Tilix vs Terminator
Tilix (D, GTK 3, dconf settings) vs Terminator (Python, INI config, broadcast groups): layout, config and maintenance compared.
Updated
short verdict
Pick Tilix if you run GNOME and want drag-and-drop tiling, a sidebar of sessions, Quake mode and settings stored in dconf. Pick Terminator if you want keyboard-driven splits, an editable INI config at ~/.config/terminator/config, and broadcast groups for working on several machines at once. Tilix's README says only minimal maintenance is happening, so weigh that if you want new features.
Tilix and Terminator both put several terminals in one Linux window using the VTE widget, so you can split panes without running a separate multiplexer. They differ in toolkit conventions and workflow. Tilix is written in D, follows the GNOME Human Interface Guidelines and stores settings in dconf. Terminator is written in Python, is driven by Ctrl-Shift keybindings and keeps its settings in a plain-text config file.
this page is for
- GNOME users choosing a tiling terminal for Linux
- Developers who work in many shells or SSH sessions side by side
- Readers deciding between dconf and a text config file
Better pick on a GNOME desktop when you want drag-and-drop tiling, Quake mode and layouts saved to disk.
best for
- GNOME and Unity desktop users
- People who rearrange panes with the mouse
- Users who want a drop-down terminal
strengths
- Drag and drop moves terminals within and between windows, or out into a new window
- Quake mode gives a drop-down terminal; sessions show in tabs or a sidebar
- Profiles switch automatically by hostname and directory
- Color schemes are plain files, and dconf dump/load exports settings
weaknesses
- README says only minimal maintenance is happening and no new features are planned
- Only GNOME and Unity are officially tested; other desktops are user-reported
- Notification and trigger/badge features need a patched VTE
Better pick when you want keyboard-driven splits, a hand-editable config file and broadcast groups across many shells.
best for
- People logged into several machines at once
- Keyboard-first users
- Users who keep config in a text file
strengths
- Ctrl-Shift-O and Ctrl-Shift-E split panes; Ctrl-Shift-N and Ctrl-Shift-P move focus
- Broadcast input to all, to a group, or off, with the default set by broadcast_default
- Config is an INI-style file documented in man terminator_config, with saved layouts and plugins
- Launch a saved layout with terminator --layout NAME; packaged by most distributions and on FreeBSD
weaknesses
- No GPU acceleration or ligature support
- Python implementation; the project says its strength is layout and broadcasting, not rendering
- Uses DBus for a running instance unless you pass --no-dbus
Key differences
Both are Linux terminal emulators built on VTE, but they differ in implementation and how you configure them.
- Language: Tilix is written in D on GTK 3; Terminator is written in Python
- License: Tilix is MPL-2.0; Terminator is GPL-2.0-only
- Config: Tilix uses dconf via GSettings; Terminator uses ~/.config/terminator/config
- Interface: Tilix follows GNOME HIG with a HeaderBar; Terminator shows a title bar on each terminal
- Layout control: Tilix uses drag and drop; Terminator uses Ctrl-Shift keybindings
- Platforms: both target Linux; Terminator is also available on FreeBSD
Choose Tilix when
- You run GNOME or Unity and want a terminal that follows the GNOME HIG
- You want a Quake-mode drop-down terminal
- You rearrange panes by dragging them between windows
- You want profiles that switch by hostname and directory
Choose Terminator when
- You want to edit a plain INI config and read man terminator_config
- You broadcast commands to grouped terminals across several hosts
- You prefer splitting and moving focus with Ctrl-Shift keybindings
- You need a package on FreeBSD or from most Linux distributions
When not to use these
- You need GPU acceleration or ligature rendering; Terminator documents neither, and Tilix does not document them
- You use a platform other than Linux (or FreeBSD for Terminator); neither documents support
FAQ
- Which is faster, Tilix or Terminator?
- Neither project documents performance figures or benchmarks, so there is no sourced answer. Both use the VTE widget; Terminator states it has no GPU acceleration.
- Can I use both Tilix and Terminator?
- Neither project documents conflicts between them. They store settings separately: Tilix in dconf, Terminator in ~/.config/terminator/config.
- Which is easier to configure?
- Tilix uses a Preferences dialog backed by dconf, with plain-file color schemes. Terminator uses a Preferences dialog that writes an INI-style file you can also edit by hand.
- Is either project actively maintained?
- Tilix's README carries a maintainers-wanted notice: minimal maintenance, no new features planned, slow pull request review. Terminator has been maintained on GitHub by the gnome-terminator team since 2020.