The new Windows Terminal and the original Windows console host, all in the same place!
Star History
Momentum
+2.6K
STARS · LAST 30 DAYS
88
PER DAY
#4
MOST-STARRED C++
| Window | 7 days | 30 days | 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars gained | +616 | +2.6K | +7.9K |
| Per day | 88 | 88 | 88 |
| Forks gained | +48 | +192 | +481 |
terminal gained 2.6K stars in the last 30 days, about 88 a day, and now has 105K. It is about 9 years old and has averaged roughly 11.7K stars a year. It ranks #4 among C++ repositories and #75 across all languages on GitHubRepo.
Trending Record
2
DAYS ON TRENDING
#1077
BEST RANK
Sep 27, 2026
FIRST APPEARANCE
Active
STATUS TODAY
terminal has maintained a continuous presence across global trending indexes, peaking at #1077. Below is the 30-day activity profile:
💡 Overview
terminal is an open-source project written in C++: The new Windows Terminal and the original Windows console host, all in the same place!.
Engineered for speed, consistency, and developer ease, it solves common hurdles in cmd, command-line, console. It provides clear interfaces, comprehensive configuration options, and seamless integration with existing tools across the modern development stack.
⚡ Key Features
Optimized execution pipeline written in C++ for predictable speed.
Zero-friction configuration with comprehensive sensible defaults out of the box.
Cross-platform runtime support across Linux, macOS, and Windows environments.
Strong typing and modular architecture designed for easy extension and maintainability.
Standardized CLI and API interfaces for smooth integration into CI/CD workflows.
Active community maintenance with regular dependency updates and security patches.
📥 Installation
$ git clone https://github.com/microsoft/terminal.git
cd terminal⚙ System Requirements
Platforms
- • macOS
- • Linux
- • Windows
Runtime & Dependencies
C++20 compliant compiler (GCC 11+, Clang 13+, MSVC)
Architecture
x86_64, ARM64 (Apple Silicon & Graviton)
🧠 How It Works
terminal coordinates its core functionality through a modular C++ pipeline. It parses configuration parameters, validates inputs, and resolves dependencies asynchronously. By minimizing runtime overhead and keeping allocations localized, it delivers predictable performance in both local development environments and automated production workloads.
🎯 Production Use Cases
Command-Line Automation
Execute automated build, deployment, and maintenance tasks directly from the terminal.
CI/CD Workflow Integration
Run non-interactive validation checks in GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or local pre-commit hooks.
Developer Environment Setup
Standardize local engineering workstations with single-binary utility commands.
Scripting & Pipeline Orchestration
Chain complex multi-stage scripts with reliable error reporting and exits.
🚀 Getting Started
Install terminal using your package manager: `git clone https://github.com/microsoft/terminal.git`
Initialize your project workspace or configuration file for terminal.
Import terminal into your codebase or invoke it directly from your terminal.
Execute your test suite or run `terminal --help` to verify successful setup.
👍 Strengths
⚠️ Considerations
⇄ Alternatives & Direct Competitors
👥 Who Should Use This
Developers and engineering teams building with C++, seeking reliable, tested, and actively maintained tooling for production workloads.
🏆 Nearby in the Rankings
microsoft/terminal is currently ranked #75 by stars across every repository tracked on GitHubRepo. These are adjacent projects:
| Rank | Repository | Language | Stars | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #70 | fatedier/frp | Go | ★ 109.7K | Compare ↗ |
| #71 | openai/whisper | Python | ★ 109.7K | Compare ↗ |
| #72 | TauricResearch/TradingAgents | Python | ★ 108.7K | Compare ↗ |
| #73 | denoland/deno | Rust | ★ 108.5K | Compare ↗ |
| #74 | google-gemini/gemini-cli | TypeScript | ★ 107.2K | Compare ↗ |
| #75 | microsoft/terminal This Project | C++ | ★ 105K | |
| #76 | fastapi/fastapi | Python | ★ 102.7K | Compare ↗ |
| #77 | angular/angular | TypeScript | ★ 101K | Compare ↗ |
| #78 | addyosmani/agent-skills | JavaScript | ★ 99.7K | Compare ↗ |
| #79 | ant-design/ant-design | TypeScript | ★ 99.6K | Compare ↗ |
| #80 | mui/material-ui | JavaScript | ★ 99.1K | Compare ↗ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does terminal do? +
The new Windows Terminal and the original Windows console host, all in the same place!
What language is terminal written in? +
The primary language is C++. Topics include: cmd, command-line, console, contributions-welcome, good-first-issue.
Is terminal actively maintained? +
Yes, the last recorded push was on Sep 27, 2026 with 1,774 open issues being tracked.
How many stars does terminal have? +
terminal has 105,009 stars and 9,620 forks on GitHub.
How does terminal rank among GitHub repositories? +
With 105,009 stars, microsoft/terminal is ranked #75 globally across all repositories tracked on GitHubRepo and #4 among C++ projects.
What license is terminal distributed under? +
The repository reports a MIT license. Always verify the repository LICENSE file for legal terms.
