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TermFlow vs Ghostty
Ghostty is a blazing-fast native terminal whose automation is macOS-only AppleScript that can send input but can't read output. TermFlow adds a full HTTP API and a built-in MCP server that read and write — across all three platforms.
Two philosophies.
Ghostty
Blazing native speed.
A fast, native, GPU-accelerated terminal (macOS and Linux) that's earned a huge following for raw performance and clean design. Its automation is macOS-only: an AppleScript interface (added in 1.3) that can send input and manage windows, tabs, and splits — but can't read terminal output, and there's no cross-platform API.
TermFlow
Speed plus an agent contract.
TermFlow isn't chasing Ghostty's raw-speed crown — it adds what Ghostty's macOS-only AppleScript can't: a documented HTTP API and a built-in MCP server that let any agent send input, read output, and manage panes, on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Feature by feature.
| Capability | TermFlow | Ghostty |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows · macOS · Linux | macOS · Linux |
| Raw native performance | Fast | Blazing ★ |
| Agent can send input | ✓ | Partial (macOS AppleScript) |
| Agent can read output | ✓ | — |
| First-party HTTP API | ✓ | — |
| Built-in MCP server | ✓ | — |
| Split panes & layouts | ✓ | ✓ |
| Session restore | ✓ | — |
| Free & open source | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
Where Ghostty wins
Ghostty is gorgeous and genuinely one of the fastest terminals you can run — if raw rendering speed and a clean native feel are what you want, it's superb, and we're not going to out-benchmark it here. Its automation is deliberately minimal and macOS-only: AppleScript that can send input and manage panes but can't read terminal output, with no cross-platform API. TermFlow adds that missing layer — a full HTTP API and a built-in MCP server that read and write — without asking you to give up panes or session restore.
Common questions.
Is Ghostty faster than TermFlow?
On raw rendering, very likely — it's one of the fastest terminals around, and we won't claim otherwise. What Ghostty doesn't have is an agent-control API; that's what TermFlow adds.
Can an AI agent drive Ghostty?
Only partially, and only on macOS — AppleScript can send input but can't read output. TermFlow lets agents send input, read output, and manage panes over HTTP and MCP on all three platforms.
Is it free?
Yes, Apache-2.0 — API and MCP included, free on your machine. See pricing.