The terminal is something very personal. Users who use it regularly are clear about their needs and what they want this program to do. For example, there are terminals that have auto-complete functions that help us type commands faster. It is also very important to have a command history so you can quickly rerun a past command without retyping it. And there are other features, such as eyelashes to open two or more consoles at once, or the ability to tile all of them, which are very useful for heavy command line use.
Then the personalization It is also a highly valued aspect. There are users who like to be able to change the background color, the letters, and even put a transparent background on the console, while others opt for minimalism and simplicity.
Although each distro usually has its own terminal (generally depending on the desktop it uses), next we are going to see which are the best TTY emulators that we can install and use on Linux.
Best Terminals for Linux
Next, we are going to see what, for us, are the best programs that we can find to make use of the terminal, or console, of Linux. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages, so we will indicate them so that we can choose the one that best suits us.
GNOMETerminal
This is one of the best known and used TTY emulators in the entire Linux ecosystem. This is because it is the terminal that is installed by default on GNOME desktops, and this is probably the most widely used and extended desktop within this ecosystem. Without going any further, it is the default desktop of Ubuntu.
GNOME Terminal is a fairly simple TTY compared to other alternatives, but it does the job perfectly. Fast, light and has a very complete command history, as well as auto-completion functions and the possibility of opening several terminals in tabs. It is also highly customizable and supports colors in the commands.
This terminal is installed by default in all Linux distros with GNOME desktop. But if this is not the case, or if we use a different desktop, we can install it manually with the following command:
sudo apt install gnome-terminal
The best and the worst
This is an application that we find installed in those Linux distributions based on the GNOME desktop that is characterized by being very light and barely consuming system resources. It is worth mentioning that we can also install it manually.
As for its handicap, it offers us the most basic functions to work in this way in a Linux distribution, which is why some users miss other more advanced features.
Terminator
Terminator was created with the intention of being the definitive terminal for all Linux users. This project is inspired by other terminals and implements its best functions and features in a way that anyone can use them.
Among its best features we can highlight the possibility of dividing the window into panels, and in each of them open a different terminal, support for tabs, the possibility of ordering the terminals by dragging and dropping, a large number of keyboard shortcuts, the possibility of writing in several terminals at the same time and support to save configurations.
This terminal also usually comes by default in most Linux repositories. We can install it with the following command:
sudo apt install terminator
Pros and cons
Here we are going to find the best functions of the original Linux terminal and its developers want it to become the main one in most cases. We can divide the window into various panels and we have a multitude of keyboard shortcuts.
On the other hand, for users who are not very experienced in this type of Linux distribution operation, this proposal might initially seem a bit more complicated.
XTerm
Xterm is the most popular terminal emulator that we can find. More even than GNOME Terminal. This is the terminal that comes installed by default in the X Window manager. A very simple TTY but at the same time powerful and very light. An option that we know will never fail us and that we will always have available.
If we do not have it installed in our distro, we can install this terminal by executing the following command:
sudo apt install xterm
Notable and less notable
Perhaps this is one of the best-known proposals for these features, among other things, due to all the potential that it offers us by default.
As for its main problem, the most inexperienced users in this type of operating system will need time to get the most out of this specific application.
Console
Just as GNOME Terminal is for GNOME desktops, Konsole is the default emulator for KDE systems. Although it is a relatively simple TTY, it hides a lot of potential. Apart from a large number of customization options, it also has tab support and bookmark support to make work easier for users. Its main drawback, as usually happens with KDE programs, is that they are heavier and slower, and consume more resources.
KDE distros come with this terminal installed by default. If we don’t use KDE, we can install it with the following command (although we will have to download a large number of KDE dependencies, almost 500 MB):
sudo apt install konsole
tilda
Tilda is a terminal emulator that, unlike the previous options, does not behave like a window, but more like a “plugin” that you place in the window. We can use a keyboard shortcut to place this window where we want, for example, always visible in a corner of the screen, and be able to use it when we need it without having to open any other program.
In addition to its special behavior, Tilda is a terminal that allows us to configure everything from its appearance to its keyboard shortcuts, so users more accustomed to controlling Linux from the terminal will be able to find a great ally in this terminal.
We can install this terminal on most Linux distributions with the following command:
sudo apt install tilda
rxvt
urxvt is another terminal emulator that is very popular among advanced users, especially those who use alternative desktops to GNOME and KDE. Among its main characteristics, the fact that it is a very very light terminal stands out, but without neglecting its customization and configuration. It also has a large number of additional functions, such as drag and drop, that give it added value.
This terminal is included in the main repositories of Linux distros, and we can install it with the following command:
sudo apt install rxvt-unicode
eDEX-UI
If we are looking for a terminal application that is out of the ordinary, we should give the eDEX-UI application a chance, an application with a user interface that is different from what we usually find in this type of application, being ideal for lovers of science fiction, who undoubtedly Will you remember the movie TRON? when they start using it.
As a good priced application, eDEX-UI allows us to customize a large number of sections, but due to its user interface, it is not suitable for low-income teams. This terminal application is not available in the usual repositories, so we will be forced to go through the developer’s website, clicking on the link, to download it completely free of charge and where we have at our disposal all the necessary information to take full advantage of it.
LilyTerm
Users who are looking for a lightweight and feature-packed terminal emulator should definitely try LilyTerm. This TTY uses the libvte libraries (so we don’t have to install a full desktop to use it) and is characterized by being a terminal that consumes very few resources, with support for tabs, color schemes, hyperlink support, full screen support and much more.
We can install this terminal by running:
sudo apt install lilyterm
Sakura
Sakura is another similar terminal that uses only the GTK and VTE libraries, so we can install and use it without problems without having to install GNOME, KDE or any other full desktop. Among its features we can highlight a TTY with very few dependencies, in addition to being light and full of functions. A breath of fresh air for those looking for something different.
We can install this terminal on any Linux distro by running:
sudo apt install sakura
guake
This terminal is similar to Tilda in many aspects. But without a doubt its main strong point is its Python interpreter, thanks to which any user can add the functions and features they need to work.
Among its main features we can highlight that this is a very light terminal, easy to use and elegant in terms of appearance. We can launch the TTY with one key, and close it directly with another key when we have finished using it. Transparencies, tabs, advanced customization options and much more give shape to one of the most complete terminal emulators.
This terminal comes in most Linux repositories, so we can install it by running:
sudo apt install guake
eterm
This terminal emulator is usually one of the options preferred by users who, after using XTerm, are looking for something more complete without losing the essence of this emulator. A very simple, fast and light terminal but with more functions than its brother, ideal for those who always seek to go one step further.
We can install this terminal emulator on our computer by running:
sudo apt install etherm
ROXTerm
ROXTerm is another very lightweight and customizable terminal. Like Sakura, this terminal depends on the VTE libraries, so installing it in the distro does not imply having to install a complete desktop. For many GNOME Terminal users it is an excellent alternative since, in addition to maintaining its essence, it has many more customization and configuration options, ideal for advanced users.
This terminal is available to all Linux users in the main repositories by running:
sudo apt install roxterm
Tilix
Tilix is a terminal emulator that allows you to use custom hyperlinks, allows you to open different terminal windows that are also synchronized with each other, supports drag and drop, includes support for images, includes a notification system. Like most of the terminal applications that we have shown you in this article, Tilix is available through the repositories of most Linux distributions and we can install it with the following command.
sudo apt install tilix
Yakuake
The main particularity of this application is that it allows us to open different tabs within the same terminal window. Inspired by a game of…
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