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Terminals & multiplexers: star history compared

Most starred

105k

microsoft/terminal

Terminal emulators picked up a new generation of projects once GPU acceleration arrived. Alacritty and kitty kicked off that era, WezTerm quietly built a power-user following, and Ghostty's 2024 release turned years of private beta into an instant vertical line. On the multiplexer side, tmux's decade-long slow burn against Zellij's newer curve is a portrait of stability versus reinvention.

Ranked by current GitHub stars · growth = stars gained in the trailing 90 days · data updated Nov 2026

Terminals & multiplexers — star history
105k STARS11 YR 5 MOmicrosoft/terminal105kalacritty/alacritty66kghostty-org/ghostty64ktmux/tmux50kzellij-org/zellij36kkovidgoyal/kitty36kwez/wezterm30k

microsoft/terminal: 105,384 stars on November 14, 2026. alacritty/alacritty: 66,185 stars on November 14, 2026. ghostty-org/ghostty: 64,088 stars on November 14, 2026. tmux/tmux: 50,305 stars on November 13, 2026. zellij-org/zellij: 36,044 stars on November 13, 2026. kovidgoyal/kitty: 35,671 stars on November 14, 2026. wez/wezterm: 29,556 stars on November 13, 2026.

Star history for microsoft/terminal
DateStars
August 11, 20178
October 8, 2017129
November 29, 2017231
January 25, 2018313
March 26, 2018396
May 22, 2018492
July 7, 2018592
August 27, 2018723
October 12, 2018816
December 1, 2018920
January 23, 20191098
March 7, 20191227
April 18, 20191385
May 30, 201936823
July 9, 201942571
August 19, 201944625
September 29, 201946494
November 9, 201948032
December 20, 201949584
January 30, 202050986
March 11, 202052508
April 21, 202054151
June 1, 202057521
July 12, 202059246
August 22, 202060721
October 2, 202061811
November 11, 202062843
December 22, 202063984
February 1, 202165139
March 14, 202166250
May 2, 202167453
June 12, 202168707
July 23, 202169848
September 2, 202170879
October 13, 202171757
November 23, 202172777
January 3, 202273751
February 13, 202275209
March 26, 202276260
May 6, 202277261
June 15, 202278218
July 26, 202278945
September 5, 202279848
October 16, 202280535
November 26, 202281177
January 6, 202381999
February 16, 202382791
March 29, 202383497
May 9, 202384151
June 19, 202384859
August 7, 202385559
September 17, 202386153
October 28, 202387094
December 8, 202387821
January 17, 202488348
February 27, 202489245
April 8, 202489865
May 19, 202490524
June 29, 202491036
August 9, 202491567
September 19, 202492165
October 30, 202492811
December 10, 202493489
January 20, 202594052
March 2, 202594900
April 12, 202595459
May 22, 202596204
July 2, 202596797
August 12, 202597310
September 22, 202598589
November 10, 202599254
December 21, 202599722
January 31, 2026100338
March 13, 2026101076
April 23, 2026101966
June 3, 2026102760
July 14, 2026103421
August 24, 2026104331
October 4, 2026104868
November 14, 2026105384
Star history for alacritty/alacritty
DateStars
February 21, 20161
February 10, 20174208
March 27, 20174696
May 12, 20175114
June 26, 20175382
August 11, 20175810
September 25, 20176146
November 9, 20176714
December 24, 20177189
February 7, 20188041
April 3, 20188739
May 18, 20189342
July 2, 20189748
August 16, 201810388
October 1, 201811005
November 15, 201811617
December 30, 201812313
February 13, 201912898
March 30, 201913612
May 15, 201914591
June 29, 201915350
August 13, 201916039
September 27, 201916693
November 11, 201917327
December 27, 201917878
February 10, 202018618
March 26, 202019347
May 10, 202020383
June 25, 202021399
August 9, 202022251
October 2, 202023342
November 16, 202024508
December 31, 202026380
February 15, 202127312
April 1, 202128055
May 16, 202129857
June 30, 202130600
August 14, 202131387
September 29, 202132161
November 13, 202132861
December 28, 202133849
February 11, 202234709
March 29, 202235578
May 13, 202236494
June 27, 202237354
August 11, 202238222
September 25, 202239319
November 10, 202240241
December 25, 202240993
February 8, 202341911
April 3, 202343159
May 18, 202344062
July 3, 202344878
August 17, 202345593
October 1, 202346318
November 15, 202347140
December 31, 202348002
February 14, 202449055
March 30, 202450100
May 14, 202451078
June 28, 202452327
August 13, 202453127
September 27, 202453798
November 11, 202454560
December 26, 202455261
February 9, 202555981
March 27, 202556643
May 11, 202557339
June 25, 202557925
August 9, 202558569
October 3, 202559398
November 17, 202560064
January 1, 202660749
February 15, 202661605
April 1, 202662497
May 17, 202663501
July 1, 202664303
August 15, 202665075
September 29, 202665680
November 14, 202666185
Star history for ghostty-org/ghostty
DateStars
July 31, 20221
September 13, 202321
October 21, 202345
November 11, 202379
December 1, 2023119
January 2, 2024156
January 23, 2024220
February 12, 2024254
March 13, 2024274
April 3, 2024293
April 30, 2024331
May 27, 2024357
June 10, 2024399
June 29, 2024424
July 18, 2024459
August 3, 2024488
August 17, 2024509
September 4, 2024538
September 19, 2024562
October 3, 2024593
October 17, 2024636
October 30, 2024725
November 12, 2024816
November 24, 2024918
December 7, 20241076
December 20, 20241243
January 1, 202517989
January 14, 202522594
January 27, 202524229
February 9, 202525268
February 24, 202526246
March 8, 202526883
March 21, 202527516
April 3, 202528050
April 16, 202528542
April 28, 202528970
May 11, 202529389
May 24, 202529824
June 5, 202530218
June 18, 202530647
July 1, 202531518
July 14, 202532008
July 26, 202532447
August 8, 202532922
August 21, 202533556
September 2, 202534022
September 15, 202534635
September 28, 202535331
October 11, 202535928
October 23, 202536444
November 7, 202537097
November 20, 202537519
December 3, 202538059
December 16, 202538735
December 28, 202539380
January 10, 202640264
January 23, 202641139
February 4, 202642130
February 17, 202643166
March 2, 202644462
March 15, 202646226
March 27, 202648145
April 9, 202649517
April 22, 202650712
May 4, 202652765
May 17, 202654043
May 30, 202654968
June 11, 202655725
June 24, 202656471
July 7, 202657243
July 22, 202658085
August 4, 202658772
August 17, 202659418
August 29, 202660105
September 11, 202660683
September 24, 202661272
October 6, 202661713
October 19, 202662281
November 1, 202663166
November 14, 202664088
Star history for tmux/tmux
DateStars
June 3, 2015263
July 25, 20152344
September 17, 20152581
November 8, 20152931
January 1, 20163230
February 25, 20163473
April 18, 20163724
June 9, 20164055
August 1, 20164308
September 24, 20164552
November 26, 20164953
January 17, 20175231
March 11, 20175515
May 2, 20175849
June 24, 20176225
August 15, 20176719
October 6, 20177213
November 28, 20177782
January 19, 20188217
March 12, 20188681
May 3, 20189186
June 25, 20189690
August 16, 201810127
October 7, 201810590
November 28, 201811113
January 20, 201911610
March 13, 201912128
May 4, 201912713
June 25, 201913286
August 17, 201913786
October 18, 201914310
December 10, 201914890
January 31, 202015343
March 23, 202015877
May 15, 202016609
July 6, 202017176
August 27, 202017632
October 18, 202018056
December 10, 202018608
January 31, 202119074
March 24, 202119498
May 15, 202120176
July 7, 202120662
August 28, 202121160
October 19, 202121692
December 10, 202122135
February 1, 202222561
March 25, 202223037
May 16, 202223667
July 8, 202224306
September 8, 202225004
October 31, 202225543
December 22, 202226094
February 12, 202326607
April 5, 202327189
May 28, 202328034
July 19, 202328651
September 9, 202329208
October 31, 202329730
December 23, 202330289
February 13, 202430985
April 5, 202431732
May 27, 202432378
July 19, 202432969
September 9, 202433528
October 31, 202434382
December 23, 202435024
February 13, 202535684
April 6, 202536292
May 28, 202536852
July 30, 202537674
September 20, 202538355
November 12, 202539040
January 3, 202639999
February 24, 202641621
April 17, 202644159
June 9, 202646075
July 31, 202647879
September 21, 202649235
November 13, 202650305
Star history for zellij-org/zellij
DateStars
November 1, 202036
January 17, 2021179
March 6, 2021354
May 5, 20212301
May 31, 20212779
June 28, 20212909
July 25, 20213135
August 20, 20213263
September 15, 20213436
October 12, 20213525
November 14, 20213687
December 10, 20213823
January 6, 20224042
February 1, 20224260
February 27, 20225028
March 26, 20225352
April 21, 20225640
May 17, 20225893
June 13, 20226245
July 9, 20226479
August 5, 20226758
August 31, 20227491
September 26, 20227777
October 22, 20228013
November 17, 20228420
December 14, 20228636
January 9, 20238854
February 4, 20239198
March 2, 20239676
March 28, 202310418
April 29, 202310906
May 25, 202311229
June 20, 202311745
July 16, 202312223
August 11, 202312577
September 7, 202312915
October 3, 202313186
October 29, 202313446
November 24, 202313852
December 20, 202314261
January 16, 202414631
February 11, 202415230
March 8, 202415864
April 3, 202416230
April 29, 202416919
May 26, 202417660
June 21, 202418370
July 17, 202418828
August 12, 202419279
September 7, 202419648
October 9, 202420279
November 4, 202420743
November 30, 202421302
December 26, 202421637
January 22, 202522026
February 17, 202522395
March 15, 202522771
April 10, 202523168
May 6, 202523456
June 1, 202523784
June 28, 202524152
July 24, 202524724
August 19, 202525236
September 14, 202525722
October 10, 202526113
November 6, 202526476
December 2, 202526886
December 28, 202527291
January 23, 202627886
February 18, 202628658
March 22, 202629754
April 17, 202631221
May 13, 202632117
June 8, 202633077
July 5, 202633747
July 31, 202634328
August 26, 202634910
September 21, 202635353
October 17, 202635672
November 13, 202636044
Star history for kovidgoyal/kitty
DateStars
December 5, 20162
February 28, 2017700
May 24, 2017771
August 8, 2017875
September 29, 2017953
November 17, 20171068
January 3, 20181377
February 17, 20181811
April 2, 20182136
May 15, 20182651
July 7, 20183019
August 20, 20183279
October 2, 20184443
November 15, 20184752
December 31, 20185016
February 13, 20195306
March 29, 20195649
May 12, 20195946
June 26, 20196212
August 9, 20196497
September 21, 20196775
November 4, 20197043
December 18, 20197268
January 31, 20207503
March 14, 20207747
April 28, 20208055
June 11, 20208308
July 25, 20208524
September 7, 20208734
October 20, 20209107
December 12, 20209425
January 25, 20219740
March 9, 20219972
April 22, 202110283
June 5, 202110656
July 19, 202110940
August 31, 202111220
October 14, 202111499
November 28, 202111891
January 11, 202212306
February 23, 202212823
April 8, 202213312
May 22, 202213751
July 5, 202214140
August 17, 202214654
September 30, 202215109
November 13, 202215546
December 27, 202216146
February 8, 202316599
March 24, 202317074
May 16, 202317596
June 28, 202317957
August 11, 202318479
September 24, 202318863
November 7, 202319214
December 21, 202319639
February 2, 202420072
March 17, 202420551
April 30, 202421028
June 13, 202421577
July 26, 202422111
September 8, 202422827
October 22, 202423397
December 5, 202423991
January 17, 202525120
March 2, 202525670
April 15, 202526304
May 29, 202526839
July 11, 202527333
August 24, 202527967
October 16, 202528732
November 28, 202529365
January 11, 202630048
February 24, 202630898
April 9, 202631844
May 22, 202632662
July 5, 202633466
August 18, 202634274
October 1, 202635046
November 14, 202635671
Star history for wez/wezterm
DateStars
February 8, 20181
May 8, 201934
November 12, 201975
January 21, 2020126
March 31, 2020168
June 11, 2020210
August 6, 2020344
October 3, 2020391
November 16, 2020448
December 26, 2020549
February 4, 2021620
March 12, 2021683
April 15, 20211399
May 15, 20211624
June 18, 20211732
July 26, 20211849
August 26, 20211965
September 26, 20212126
October 26, 20212234
November 26, 20212355
December 26, 20212732
January 25, 20222928
February 24, 20223128
March 26, 20223481
April 25, 20223853
May 26, 20224049
June 25, 20224302
July 24, 20224732
August 23, 20225117
September 22, 20225366
October 28, 20225687
November 27, 20226005
December 27, 20226220
January 26, 20236557
February 25, 20236972
March 27, 20237380
April 25, 20237892
May 25, 20238260
June 24, 20238639
July 24, 20239064
August 23, 20239442
September 22, 20239779
October 22, 202310155
November 21, 202310520
December 20, 202310940
January 19, 202411432
February 18, 202411891
March 19, 202412514
April 18, 202412972
May 18, 202413409
June 23, 202414093
July 23, 202414463
August 22, 202415577
September 20, 202416053
October 20, 202416620
November 19, 202417181
December 19, 202417657
January 18, 202518190
February 17, 202518565
March 19, 202518964
April 18, 202519304
May 18, 202519744
June 16, 202520082
July 16, 202520437
August 15, 202520838
September 14, 202521275
October 14, 202521627
November 13, 202521970
December 13, 202522349
January 12, 202622910
February 17, 202623761
March 18, 202624498
April 17, 202625219
May 17, 202625827
June 16, 202626386
July 16, 202627405
August 15, 202628195
September 14, 202628778
October 14, 202629176
November 13, 202629556

How each series was read

  • microsoft/terminal

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • alacritty/alacritty

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • ghostty-org/ghostty

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • tmux/tmux

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • zellij-org/zellij

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • kovidgoyal/kitty

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

  • wez/wezterm

    GitHub star history · Covers through November 14, 2026

Ranking

7 repositories

Terminals & multiplexers ranked by current total GitHub stars
#RepositoryStars+90dFirst starHealth
1microsoft/terminal105,384~1.2k2017debt charts
2alacritty/alacritty66,185~1.1k2016debt charts
3ghostty-org/ghostty64,095~4.8k2022debt charts
4tmux/tmux50,306~2.1k2015debt charts
5zellij-org/zellij36,053~1.4k2020debt charts
6kovidgoyal/kitty35,672~1.6k2016debt charts
7wez/wezterm29,558~1.4k2018debt charts

Repository health compared

Live analysis · unavailable data stays labelled

Popularity is only one axis. Compare technical scale, maintenance cadence, ownership resilience and change pressure against the same completed analysis that sits behind each report.

Reach

Popularity and real-world adoption

Signalmicrosoft/terminalalacritty/alacrittyghostty-org/ghosttytmux/tmuxzellij-org/zellijkovidgoyal/kittywez/wezterm
GitHub starsCurrent public GitHub metadata total.Best result in this row: 105,38466,18564,09550,30636,05335,67229,558
Stars gained · trailing 90dChange in the newest 90 days covered by each cached series.+1,172+1,110Best result in this row: +4,827+2,110+1,387+1,554+1,361
ForksCurrent public GitHub metadata total.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Largest package audienceLargest resolved registry total; sources are shown explicitly.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Repository ageElapsed years since the GitHub creation timestamp.9.3 years11 years4.6 years11 years6.2 years10 years8.8 years

Codebase

Size and technical center of gravity

Signalmicrosoft/terminalalacritty/alacrittyghostty-org/ghosttytmux/tmuxzellij-org/zellijkovidgoyal/kittywez/wezterm
Dominant languageLargest share of analyzed code lines at current HEAD.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Code linesAnalyzed source lines at current HEAD, excluding blanks and comments.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Languages representedLanguages with non-zero files or line counts.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…

Maintenance

Commit volume and recent operating cadence

Signalmicrosoft/terminalalacritty/alacrittyghostty-org/ghosttytmux/tmuxzellij-org/zellijkovidgoyal/kittywez/wezterm
Repository commitsFull repository commit total reported by the analysis.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Commits · trailing 90dCommit count in the newest 90 days covered by the repository analysis.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…

Ownership

How broadly maintenance responsibility is distributed

Signalmicrosoft/terminalalacritty/alacrittyghostty-org/ghosttytmux/tmuxzellij-org/zellijkovidgoyal/kittywez/wezterm
Bus factorFewest analyzed contributors carrying at least half the commits.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Top contributor concentrationShare of attributed commits carried by the most active contributor.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…

Change signals

Debt markers and fix pressure in frequently changed files

Signalmicrosoft/terminalalacritty/alacrittyghostty-org/ghosttytmux/tmuxzellij-org/zellijkovidgoyal/kittywez/wezterm
Fix-labelled share · frequently changed filesFix-labelled commits divided by commits across the analyzed high-frequency file set.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…
Recent TODO/FIXME movementLatest cumulative marker count and its change over the trailing 90 days.Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…Reading…

Head to head

open in the builder

Frequently asked

Which of these terminals & multiplexers has the most GitHub stars?

microsoft/terminal is the most-starred of the terminals & multiplexers gitdebt compares, with 105,384 GitHub stars as of Nov 2026. It earned its first star in 2017.

Which of these terminals & multiplexers is growing the fastest?

ghostty-org/ghostty added the most stars over the last 90 days of its cached history — about 4,827 new stars, compared with about 1,172 for the category leader microsoft/terminal. 90-day figures are approximate for older repos, whose history is downsampled.

How is this comparison computed?

The table ranks public repository metadata by current total stars. Each curve is that repository's stored star series — read from GitHub's own star history, or from an older stargazer-list or historical-data read until gitdebt reads it again — drawn on shared axes, with trailing 90-day growth estimated from it. The legend under the chart names each series' own source and coverage date. Repo-health charts come independently from each repository's commit history.

Related categories

all categories

Fastest-growing repos across all of gitdebt