kitty for MAC
Fast, feature-rich GPU-based terminal for Mac: tabs, splits, images in the terminal and full scripting. Free, open source.
kitty Overview
kitty is a fast, feature-rich terminal emulator that uses your GPU to draw text, so scrolling and large outputs stay smooth. It has tabs and split windows with several layouts built in, support for true colour, ligatures and emoji, and its own graphics protocol for showing images right inside the terminal. kitty can be controlled from scripts and the command line, and extended with small programs called kittens, for tasks such as SSH with your settings, side-by-side file diffs and Unicode input. kitty is made by Kovid Goyal, the developer of calibre.
kitty is free and open source under the GPL-3.0 license. The Mac download is a single app for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, and kitty can also be installed with Homebrew or with its own install script.
Key Features
kitty is built for people who live in the terminal.
- GPU rendering: fast, smooth drawing of text and scrolling.
- Tabs and splits: several windows per tab with layouts such as tall, grid and splits.
- Graphics: show images and animations inside the terminal.
- Fonts: ligatures, emoji, true colour and fine control over font rendering.
- Kittens: built-in tools for SSH, file diffs, themes, Unicode input and more.
- Remote control: script kitty from the shell to open windows, change layouts or send text.
- Sessions: save and restore your windows, tabs and layouts.
- Configuration: one plain-text file controls everything, with live reloading.
What’s New in Version 0.49.2
kitty 0.49 adds custom shaders and big speed gains.
- Custom shaders for adding graphical effects
- 15–35% faster throughput in real-world use
- Rounded window borders with window_border_radius
- A remap_modifiers option to make modifier keys act as other modifiers
- A new screenshot remote control command for pixel-perfect PNGs of a window or tab
- The remember_window_size option now also remembers whether the window was maximized
kitty FAQ
Is kitty free?
Yes. kitty is free and open source under the GPL-3.0 license.
Why is kitty called a GPU terminal?
kitty draws text with your graphics card instead of the processor, which keeps scrolling and large outputs smooth and saves CPU.
Does kitty run on Apple Silicon?
Yes. The Mac download is a single app that runs on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
How do I install kitty on a Mac?
Download the .dmg from the official site, run kitty's install script, or use Homebrew: brew install --cask kitty.
How do I configure kitty?
Everything is set in one text file, kitty.conf. Press Command-comma in kitty to open it; changes can be reloaded without restarting.
Can kitty show images in the terminal?
Yes. kitty has its own graphics protocol, and the icat kitten displays images directly in the terminal.
What are kittens?
Small programs built into kitty that add features, such as ssh for connecting to servers with your settings, diff for side-by-side file comparisons and themes for changing colours.
Does kitty support split windows?
Yes. Each tab can hold several windows arranged in layouts, including a splits layout you can divide freely.
Who makes kitty?
kitty is made by Kovid Goyal, who also created the calibre e-book manager.
Where does the kitty download on kitty.FULLMAC.app come from?
The download button leads to the official kitty install page at https://sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty/binary/. kitty.FULLMAC.app does not change or repackage the app.
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