# Oxide – a native terminal for macOS and Linux, built on GPUI

> Source: <https://github.com/oxide-terminal/oxide>
> Published: 2026-09-25 17:42:33+00:00

A native terminal emulator for macOS and Linux, written entirely in Rust.

*Rust is iron oxide. It's a whole thing.*

[Website](https://oxideterminal.com) ·
  [Docs](https://oxideterminal.com/docs/) ·
  [Changelog](https://oxideterminal.com/changelog/) ·
  [Compare](https://oxideterminal.com/compare/) ·
  [Discord](https://discord.gg/APV9FYGgeh)

Oxide is a GPU-rendered terminal built on [GPUI](https://www.gpui.rs) (Zed's UI framework) and
[`alacritty_terminal`](https://crates.io/crates/alacritty_terminal) (Alacritty's PTY + VT parser),
with a file-tree drawer you drive like vim and a status bar that knows where your shell is.
The things you'd normally bolt on — a file tree, tmux-style workspaces, a powerline prompt,
a vim copy mode — are built in, and all of it is configured in one TOML file that reloads
when you save. No account, no AI, no telemetry: the only thing Oxide asks the network is
whether GitHub has a newer release.

**macOS**

```
brew install --cask oxide-terminal/tap/oxide-terminal
```

Or grab the DMG from the [latest release](https://github.com/oxide-terminal/oxide/releases/latest)
and drag Oxide to Applications. Builds are Developer ID signed and notarized, so there's no
right-click-to-open dance, and Oxide keeps itself up to date afterwards — it checks on launch
and every six hours, or on demand via **Oxide → Check for Updates…**

**Linux** (Wayland or X11, x86_64)

```
# Arch and derivatives: a pacman package from the PKGBUILD in this repo
# (an AUR package will follow once AUR registration reopens)
git clone https://github.com/oxide-terminal/oxide.git
cd oxide/packaging/aur/oxide-terminal-bin && makepkg -si

# any distro: the release tarball
tar xzf oxide-<version>-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
cd oxide-<version>-linux-x86_64 && ./install.sh        # into ~/.local, no root
```

The tarball is on the same [release page](https://github.com/oxide-terminal/oxide/releases/latest).
`install.sh` puts `oxide` on your PATH and adds the launcher entry and icon;
`--prefix /usr/local` (with sudo) installs system-wide, `--uninstall` removes it.
Installed copies announce a newer release in the top-right corner; `git pull` and
`makepkg -si` again, or a fresh tarball, does the update.

- macOS 12 or later, Apple Silicon or Intel; or Linux with a Vulkan driver
(any GPU from the last decade — Mesa's `vulkan-radeon` /`vulkan-intel` , or`nvidia-utils` ) and`notify-send` (libnotify) for desktop notifications.
- No font to install — JetBrainsMono Nerd Font Mono is bundled. Set `font.family` to use your own.
- zsh or bash for the built-in prompt and shell integration. Other shells run fine and keep their own prompt.

Oxide never writes to your dotfiles. Full instructions are in the
[install docs](https://oxideterminal.com/docs/install/).

| <sub>**Splits** — a file opened from the tree in `$EDITOR`, a dev server beside it.</sub> | <sub>**Command palette** (` cmd-shift-p`) — every action, fuzzy-searchable, with its binding.</sub> | 
| <sub>**Theme picker** (`cmd-alt-t`) — repaints the whole window as you move through it.</sub> | <sub>**Rename a tab** with `ctrl-w ,` or a double-click; an empty name restores the automatic title.</sub> | 

The short tour. Every feature has a page in the [docs](https://oxideterminal.com/docs/).

- **Real terminal** — full VT emulation via Alacritty's parser: truecolor, wide glyphs and
combining marks, bracketed paste, mouse reporting (SGR), alternate-screen scrolling, OSC 8
hyperlinks, OSC 52 clipboard. vim, htop, and tmux just work.
- **File tree drawer** — follows the focused pane, so switching splits re-roots it to
that shell's directory. Modeless vim navigation (`j` /`k` /`gg` /`G` , nvim-tree style`h` /`l` ),
type-to-filter with`/` , and file operations:`a` add,`r` rename,`m` move,`d` delete
(to Trash).
Dims gitignored files, watches the filesystem, and follows the shell's`cd` automatically.
- **The tree/terminal seam** —`y` inserts the selected path at the prompt, quoted and
relative;`cmd-click` a`path:line:col` in output to open it in`$EDITOR` at that line
(nvim, VS Code, emacs, Sublime, Helix dialects built in); rows are coloured by git status;`cmd-p` fuzzy-finds any file under the root;`cmd-shift-r` reveals the shell's directory;
right-click a row to re-root, copy, or reveal in Finder / your file manager — or, on a`.md` file, preview it
rendered in a new tab (tables, highlighted code with click-to-copy); drag rows or drop files onto a pane.
- **Scrollback search** —`cmd-f` , live,`⏎` /`⇧⏎` to walk matches; regex, case-sensitive,
and whole-word toggles as clickable chips (`cmd-alt-r` /`c` /`w` ), and a malformed
regex says so instead of matching nothing.
- **Copy mode** —`ctrl-w [` (or`cmd-shift-v` ) turns the scrollback into a vim buffer:`hjkl` ,`w b e` ,`0 ^ $` ,`gg G` ,`ctrl-d/u` , counts like`5j` ,`/` and`?` search with`n` /`N` ,`v` /`V` /`ctrl-v` visual selection,`y` to yank and leave. Nothing typed
reaches the shell until you`esc` .
- **Prompt jumping** —`cmd-↑` /`cmd-↓` hop between previous prompts in scrollback.
- **SSH awareness** — Oxide watches the foreground process: an`ssh` shows`ssh: host` in the status bar, and`[[ssh.hosts]]` patterns give a host an accent colour
on the pane border so a production box is visibly red. The process name also titles
the tab (`vim` ,`cargo` ,`ssh prod-web` ).
- **Command awareness** — the shell integration's OSC 133 markers are read straight off the
PTY, so Oxide knows what's running, how long it took, and whether it failed: elapsed time
in the status bar, activity dots on tabs, a red flash on a background pane that failed, a
failure gutter you can click to jump to the command, and desktop notifications for long or
failed commands in panes you aren't watching (click to focus the pane).
- **Command history** —`cmd-r` searches every command run in any pane, with its directory
and exit status;`⏎` inserts it at the prompt,`⌘⏎` runs it.`cmd-shift-c` copies the last
command's output.
- **Status bar** — workspace, current tab (number or name,`status_bar.tab` ), cwd plus git
branch, dirty state, and ahead/behind, rendered natively.
- **Configurable prompt***(optional)* — compile a powerline prompt from TOML segments
(`cwd` ,`git` ,`exit_status` ,`time` ,`duration` , …), injected without touching your
dotfiles (ZDOTDIR shim for zsh,`--init-file` for bash), with OSC 133 semantic prompt
markers. Or set`prompt.enabled = false` and keep your starship/p10k prompt as-is.
- **Themes** —`catppuccin-mocha` ,`catppuccin-latte` ,`gruvbox-dark` ,`tokyonight` ,`dracula` ,`nord` ,`solarized-dark` , and`oxide` (rust-toned, naturally), plus the[Omarchy](https://omarchy.org/manual/themes/) set:`kanagawa` ,`everforest` ,`osaka-jade` ,`matte-black` ,`hackerman` ,`rose-pine-dawn` , and a dozen more —
25 presets in all. Any color
individually overridable, including`selection_fg` .`follow_system = true` switches
between a dark and a light preset with the system appearance (macOS, or the desktop's
dark/light preference on Linux). Config reloads live.
- **Split panes** — split in any direction and nest freely; navigation moves by what's
on screen, and`exit` or`ctrl-w q` closes a pane and reclaims its space. Drag a
divider or use`ctrl-w < > - + =` to resize. tmux reflexes:`ctrl-w z` zooms a pane
to the full tab,`ctrl-w b` broadcasts typing to every pane in the tab (with a red
border and a loud status-bar pill),`ctrl-w o` closes the others,`ctrl-w x` swaps with
the neighbour.`window.inactive_pane_opacity` dims the panes you aren't in.
- **Command palette** —`cmd-shift-p` lists every action with its binding, fuzzy-searchable.
- **Menus on Linux** — a ☰ button in the top-left corner holds the same Oxide / File /
Edit / View / Window / Help menus macOS puts in the menu bar, shortcuts included
(`app::menu` opens it from the keyboard).
- **Configurable keys** — a`[keymap]` table in config.toml rebinds anything; typos get a
toast with a suggestion, and a bare key that would steal from your shell is refused.
- **Toasts, not dialogs** — config errors, update problems, and other notices land as
toasts in the bottom-right corner; click or`×` to dismiss. The first launch after an update
shows one that opens the changelog in a new tab.
- **Tabs** — a Zed-style in-app tab bar, so tabs work everywhere (including under
tiling window managers).`cmd-t` opens one in the current directory or`~/` (`window.new_tab_directory` );`cmd-1..9` jump straight to a tab. Double-click or`ctrl-w ,` to rename one (names survive with pinned workspaces), drag tabs to reorder,`cmd-shift-t` reopens the last closed one. Each tab carries its number
(`tabs.show_numbers` ), and the whole bar can be hidden — View → Toggle Tab Bar, or`tabs.enabled = false` — with the status bar still showing which tab you're on.
- **Workspaces** — named sets of tabs and splits, tmux-session style, managed from the
drawer below the file tree (`a` add,`r` rename,`d` delete,`p` pin);`cmd-alt-1..9` jump straight to one. Temporary by
default; pinned ones survive restarts, restoring layout, tabs, splits, and each
pane's directory with fresh shells.
- **Startup commands** — the tmuxinator move: give a pane a command (`ctrl-w r` ,
prefilled with the last thing that ran there) and a pinned workspace re-runs it on
restore, once that pane's shell is actually at a prompt.`on exit` per pane: back to
the shell, close the pane, or restart with backoff (and a breaker after five quick
exits).`e` in the workspaces panel edits every pane's command at once;`--no-startup-commands` or shift at launch restores the layout without running any.
- **The details** — window size/position persistence,`cmd-click` to open URLs, copy-on-select option, font size at runtime
(`cmd +/-/0` ), configurable bell, a`[cursor]` section (block / bar / underline, blink
rate, unfocused look — and vim's per-mode DECSCUSR shapes are honoured), a font
fallback list for CJK and emoji, a "2,340 lines above" pill while scrolled up,`cmd-k` to clear scrollback, and optional dimming of the whole window when another app is
frontmost.

The everyday ones. The [full keymap](https://oxideterminal.com/docs/keybindings/) lists every
action id, and a `[keymap]` table in your config rebinds any of them.

The `ctrl-w` chords are the same everywhere. Where macOS uses `cmd`, Linux uses
`ctrl-shift` (the usual terminal convention — plain `ctrl-c` stays the shell's) and
`alt-1..9` for tabs, because Super belongs to the window manager.

| macOS | Linux | Action | 
|---|---|---|
| `ctrl-w h` /`ctrl-w l` /`ctrl-w w` | same | focus tree / terminal / toggle | 
| `cmd-b` | `ctrl-shift-b` | toggle the drawer | 
| `ctrl-w t` /`cmd-shift-e` | `ctrl-w t` /`ctrl-shift-e` | focus the file tree from anywhere | 
| `cmd-f` | `ctrl-shift-f` | search scrollback ( `⏎` older,`⇧⏎` newer,`esc` close;`cmd-alt-r` /`c` /`w` —`ctrl-alt-r` /`c` /`w` on Linux — toggle regex / case / whole word) | 
| `ctrl-w [` /`cmd-shift-v` | `ctrl-w [` | copy mode — vim keys in the scrollback, `y` yanks,`esc` leaves | 
| `cmd-k` | `ctrl-shift-k` | clear scrollback | 
| `cmd-↑` /`cmd-↓` | `ctrl-shift-↑` /`↓` | jump to previous / next prompt | 
| `cmd-r` | `ctrl-shift-r` | command history ( `⏎` insert,`⌘⏎` /`ctrl-⏎` run) | 
| `cmd-p` | `ctrl-shift-o` | fuzzy file finder ( `⏎` open,`⌘⏎` /`ctrl-⏎` insert path,`⌥⏎` reveal) | 
| `cmd-shift-r` | `ctrl-shift-alt-r` | reveal the shell's directory in the tree | 
| `cmd-click` | `ctrl-click` | open a URL, or a `path:line` in`$EDITOR` | 
| `cmd-shift-c` | `ctrl-shift-alt-c` | copy the last command's output | 
| `cmd-t` /`cmd-n` | `ctrl-shift-t` /`ctrl-shift-n` | new tab / new window | 
| `ctrl-w ,` /`cmd-shift-t` | `ctrl-w ,` /`ctrl-shift-alt-t` | rename tab (double-click works too) / reopen the last closed tab | 
| `ctrl-w r` | same | set the pane's startup command (run when its pinned workspace is restored) | 
| `cmd-1..9` | `alt-1..9` | jump to tab | 
| `cmd-alt-1..9` | `ctrl-alt-1..9` | jump to workspace | 
| `⌃tab``⇧⌘]` /`⌃⇧tab``⇧⌘[` | `ctrl-tab`` ctrl-pgdn` /`ctrl-shift-tab`` ctrl-pgup` | next / previous tab | 
| `ctrl-w p` | same | focus the workspaces panel ( `tab` toggles tree ↔ workspaces) | 
| `ctrl-w v` /`ctrl-w s` | same | split right / down ( `⇧V` /`⇧S` for left / up) | 
| `cmd-d` /`cmd-shift-d` | — | split right / down | 
| `ctrl-w h`` j``k`` l` | same | move between panes ( `h` from the leftmost focuses the tree) | 
| `cmd-opt-←↓↑→` | — | move between panes | 
| `ctrl-w q` /`cmd-w` | `ctrl-w q` /`ctrl-shift-w` | close pane (closes the window when it's the last one) | 
| `ctrl-w <``>``-``+` | same | resize the pane by a few cells ( `ctrl-w =` equalises) | 
| `ctrl-w z` /`ctrl-w b` | same | zoom the pane to the full tab / broadcast input to every pane in the tab | 
| `ctrl-w o` /`ctrl-w x` | same | close the other panes / swap the pane with its neighbour | 
| `cmd-shift-p` /`cmd-alt-t` | `ctrl-shift-p` /`ctrl-w shift-t` | command palette / theme picker | 
| `cmd-c` /`cmd-v` | `ctrl-shift-c` /`ctrl-shift-v` | copy / paste (bracketed); Linux also pastes the primary selection on middle-click | 
| `cmd +` /`-` /`0` | `ctrl +` /`-` /`0` | font size | 
| `cmd-q` | `ctrl-shift-q` | quit | 

## **In the tree** — bare keys are free; there's no text input to collide with

| Keys | Action | 
|---|---|
| `j`` k``gg`` G``ctrl-d`` ctrl-u` | move | 
| `l` /`h` | expand & descend / collapse & ascend (nvim-tree semantics) | 
| `enter` /`o` | open dir, or file in `$EDITOR` | 
| `y` /`Y` | insert the path at the prompt (relative / absolute) | 
| `cmd-c` (`ctrl-shift-c` ) | copy the path | 
| `cmd-shift-o` (`ctrl-shift-o` ) | reveal in Finder / the file manager | 
| `c` /`-` | re-root at selection / at parent (cd's the shell too) | 
| `/` | filter ( `esc` clears) | 
| `a` /`r` /`m` /`d` | add ( `dir/` with trailing slash) / rename / move / delete to Trash | 
| `I` /`R` | toggle hidden / refresh | 
| `esc` | dismiss input → clear filter → back to terminal | 

## **In copy mode** — `ctrl-w [`; keys never reach the shell

| Keys | Action | 
|---|---|
| `h`` j``k`` l` , arrows | move the cursor (counts work: `5j` ) | 
| `w`` b``e` /`W`` B``E` | word motions (punctuation-aware / whitespace) | 
| `0``^``$` /`gg`` G` /`H`` M``L` | line / buffer / screen positions | 
| `ctrl-d`` ctrl-u` /`ctrl-f`` ctrl-b` | half page / full page | 
| `/``?` then`n`` N` | search forward / backward, repeat — same bar and toggles as `cmd-f` | 
| `v`` V``ctrl-v` | character / line / block selection | 
| `y` /`yy` /`⏎` | yank the selection (or the line) and leave | 
| `esc` /`q` | clear the selection, then leave | 

## **In the workspaces panel**

| Keys | Action | 
|---|---|
| `j` /`k` | move selection | 
| `enter` /`o` | switch to workspace | 
| `a` /`r` /`d` | add / rename / delete ( `y` confirms) — also on right-click | 
| `p` | pin — persist this workspace across restarts | 
| `e` | edit every pane's startup command — also on right-click | 
| `esc` | dismiss input → back to terminal | 

`~/.config/oxide/config.toml` — a fully commented default is generated on first run.
Font, colors, keys, and notifications apply live; `[shell]` and `[prompt]` apply to new
sessions. [Every option, with defaults →](https://oxideterminal.com/docs/configuration/)

```
[font]
family = "JetBrainsMono Nerd Font Mono"
size   = 14.0

[colors]
preset = "oxide"              # or override any color individually
follow_system = true          # ...or switch between preset_dark / preset_light with the system
preset_light  = "catppuccin-latte"

[cursor]
style = "bar"                 # block | bar | underline

[window]
new_tab_directory = "pwd"     # pwd | home
inactive_pane_opacity = 0.8   # dim the panes you aren't in

[[ssh.hosts]]
match  = "*.prod.example.com" # red border while ssh'd into prod
accent = "#f38ba8"

[tree]
follow_cwd = true             # tree re-roots when the shell cd's
open_on_startup = true        # false starts with the drawer hidden (cmd-b shows it)

[status_bar]
enabled  = true
position = "bottom"
tab      = "number"           # number | name — the current-tab chip

[tabs]
enabled      = true           # false hides the tab bar
show_numbers = true           # small position number on each tab

[prompt]
enabled = false               # keep your own prompt (starship, p10k, ...)

[keymap]
"cmd-j" = "pane::split_down"  # keystroke = "action id"; "" unbinds
```

You'll need [Rust](https://rustup.rs) (2024 edition). On macOS, also full Xcode with the Metal
toolchain — GPUI compiles Metal shaders at build time:

```
sudo xcode-select --switch /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
xcodebuild -downloadComponent MetalToolchain   # if the build asks for it
```

On Linux, the GPUI build dependencies (Arch shown; Debian/Ubuntu equivalents are in
`.github/workflows/ci.yml`):

```
sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel fontconfig freetype2 libxkbcommon libxkbcommon-x11 \
  libxcb wayland vulkan-icd-loader libnotify
git clone https://github.com/oxide-terminal/oxide.git
cd oxide
cargo run                     # development

# macOS
./scripts/bundle.sh           # release build -> target/Oxide.app (ad-hoc signed)
cp -R target/Oxide.app /Applications/
sudo cp scripts/oxide-cli /usr/local/bin/oxide && sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/oxide   # optional `oxide [dir]` shim

# Linux
./scripts/linux-package.sh    # release build -> target/oxide-<version>-linux-<arch>.tar.gz
tar xzf target/oxide-*-linux-*.tar.gz -C /tmp && /tmp/oxide-*-linux-*/install.sh
```

The `oxide` command takes a directory, `-e <command> [args...]` to run a
program in the first pane instead of the shell, `--app-id <id>` for the
window's Wayland app-id / X11 class, and `--no-startup-commands`. The first
two are what `xdg-terminal-exec` passes, and the `.desktop` entry declares
them, so on Linux Oxide can be the default terminal: on Omarchy, put
`oxide.desktop` first in `~/.config/xdg-terminals.list`.

The first build compiles GPUI — expect several minutes. A `cargo run` binary is a debug
build: fine for poking at a change, but a full-screen program like nvim will feel sluggish
in it (an unoptimised GPUI redraw doesn't fit in a 60 Hz frame; the release build uses a
quarter of the CPU). It also never checks for updates, and on macOS it isn't an app bundle,
so its notifications can't be clicked. Use `scripts/bundle.sh` / `scripts/linux-package.sh`
for the real thing. Cutting a release is covered in
[RELEASING.md](https://github.com/oxide-terminal/oxide/blob/main/RELEASING.md).

One binary crate. The PTY reader/parser runs on its own thread
(`alacritty_terminal`'s event loop) and mutates a shared `Term` behind a mutex;
the GPUI main thread briefly locks it during paint to copy the visible grid out,
then shapes and paints batched text runs directly — no per-cell elements.
Directory scans, git queries, and file watching run on the background pool.
The tree follows `cd` by polling the PTY's foreground process group cwd
(`tcgetpgrp` + `proc_pidinfo` on macOS, `/proc/<pid>/cwd` on Linux), so it works
with zero shell cooperation. Platform differences are confined to a handful of
`cfg` sites: the process lookups, notifications (`UNUserNotificationCenter` /
`notify-send`), the updater, the keymap tables, and the window chrome.

- No IME / dead-key composition yet (two-stroke accents, CJK input).
- Narrowing a pane past the width of a multi-line bash prompt can scroll the prompt's
first line into scrollback until the next prompt is drawn (`enter` brings it back).
- Pinned workspaces restore layout and directories with fresh shells; running
programs can't survive a full quit (tmux only manages it because its server
never exits). Startup commands are the workaround: declare what a pane runs
and it's re-run on restore. `on_exit` needs shell integration with zsh or
bash; other shells get the command typed in and nothing more.
- Left/right Option can't be distinguished; `option_as_meta` treats`left` /`right` as`both` .
- Linux: `bell = "sound"` falls back to the visual flash; there's no in-place
self-update (the pill opens the release page);`window.titlebar` is ignored — the
compositor owns decorations, and under a compositor without server-side
decorations (GNOME) the window has none.

Questions, ideas, or just want to see what's coming? Join the
[Oxide Terminal Discord](https://discord.gg/APV9FYGgeh). Bugs and feature requests go in
[issues](https://github.com/oxide-terminal/oxide/issues/new) — **Help → Report an Issue** in
the menu bar (the ☰ menu on Linux), or *Report an Issue* in the command palette, goes to the same place. Wondering how Oxide stacks up against iTerm2, Ghostty,
kitty, WezTerm, Alacritty, or Warp? There's an [honest comparison](https://oxideterminal.com/compare/).

If Oxide earns a place in your dock, you can [sponsor it on GitHub](https://github.com/sponsors/oxide-terminal) or [buy me a coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bobbycoleman).

MIT — see [LICENSE](https://github.com/oxide-terminal/oxide/blob/main/LICENSE).

Oxide builds on [GPUI](https://www.gpui.rs) and [`alacritty_terminal`](https://crates.io/crates/alacritty_terminal), both Apache-2.0.