Hyper Terminal vs iTerm2: What are the differences?

Hyper Terminal and iTerm2 are both popular terminal emulators that are used to access command-line interfaces on macOS. Let's explore the key differences between them.

1. Customization: Hyper Terminal offers extensive customization options, allowing users to modify the appearance and behavior of the terminal. Users can customize themes, fonts, and cursor styles to suit their preferences. On the other hand, iTerm2 provides more advanced customization options, including the ability to define and switch between multiple profiles, define keyboard shortcuts, and create triggers for specific actions.

2. Window Management: Hyper Terminal offers basic window management capabilities, allowing users to split the terminal window vertically or horizontally. Additionally, it supports multiple windows for multitasking. In comparison, iTerm2 offers more advanced window management features, such as tabs, hotkey window toggling, and the ability to navigate between split panes effortlessly.

3. Performance and Speed: Hyper Terminal is known for its lightweight design and fast performance. It is built on modern web technologies, resulting in quick startup times and smooth scrolling. Conversely, iTerm2 may be perceived as slightly slower in terms of startup and scrolling due to its feature-rich nature and greater resource utilization.

4. Search and Find: Hyper Terminal offers a simple yet functional search feature, allowing users to find specific text within the terminal output. However, iTerm2 enhances this functionality by providing regular expression support, allowing users to perform more complex searches and apply search results to specific actions.

5. Scripting and Automation: Hyper Terminal provides basic scripting capabilities using JavaScript, allowing users to automate repetitive tasks. While this can be useful for simple automation, it has limited functionality compared to iTerm2's powerful scripting capabilities, which include support for AppleScript, Python, and Ruby, enabling more complex automation and integration with other applications.

6. Integration with External Tools: While Hyper Terminal offers some integration options, such as allowing users to open files with their default applications, iTerm2 goes further by providing direct integration with external tools like tmux and tmux integration. This allows for a seamless workflow with these tools, enhancing overall productivity.

In summary, Hyper Terminal and iTerm2 are both solid choices for macOS users seeking a powerful terminal emulator. While Hyper Terminal emphasizes simplicity, speed, and a customizable user interface, iTerm2 caters to advanced users with features like advanced customization, window management, scripting capabilities, enhanced search functionality, and integration with external tools.