A significant update for the Ghostty terminal emulator, version 1.3.0, has been released, introducing several new features, such as scrollback search, native scrollbars, and process completion notifications. This version reflects six months of development, boasting over 2,800 commits from 180 contributors, enhancing performance, bug fixes, and optimizations for users on macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD (note: Ghostty is not available on Windows).
Key Features in Ghostty 1.3.0
Text Search
Users can now search through their terminal scrollback by pressing Ctrl + Shift + F on Linux or Cmd + F on macOS. A search box will appear, allowing text matching only within the current viewport. Users can navigate matches using arrow buttons or keyboard shortcuts which are configurable.
The search is designed to run efficiently without consuming extra resources when not in use, as it utilizes a dedicated thread that operates concurrently with the terminal I/O.
Native Scrollbars
Ghostty 1.3 introduces native scrollbar support. On macOS and Linux, the terminal follows the system’s scrollbar settings, providing a familiar functionality, such as dragging the scrollbar to jump or click. This addition enhances usability, especially when dealing with extensive scrollback.
Command Completion Notifications
This version also allows users to receive notifications upon command completion, which can be customized in the config file. Users can control actions such as sound, notification timing, and whether they receive alerts when the terminal is in focus or not.
Other major enhancements include support for click-events, which lets users move the cursor to specific prompt parts, and improved implementation of OSC 133, which enhances several existing terminal functionalities.
Additional Improvements
Ghostty Linux builds have received various updates:
- New swipe gestures for switching between tabs
- Additional command-line options for new windows
- Increased performance and better window management
An initiative is in progress to provide Ghostty in the Ubuntu repositories for easier installation using apt. While this may not make it in time for the upcoming Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, it is a promising endeavor.
Installation Options
Users can download Ghostty through several methods, including unofficial community-maintained DEB or AppImage builds, Snap packages, or by compiling from source.
For automatic updates, users can add the community-maintained PPA for consistent software maintenance.
Ghostty also supports macOS with official binaries and can be installed via Homebrew and other package managers.
For more details on installing Ghostty and to explore its features, visit the Ghostty Documentation.