Windows Terminal

The brand-new Windows Terminal improves upon the legendary command-line system administrator app by adding a fast, optimized, and powerful terminal application platform for a new modern age.

With full support for shells like Command Prompt, PowerShell, and WSL, new Windows Terminal adds more modern user interface features such as tabs, GPU accelerated text rendering engine, Unicode, and UTF-8 character support, custom themes, and in-depth user configuration support.

Built as the new open-source environment under the code name “Cascadia” and developed with the insights and direct contribution from the worldwide community, new Windows Terminal strives to greatly enhance productivity for professional users who are used to control and monitor their workflow jobs with this popular command-line tool.
 
Other much-requested features available in Cascadia are the support for window transparency effects, 24-bit color support, JSON settings file, integration with Microsoft Narrator, support for Azure Cloud Shell Connector, ANSI/VT sequences, and the ability to copy HTML format text to the clipboard.

However, be aware that as of late 2019 this developer utility app was still in the early preview release, providing users only access some of its features such as innovative “assistive technology”.

According to the official listing on the Windows Store, at that point, It was still not formally tested and users could experience various bugs and instabilities, which are being aggressively fixed on the road to releasing a final stable build.

Features and Highlights

• A brand new modern terminal app for professional users.
• Introduction of the tabbed interface.
• Full support for modern Unicode character rendering.
• GPU-accelerated app.
• Advanced customizability.
• 100% FREE!

Installation and Use

Windows Terminal is a developer utility app that is as of 2019 still in the early preview phase of release. But even in this development state, many developers are gladly using it to enhance their daily workflow.

The app can be quickly installed from its official Windows Store page by clicking on the “Get” button. Upon finishing the installation, you can start it and immediately notice many of the improvements new this codename “Cascadia” app is offering to professional users.

he most noticeable difference is the presence of tabs, GPU accelerated rendering and configuration area that can be accessed by clicking on the “+” button at the right of your latest tab. Settings can also be activated with a keyboard shortcut “Ctrl+,”.

How to Use

• Install Windows Terminal from Microsoft Store
• Launch Windows Terminal from Start menu or shortcut
• Open new tabs with different command-line profiles
• Customize settings in the JSON configuration file
• Use keyboard shortcuts for faster navigation
• Split panes for multitasking in one window
• Change themes and appearance in settings
• Use multiple shells like PowerShell, CMD, and WSL
• Enable acrylic effects for a transparent background
• Configure startup behavior and default profile

System Requirements

• Windows 10 or Windows 11
• 64-bit processor (x86-64 or ARM64)
• Minimum 4GB RAM (8GB recommended)
• At least 200MB of available storage
• DirectX-compatible GPU for rendering

PROS

• Customizable themes and layouts
• Supports multiple command-line shells
• Fast and smooth performance
• Tabbed interface for better organization
• Open-source and regularly updated

CONS

• Requires Windows 10 or newer
• No built-in support for older Windows versions
• Limited graphical customization options
• Learning curve for advanced configurations
• Some features depend on external tools