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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 Sep 2026

Terminals & multiplexers — star history
115k STARS11 YR 3 MOmicrosoft/terminal115kalacritty/alacritty67kghostty-org/ghostty37ktmux/tmux44kzellij-org/zellij28kkovidgoyal/kitty32kwez/wezterm23k

microsoft/terminal: 114,739 stars on September 14, 2026. alacritty/alacritty: 66,973 stars on September 13, 2026. ghostty-org/ghostty: 36,968 stars on September 15, 2026. tmux/tmux: 43,527 stars on September 15, 2026. zellij-org/zellij: 27,597 stars on September 15, 2026. kovidgoyal/kitty: 31,943 stars on September 15, 2026. wez/wezterm: 23,263 stars on September 13, 2026.

Star history for microsoft/terminal
DateStars
August 12, 201740
October 6, 2017162
November 24, 2017274
January 10, 2018363
March 3, 2018443
April 24, 2018534
June 6, 2018650
July 23, 2018753
September 6, 2018874
October 23, 2018990
December 17, 20181148
January 25, 20191317
March 7, 20191475
April 15, 20191661
May 25, 201941513
July 3, 201949314
August 11, 201951899
September 19, 201953853
October 28, 201955759
December 6, 201957609
January 14, 202059287
February 22, 202061040
April 1, 202062886
May 10, 202064979
June 18, 202068981
July 27, 202070889
September 5, 202072315
October 14, 202073508
November 22, 202074859
December 31, 202076101
February 16, 202177843
March 27, 202178971
May 5, 202180159
June 16, 202181619
July 25, 202182980
September 4, 202184183
October 14, 202185065
November 27, 202185942
January 5, 202287076
February 13, 202288721
March 24, 202289930
May 2, 202291023
June 10, 202292051
July 19, 202292731
August 27, 202293830
October 5, 202294576
November 13, 202295305
December 22, 202296110
January 30, 202396898
March 10, 202397624
April 26, 202398450
June 4, 202399155
July 13, 202399840
August 21, 2023100478
September 29, 2023101305
November 7, 2023102058
December 16, 2023102774
January 24, 2024103346
March 3, 2024104372
April 11, 2024104985
May 20, 2024105660
June 28, 2024106247
August 6, 2024106843
September 14, 2024107441
October 23, 2024108177
December 1, 2024108882
January 9, 2025109524
February 17, 2025110386
March 28, 2025111038
May 6, 2025111689
June 22, 2025112280
July 31, 2025112588
September 8, 2025113234
October 23, 2025113681
December 1, 2025113873
January 9, 2026114098
February 17, 2026114325
March 30, 2026114499
May 11, 2026114656
September 14, 2026114739
Star history for alacritty/alacritty
DateStars
February 21, 20161
February 7, 20174544
March 22, 20175149
May 4, 20175631
June 16, 20175938
July 30, 20176398
September 11, 20176817
October 24, 20177415
December 6, 20177991
January 18, 20188586
March 11, 20189760
April 25, 201810439
June 7, 201810899
July 20, 201811352
September 1, 201811978
October 14, 201812630
November 27, 201813350
January 9, 201913988
February 21, 201914570
April 5, 201915405
May 19, 201916529
July 1, 201917417
August 13, 201918224
September 25, 201918899
November 7, 201919660
December 21, 201920326
February 2, 202021006
March 16, 202021985
April 28, 202023058
June 11, 202024330
August 1, 202025491
September 15, 202026540
October 28, 202027544
December 10, 202030256
January 22, 202131366
March 7, 202132296
April 19, 202133106
June 4, 202134240
July 17, 202135059
August 31, 202136006
October 14, 202136714
November 30, 202137418
January 12, 202238614
February 24, 202239607
April 8, 202240518
May 22, 202241525
July 4, 202242340
August 16, 202243434
September 28, 202244516
November 11, 202245495
January 1, 202346448
February 14, 202347534
March 29, 202348602
May 11, 202349569
June 23, 202350427
August 6, 202351218
September 18, 202351984
October 31, 202352796
December 13, 202353614
January 25, 202454738
March 9, 202455885
April 21, 202456859
June 3, 202458034
July 16, 202459070
August 29, 202459932
October 11, 202460725
November 23, 202461487
January 5, 202562311
February 17, 202562974
April 2, 202563607
May 24, 202564409
July 6, 202564776
August 18, 202565194
September 30, 202565590
November 17, 202565883
December 31, 202566178
February 12, 202666445
March 29, 202666704
May 15, 202666888
September 13, 202666973
Star history for ghostty-org/ghostty
DateStars
December 26, 20242283
January 2, 202517651
January 9, 202520474
January 16, 202521980
January 23, 202522930
January 30, 202523469
February 7, 202524134
February 14, 202524602
February 21, 202525047
February 28, 202525430
March 9, 202525837
March 16, 202526145
March 23, 202526477
March 30, 202526767
April 6, 202527016
April 14, 202527284
April 21, 202527522
April 28, 202527771
May 5, 202528004
May 12, 202528212
May 20, 202528464
May 27, 202528646
June 3, 202528785
June 10, 202528940
June 17, 202529092
June 24, 202529442
July 2, 202529701
July 9, 202529904
July 16, 202530050
July 23, 202530190
August 1, 202530407
August 8, 202530565
August 15, 202530705
August 22, 202530977
August 30, 202531149
September 6, 202531267
September 13, 202531497
September 20, 202531703
September 27, 202531910
October 4, 202532038
October 16, 202532180
October 23, 202532286
October 30, 202532387
November 6, 202532525
November 13, 202532619
November 20, 202532717
November 28, 202532819
December 5, 202532943
December 12, 202533083
December 19, 202533220
December 28, 202533460
January 4, 202633637
January 11, 202633850
January 18, 202634011
January 26, 202634191
February 2, 202634377
February 9, 202634587
February 16, 202634759
February 23, 202634928
March 2, 202635143
March 10, 202635332
March 17, 202635616
March 24, 202635815
March 31, 202635933
April 7, 202636091
April 15, 202636246
April 22, 202636342
April 29, 202636444
May 6, 202636600
May 13, 202636681
May 22, 202636736
May 29, 202636787
June 5, 202636818
June 14, 202636841
June 25, 202636852
July 5, 202636865
July 25, 202636872
August 23, 202636882
September 6, 202636931
September 15, 202636968
Star history for tmux/tmux
DateStars
June 3, 20151
July 23, 20152729
September 11, 20152990
November 1, 20153373
December 21, 20153748
February 11, 20164011
April 2, 20164300
May 23, 20164577
July 13, 20164953
September 1, 20165252
November 1, 20165688
December 22, 20166007
February 11, 20176320
April 2, 20176681
May 23, 20177052
July 12, 20177577
September 1, 20178141
October 21, 20178744
December 10, 20179331
January 30, 20189850
March 21, 201810367
May 12, 201810879
July 1, 201811351
August 21, 201811787
October 10, 201812281
November 30, 201812797
January 19, 201913274
March 10, 201913817
April 30, 201914515
June 19, 201915150
August 19, 201915790
October 8, 201916271
November 28, 201916843
January 17, 202017421
March 8, 202017972
April 27, 202018721
June 16, 202019433
August 6, 202019980
September 26, 202020461
November 16, 202021010
January 5, 202121563
February 25, 202122101
April 17, 202122688
June 10, 202123336
July 30, 202123824
September 21, 202124429
November 20, 202124854
January 9, 202225357
March 1, 202225775
April 20, 202226348
June 20, 202227137
August 9, 202227713
September 29, 202228321
November 18, 202228861
January 7, 202329362
February 27, 202329947
April 18, 202330531
June 8, 202331380
July 28, 202331931
September 17, 202332534
November 6, 202333054
December 27, 202333617
February 15, 202434379
April 5, 202435100
May 26, 202435758
July 15, 202436369
September 4, 202436975
October 24, 202437879
December 14, 202438517
February 2, 202539126
April 4, 202539917
May 24, 202540436
July 13, 202540834
September 2, 202541263
October 26, 202541589
December 17, 202541950
February 5, 202642416
March 28, 202643033
May 17, 202643368
September 15, 202643527
Star history for zellij-org/zellij
DateStars
November 1, 202027
December 25, 2020194
February 21, 2021384
April 23, 20212010
May 20, 20212764
June 14, 20213071
July 9, 20213170
August 2, 20213416
August 29, 20213546
September 22, 20213714
November 5, 20213854
November 30, 20214035
December 27, 20214244
January 20, 20224455
February 13, 20224701
March 10, 20225593
April 3, 20225814
April 27, 20226110
May 21, 20226385
June 14, 20226694
July 9, 20226902
August 2, 20227185
August 26, 20227946
September 19, 20228179
October 13, 20228448
November 7, 20228783
December 1, 20229067
December 25, 20229247
January 18, 20239517
February 11, 20239918
March 13, 202310727
April 6, 202311157
April 30, 202311538
May 24, 202311840
June 17, 202312201
July 12, 202312831
August 5, 202313183
August 29, 202313459
September 22, 202313756
October 16, 202314036
November 10, 202314367
December 4, 202314750
December 28, 202315075
January 21, 202415438
February 14, 202416010
March 10, 202416627
April 3, 202416970
April 27, 202417582
May 21, 202418177
June 15, 202418966
July 14, 202419508
August 7, 202419967
August 31, 202420318
September 24, 202420749
October 18, 202421208
November 12, 202421707
December 6, 202422146
December 30, 202422489
January 23, 202522788
February 16, 202523138
March 13, 202523482
April 6, 202523820
April 30, 202524091
May 24, 202524370
June 18, 202524559
July 12, 202524892
August 5, 202525136
August 29, 202525443
September 22, 202525699
October 22, 202525875
November 20, 202526048
December 14, 202526197
January 7, 202626376
January 31, 202626583
February 24, 202626867
March 21, 202627084
April 14, 202627330
May 10, 202627454
June 4, 202627542
September 15, 202627597
Star history for kovidgoyal/kitty
DateStars
December 6, 20162
February 19, 2017694
May 4, 2017767
July 18, 2017862
September 10, 2017968
October 23, 20171082
December 5, 20171401
January 17, 20181622
February 28, 20182149
April 12, 20182522
June 1, 20183170
July 15, 20183428
August 26, 20183692
October 7, 20184915
November 18, 20185224
December 31, 20185485
February 11, 20195794
March 25, 20196204
May 6, 20196562
June 17, 20196879
July 28, 20197141
September 8, 20197529
October 20, 20197775
December 1, 20198099
January 12, 20208339
February 23, 20208657
April 5, 20208943
May 17, 20209265
June 28, 20209529
August 9, 20209787
September 30, 202010104
November 11, 202010502
December 23, 202010804
February 3, 202111169
March 17, 202111477
April 28, 202111830
June 12, 202112201
July 24, 202112515
September 7, 202112833
October 20, 202113076
December 8, 202113560
January 19, 202214092
March 2, 202214618
April 13, 202215141
May 25, 202215612
July 6, 202216014
August 17, 202216572
September 28, 202217032
November 9, 202217497
December 21, 202217916
February 9, 202318699
March 23, 202319190
May 4, 202319633
June 15, 202320040
July 27, 202320563
September 7, 202320985
October 19, 202321343
November 30, 202321789
January 11, 202422229
February 22, 202422702
April 3, 202423205
May 15, 202423676
June 26, 202424273
August 7, 202424961
September 18, 202425589
October 30, 202426201
December 11, 202426799
January 22, 202527942
March 5, 202528463
April 16, 202529084
June 5, 202529629
July 18, 202529943
August 29, 202530323
October 16, 202530662
November 27, 202530954
January 8, 202631252
February 19, 202631543
April 2, 202631733
May 18, 202631858
September 15, 202631943
Star history for wez/wezterm
DateStars
February 8, 20181
April 3, 201933
September 30, 201973
December 20, 2019127
February 20, 2020172
April 19, 2020219
June 23, 2020357
August 20, 2020403
October 15, 2020459
November 20, 2020533
January 3, 2021642
February 2, 2021701
March 8, 2021770
April 9, 20211521
May 7, 20211784
June 10, 20211895
July 14, 20211997
August 13, 20212135
September 14, 20212297
October 16, 20212424
November 21, 20212533
December 19, 20212835
January 16, 20223136
February 13, 20223311
March 13, 20223578
April 10, 20224004
May 8, 20224325
June 5, 20224514
July 3, 20224864
July 31, 20225230
September 3, 20225658
October 1, 20225920
October 29, 20226183
November 26, 20226480
December 24, 20226693
January 21, 20237002
February 18, 20237424
March 18, 20237768
April 15, 20238259
May 13, 20238637
June 9, 20239028
July 7, 20239390
August 4, 20239781
September 1, 202310112
September 29, 202310479
October 27, 202310817
November 24, 202311233
December 22, 202311627
January 19, 202412136
February 16, 202412610
March 21, 202413304
April 18, 202413735
May 16, 202414170
June 13, 202414764
July 11, 202415137
August 8, 202415597
September 5, 202416748
October 3, 202417218
October 31, 202417806
November 28, 202418304
December 26, 202418747
January 23, 202519258
February 20, 202519616
March 20, 202519982
April 17, 202520287
May 15, 202520681
June 12, 202520948
July 10, 202521170
August 7, 202521405
September 4, 202521604
October 8, 202521899
November 11, 202522062
December 10, 202522215
January 7, 202622426
February 4, 202622659
March 4, 202622887
April 2, 202623033
May 2, 202623140
June 6, 202623204
September 13, 202623263

How each series was read

  • microsoft/terminal

    Historical star data · Covers through September 14, 2026

  • alacritty/alacritty

    Historical star data · Covers through September 13, 2026

  • ghostty-org/ghostty

    Historical star data · Covers through September 15, 2026

  • tmux/tmux

    Historical star data · Covers through September 15, 2026

  • zellij-org/zellij

    Historical star data · Covers through September 15, 2026

  • kovidgoyal/kitty

    Historical star data · Covers through September 15, 2026

  • wez/wezterm

    Historical star data · Covers through September 13, 2026

Ranking

7 repositories

Terminals & multiplexers ranked by current total GitHub stars
#RepositoryStars+90dFirst starHealth
1microsoft/terminal104,900~512017debt charts
2alacritty/alacritty65,724~492016debt charts
3ghostty-org/ghostty61,129~1272024debt charts
4tmux/tmux49,253~862015debt charts
5zellij-org/zellij35,415~392020debt charts
6kovidgoyal/kitty34,905~542016debt charts
7wez/wezterm28,898~542018debt 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: 104,90065,72461,12949,25335,41534,90528,898
Stars gained · trailing 90dChange in the newest 90 days covered by each cached series.+51+49Best result in this row: +127+86+39+54+54
ForksCurrent public GitHub metadata total.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Largest package audienceLargest resolved registry total; sources are shown explicitly.No resolved packageNo resolved packageNo resolved packageNo resolved packageNo resolved packageNo resolved packageNo resolved package
Repository ageElapsed years since the GitHub creation timestamp.9.1 years11 years4.5 years11 years6.0 years9.9 years8.6 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.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Code linesAnalyzed source lines at current HEAD, excluding blanks and comments.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Languages representedLanguages with non-zero files or line counts.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available

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.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Commits · trailing 90dCommit count in the newest 90 days covered by the repository analysis.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available

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.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Top contributor concentrationShare of attributed commits carried by the most active contributor.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available

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.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Recent TODO/FIXME movementLatest cumulative marker count and its change over the trailing 90 days.Not availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available

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 104,900 GitHub stars as of Sep 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 127 new stars, compared with about 51 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 either from GitHub's stargazer list or rebuilt from historical star data — 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