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Terminology
What it is
Terminology is a free Linux terminal emulator designed for Enlightenment that also works in other graphical environments. It supports common terminal use, including 256 colors, and aims to emulate Xterm closely. Multiple shell sessions can be organized in tabs, with resizable horizontal or vertical panes that can be nested. Settings cover themes, backgrounds, fonts, sizing, colors, and keyboard shortcuts. Terminology can display images, SVG, PDF, and PostScript files inline; ODF previews require LibreOffice to be installed. Its tycat command can preview images and PDFs in the terminal. The terminal detects file paths, URLs, and email addresses, makes URLs and email addresses clickable, and shows a progress bar for downloads. The project says compressed scrollback stays in RAM rather than being written to disk. The download page lists version 1.14.0 as the latest source release. Source tarballs are the canonical releases, while operating-system packages are made by distributions and individuals. Documentation highlights developers and system administrators as especially helpful audiences.
For and against
For
- Organizes shell sessions in tabs and split panes
- Displays images, SVG, PDF, and PostScript inline
- Detects paths, URLs, and email addresses
- Scrollback is compressed and kept in RAM
Against
- ODF previews require LibreOffice
- Operating-system packages are provided by distributions and individuals
- The listed latest source release is version 1.14.0
The verdict
Terminology combines a configurable terminal with session panes, inline previews, and clickable links. It is free, with source tarballs as canonical releases and operating-system packages supplied separately by distributions and individuals.
Who it suits
Terminology may suit developers and system administrators who want tabs, split panes, and inline previews in a Linux terminal. Users seeking operating-system packages should note that distributions and individuals provide those packages.
Plans and prices
Terminology
Open source terminal emulator · source releases; operating system packages are made by distributions and individuals
Read 11 Oct 2026 · enlightenment.org
On the record
- Configuration
- Settings include themes, fonts, background images, and keyboard shortcuts.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Customization
- Settings let users customize themes, backgrounds, fonts, sizing, colors and keyboard shortcuts.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Data handling
- The project says scrollback is kept in RAM rather than written to disk and is compressed while in memory.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Distribution
- The project publishes source code tarballs as canonical releases and leaves operating system packages to distributions and individuals.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Distribution packaging
- The project provides source tarballs as canonical releases and leaves operating system packages to distributions and individuals.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- GPU acceleration
- Yesenlightenment.org · read 22 Sep 2026
- Inline previews
- The tycat command can preview images and PDF files in the terminal, and ODF documents when LibreOffice is installed.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The product documentation describes features as especially helpful for developers and system administrators.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Latest listed release
- The download page lists Terminology 1.14.0.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Licensing
- The project describes Enlightenment and its libraries as open source under BSD 2-clause, LGPL, or GPL licenses.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Links
- URLs and email addresses are clickable, and URLs open in the default web browser.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Links and downloads
- It detects file paths, URLs and email addresses, and shows a progress bar for downloads.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Maker history
- The Enlightenment project began in the 1990s as a window manager launched by Carsten Haitzler.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Media previews
- Terminology can display images, SVG, PDF and PostScript files inline, and can preview ODF documents when LibreOffice is installed.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Multiple sessions
- Users can organize shell sessions in tabs and split a window into resizable vertical or horizontal panes.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Product
- Terminology is a terminal emulator designed for Enlightenment that also works in other graphical environments.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Release
- The download page lists Terminology version 1.14.0 as the latest source code release.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Scrollback
- Scrollback is compressed and kept in RAM rather than written to disk, according to the maker.enlightenment.org · read 11 Oct 2026
