Wave Terminal

Open-source terminal that mixes shells with file previews, an editor, web views and AI in one workspace.

Verified facts: 3 of 3
Alternatives ranked: 4
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About Wave Terminal

Wave Terminal is an open-source desktop terminal that treats the window as a workspace of blocks. Alongside terminal sessions you can open blocks for file previews, a built-in code editor, Markdown and images, a web browser, system graphs and an AI chat, and arrange them in tiled layouts saved per workspace. Its wsh command lets you open files or launch widgets in the interface directly from the shell, and remote connections over SSH or to WSL let the same previews and editor work on other machines. The AI panel can use Wave's hosted models or your own API keys and local models. Wave is free and Apache-2.0 licensed, and runs on macOS, Linux and Windows. It suits developers who want fewer windows open, though it uses more resources than a plain terminal and its block layout takes some getting used to.

Best for: Developers who want terminal, file previews, editor and AI side by side in one window.

What works

Terminal, editor, previews and browser in tiled blocks
Works on remote hosts over SSH and in WSL
Free and open source, with bring-your-own AI keys

Why people leave

Heavier than a plain terminal
Block-based layout takes adjustment
Some AI features rely on Wave's hosted service

Top Wave Terminal alternatives

See all 4

1
Warp
More mature AI agents and command blocks, with paid AI plans.
66.5
2
Tabby (terminal)
Cross-platform terminal focused on saved SSH and serial connections.
62.6
3
WezTerm
Lighter, scriptable terminal if you do not need widgets.
59.6
4
iTerm2
Traditional Mac terminal with deep configuration.
57.2

Why people left Wave Terminal

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Wave Terminal: common questions

Is Wave Terminal free?

Yes. Wave Terminal is free, open-source software.

Is Wave Terminal open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at wavetermdev/waveterm.

What platforms does Wave Terminal run on?

Wave Terminal is available for macOS, Linux and Windows.

What are the best alternatives to Wave Terminal?

The highest-ranked Wave Terminal alternatives right now are Warp, Tabby (terminal) and WezTerm. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 4 Wave Terminal alternatives

Wave Terminal facts

3 of 3 verified

License: Apache-2.0; Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab); “License: Apache-2.0 (Apache License 2.0).”
Features: File previews, editing, AI, web browsing; Checked Oct 25, 2026waveterm.dev(opens source in a new tab); “integrating file previews, file editing, AI, web browsing, and workspace organization.”
Platforms: macOS, Linux, Windows; Checked Oct 25, 2026waveterm.dev(opens source in a new tab); “Available for MacOS, Linux, and Windows.”