Ghostty vs Warp

Ghostty uses Metal on macOS and OpenGL on Linux for GPU-accelerated rendering. Startup feels immediate on Apple Silicon, scrolling stays smooth on large outputs, and the native UI avoids Electron weight. Exact memory numbers vary by scrollback and plugins; the architectural goal is a thin, native client.

Warp is built in Rust with a custom renderer and feels fast for normal workflows. Block UI and AI features add overhead the pure terminal does not carry. It is quicker than many Electron terminals, yet it is not aiming to beat Ghostty on minimalism.

No integrated agent product. Run Claude Code, Codex CLI, or other agents inside Ghostty as ordinary processes.

First-party Warp Agent with multi-model access (Fable 5, Claude Opus 5, GPT-5.6, Gemini 3.1 Pro, and more), cloud agents, BYOK, and credit metering. Core differentiator versus classic terminals.

Ghostty uses native UI components on each platform: Swift/AppKit on macOS with native tabs, splits, Quick Look, force touch, secure keyboard entry, and AppleScript support. On Linux, it uses GTK4 with proper desktop integration. The terminal feels like it belongs on your platform.

Warp uses a custom UI built in Rust, which looks modern and consistent but does not use native platform components. It has its own tab and split implementations, theme system, and visual style. While polished, it feels like an app with its own design language rather than a native platform citizen.

Ghostty supports an extensive range of modern terminal protocols: Kitty graphics protocol for inline images, synchronized rendering to prevent tearing, proper grapheme clustering for emoji and complex scripts, light/dark mode notifications, hyperlinks, and full xterm compatibility. The goal is maximum compatibility with both legacy and modern terminal applications.

Warp supports common terminal features and most standard protocols, but its focus on the block-based UI and AI features means some advanced terminal protocols are not prioritized. It works well for common development workflows but may not support bleeding-edge terminal applications as comprehensively as Ghostty.

Ghostty is a single-user local terminal with no built-in collaboration features. Sharing terminal sessions requires external tools like tmux with sharing, SSH, or screen recording. This is by design, Ghostty focuses on individual developer experience.

Warp Drive enables team knowledge sharing with saved commands, notebooks, and workflows. Warp's cloud features allow sharing terminal sessions, collaborative debugging, and shared context across team members. The Oz platform extends this to orchestrating agents across team infrastructure.

Ghostty uses a simple configuration file format with hundreds of options. Ships with hundreds of built-in themes, supports custom fonts with ligatures, and allows deep customization of keybindings, window behavior, and terminal features. Configuration is straightforward and well-documented.

Warp offers themes, font selection, and various appearance settings. However, the block-based UI and AI-centric design limits some traditional terminal customizations. Settings are managed through a UI rather than configuration files, which some users prefer but others find limiting.

Ghostty runs on macOS and Linux (GTK4). Windows support is planned but not yet available as of mid-2026. The macOS and Linux versions are first-class citizens with native UIs on each platform.

Warp supports macOS, Linux, and Windows. The consistent custom UI means the experience is nearly identical across all platforms. This is valuable for developers working across multiple operating systems.

Ghostty is completely offline-capable. All features work without internet connectivity. There are no cloud dependencies, account requirements, or telemetry that requires connectivity.

Warp's core terminal works offline, but its signature AI features require internet connectivity. The free plan and paid plans both rely on cloud AI services. Account creation is required. Some features like Warp Drive and team collaboration are cloud-dependent.