integration lets you create commands from natural language, reducing the need for Google searches. Navigating terminal output is easier with a command-by-command approach. It’s compatible with zsh, fish, and bash, requiring no initial configuration. Warp is free and available for all Mac users.
ZOC
If you are an advanced user looking for a high-end Mac terminal, ZOC is the right one. One can run multiple sessions at the same time with the help of this terminal.
You can customize this terminal as per your personal requirements as well. ZOC also supports a keyboard and mouse. However, the only downside of this app is its subscription.
MacTerm
MacTerm comes with tons of customization and a great interface. Including the keyboard access and speech context menu, one can perform advanced searches in this terminal. This software is freemium and has a floating command line window.
MacTerm also supports macros which make the work even easier for advanced users.
Download Now (Build the v5 from GitHub)
Kitty
Kitty is the best choice if you are looking for a feature-rich Mac emulator. It is a cross-platform emulator that supports multiple windows side by side.
One can set up multiple copy/paste buffers, focus tracking, bracketed paste, and many more, with the help of this Mac terminal.
Hyper
If you are searching for a Mac terminal that can be completely customized from the command line to everything, you must check out the Hyper Mac terminal.
This terminal is built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The developers can use their own CSS and style it more. There are a lot of shortcuts that you can use with this Mac terminal.
Cathode
If you want to experience a vintage Mac terminal, then Cathode is the best choice. You can run multiple programs in the background with a single console session.
One of the best things about this Mac terminal is that it saves the windows programs even after closing the SSH session.
PowerTerm InterConnect
If you are looking for a Mac terminal that requires less space and supports many hosts, then PowerTerm InterConnect is the right choice.
This is one of the best alternatives to the built-in Mac terminal. This terminal supports more than 30 languages, offers a free trial, and comes with SSH and SSL security.
Terminator
This is another open-source and free terminal for Mac that helps sort multiple terminals in a grid. The users can use multiple keyboard shortcuts to get the work done from this terminal. The find feature helps you to search for the text in the terminal.
Basic Terminal Commands
If you want to make the best use of Terminal Apps on your Mac, then it is recommended to know the following basic commands:
Show Hidden Files: If you want any hidden files and folders to be shown on your Mac, then use the following command:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true
Prevent Sleep Mode: To keep your Mac alive and prevent from falling asleep, use the following command:
Caffeinate
View Active Process: To display information about your Mac in real-time, use the command:
top
Download Files Without the Help of a Browser: To download the files without the need of any browser, use the following command on your terminal:
cd ~ / Downloads /
curl -O http://www.thefilename.com/thefile/url.mp3
Conclusion
Every Mac terminal listed above has its own pros and cons. However, based on your requirement, you can choose any terminals in this article. Since some of these terminals are free of cost, we suggest you try and explore them.
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