WezTerm vs Kitty

kitty uses a standard `kitty.conf` file, which is declarative and easier to read for beginners. It follows a simple `setting value` format. However, kitty's true power lies in its Python API. Users can create 'Kittens' to add completely new interactive features. While the configuration file itself doesn't support logic (like 'if-statements') natively without external includes, the separation of declarative config and Python-based extensibility is robust. It supports live reloading for most settings, though some changes still require a restart.

kitty supports tabs and multiple window layouts (Tall, Fat, Grid, etc.) natively, which works well for local development. However, it deliberately lacks a session persistence engine. The creator argues that session management is the job of the shell or tools like tmux. While kitty provides a 'kitten ssh' wrapper to help manage terminfo on remote hosts, it does not offer the seamless disconnect/reconnect persistence of WezTerm without relying on third-party tools, making it less self-contained for DevOps work.

WezTerm is GPU-accelerated and written in Rust, offering performance that is significantly better than traditional terminals like Terminal.app or iTerm2. It handles high-throughput output (like `cat`ing a massive log file) with ease and maintains a consistent 60+ FPS refresh rate. However, on older hardware or specific GPU drivers, some users report slightly higher input latency compared to kitty. It is fast enough that the difference is imperceptible to most, but benchmarks technically place it second.

kitty is historically a Unix-focused tool. While it runs flawlessly on macOS and Linux, its Windows support has traditionally been experimental or dependent on WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). While strides have been made by 2026 to improve native Windows support, it still feels like a port rather than a native citizen compared to WezTerm. Many features that work seamlessly on macOS require workarounds or simply function differently on Windows.

WezTerm supports the iTerm2 image protocol and Sixel, making it highly compatible with existing tools that output images to the terminal (like `imgcat`). It allows for viewing images, plotting graphs, and even playing simple animations directly in the terminal flow. Because it supports the widely adopted iTerm2 protocol, many CLI tools work with WezTerm out of the box without needing special flags or configuration, ensuring high compatibility with the macOS ecosystem.

kitty introduced its own graphics protocol (ICAT), which is technically superior in terms of performance and capabilities (e.g., z-indexing, handling transparency). It allows for incredibly complex image manipulation within the terminal. However, because it is a unique protocol, tools must specifically implement support for kitty. While adoption has grown significantly by 2026, you may still encounter older CLI utilities that support iTerm2/Sixel but not kitty's protocol, though kitty uses a wrapper to handle some of this.

kitty also supports ligatures, but its implementation of font rendering is more opinionated. It allows for extremely granular control—you can disable specific ligatures for specific code points if you desire. However, kitty does not support sub-pixel antialiasing (claiming it is obsolete with HiDPI screens), which can make fonts look slightly 'thinner' or different on standard definition external monitors compared to WezTerm. It prioritizes exact pixel mapping over OS-level font smoothing.

Extensibility in WezTerm is achieved primarily through the Lua config file. You can hook into events like `window-config-reloaded` or `update-status` to change the appearance of the tab bar, update window titles, or send notifications. The API is extensive and documented, but it is strictly bound to the Lua environment within the terminal process. It is powerful for customizing the behavior of the terminal itself but slightly less suited for creating standalone interactive 'mini-apps' compared to kitty.