In simple English
This is the official command-line application for Windows made by Microsoft. It lets you open multiple tabs, use custom color themes and run PowerShell, Command Prompt or Linux in the same window. It replaces the old black command prompt box with a modern interface. It is free to download and use on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Most users get it directly from the Microsoft Store.
What it is
This repository contains the source code for Windows Terminal and the underlying Windows console host (conhost.exe). It provides a tabbed interface, modern text rendering and support for UTF-8 and emoji in the Windows command line.
What it is good for
Anyone using Windows who spends time in the command line and wants tabs, split panes and custom color schemes without installing third-party tools.
- Supports tabs, split panes and multiple command-line profiles in one window.
- Highly customisable appearance with color schemes, custom fonts and background images.
- Active development by Microsoft with frequent updates and bug fixes.
- Only works on Windows 10 build 19041 or newer.
- Compiling the source code from scratch requires a large installation of Visual Studio and Windows SDKs.
- Does not auto-update when installed manually outside the Microsoft Store.
The classic Windows command prompt and conhost.exe
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winget install --id Microsoft.WindowsTerminal -e