In the comments to a recent you asked a lot of questions about the new version of our Windows Terminal. Today we will try to answer some of them.
Under the cut are some of the most frequently asked questions that we heard (and still hear), as well as official answers: including replacing PowerShell and how to start using the new product today.
When and where can I get a new Windows Terminal?
- You can clone the terminal source code from GitHub at and collect it on your computer.
Note: Be sure to read and follow the instructions on the README page in the repository before you try to build the project - you need to complete some prerequisites and initialization steps to build the project! - A preview version of the terminal will be available for download from the Microsoft Store in summer 2019.
We aim to release Windows Terminal v1.0 by the end of 2019, but we will work with the community to release this version so that the terminal is of high quality.
Is Windows Terminal a replacement for Command Prompt and/or PowerShell?
To answer this question, let's clarify a few terms and concepts:
- Command Prompt and PowerShell (e.g. WSL/bash/etc on *NIX) are shells, not terminals, and don't have their own UI
- When you start a shell/application/command line tool, Windows automatically launches and connects them to Windows Console instances (if necessary)
- The Windows Console is the standard βterminal-likeβ UI application that ships with Windows and that users have been using for the past 30 years to run command line tools on Windows NT, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10
So the question should probably be rephrased as βIs Windows Terminal a replacement for Windows Console?β
The answer is βNoβ:
- The Windows Console will continue to ship with Windows for decades to be backward compatible with the many millions of existing/legacy scripts, applications, and command line tools
- Windows Terminal will run alongside the Windows Console, but is likely to become the tool of choice for users who want to run command line tools on Windows
- Windows Terminal can connect to Command Prompt and PowerShell, as well as any other command line shell/tool/application. You will be able to open independent tabs connected to Command Prompt, PowerShell, bash (via WSL or ssh) and any other shell/tool ββof your choice
When can I get a new font?
Soon! We don't have a set timeline, but we're actively working on finishing the font. Once it's ready for release, it will be open and available in its repository.
How it was at Build
If you missed our talk at Build 2019, then here are some of the highlights to help you clear a few more questions:
Terminal Keynote and Aspirational Video
During Rajesh Jha's keynote, Kevin Gallo announced the new terminal and showed off our new βTerminal Sizzle Videoβ illustrating the desired direction for v1.0:
Session in Windows Terminal
Rich Turner [Senior Program Manager] and Michael Niksa [Senior Software Engineer] had an in-depth session on Windows Terminal, its architecture and code.
Conclusion
Be sure to check the page for updates. ΠΈ on Twitter and check back often over the coming weeks and months. on the command line to learn more about the terminal and our progress towards v1.0.
If you are a developer and would like to participate, please visit and review and discuss issues with the team and community, and if you have time, please contribute by submitting a PR containing fixes and improvements to help us make the terminal awesome!
If you're not a developer but would still like to try Terminal, download it from the Microsoft Store after it's published this summer, and be sure to send us feedback on your likes, dislikes, etc.
Source: habr.com