Former upstream
Unterm vs WezTerm
Unterm started as a fork of WezTerm's renderer and mux — since v0.61 it runs on its own next-core kernel, wrapped in an agent-control surface WezTerm doesn't ship.
WezTerm is an excellent, mature GPU terminal: Lua config, a battle-tested multiplexer, SSH domains, and cross-platform builds, all MIT-licensed. Unterm started as a fork of that foundation to answer a different question — how does an AI agent operate a terminal? — by exposing the whole app over MCP and a CLI. Since v0.61 the fork is gone: Unterm runs on its own next-core kernel (~12k lines, 10 direct dependencies), with only portable-pty and termwiz's Unicode tables remaining from the WezTerm ecosystem.
| Capability | Unterm | WezTerm |
|---|---|---|
| Driveable from outside via MCP | ✓ | ✗ |
| Scriptable CLI for every action | ✓ | ~ pane cli |
| Built-in AI coding-agent launcher | ✓ ×7 | ✗ |
| Agents auto-wire to the terminal's MCP | ✓ | ✗ |
| Agent Cockpit (Inbox · fleets · review) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Identity profiles (creds per window) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Multi-instance orchestration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Session recording → markdown | ✓ md | ✗ |
| Screenshot + file upload from MCP | ✓ | ✗ |
| Right-click = copy / paste gesture | ✓ gesture | ~ config |
| Built-in proxy management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Local-first, no cloud / no login | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI baked inside the terminal | ✓ agent-driven | ✗ |
| GPU rendering | ✓ | ✓ |
| macOS + Linux + Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open-source client | ✓ MIT | ✓ MIT |
| Native UI languages | ✓ ×9 | en |
| Price | $0 | $0 |
✓ yes · ✗ no · ~ partial · ×N count. The ✗ by design on "AI inside" is the whole thesis: Unterm keeps the AI outside and exposes the terminal as the surface it grips.
Why teams choose Unterm
- ✓ An MCP server built in. Any LLM agent can list/create/split panes, run commands, read the screen and scrollback, and capture screenshots — WezTerm has a control CLI for panes, but nothing an external agent speaks natively.
- ✓ One-click AI agents + auto-wiring. Install and sign in to Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, OpenCode, or Aider in a click, and Unterm registers itself into each client's global MCP config automatically.
- ✓ Agent-workflow surface. Identity profiles (per-window secrets from the OS keychain), multi-instance windows, redacted Markdown session recording, scrollback capture, and probe-gated proxy — none of which live in stock WezTerm.
Where WezTerm is stronger
WezTerm is the mature project with a deeper, more configurable terminal surface (Lua scripting, extensive keybinding and multiplexer features) and a longer track record. If you don't want any AI/agent layer, WezTerm is the leaner, more customizable pure terminal.
Bottom line
Want a fast, scriptable general-purpose terminal? WezTerm is a strong choice. Want a native terminal kernel designed together with authenticated agent control, Cockpit, Review, profiles, proxy identity, and reversible workflows? That is what Unterm now builds as one product.
MIT-licensed · macOS / Linux / Windows · no account, no login.