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Ghostty for the web with xterm.js API compatibility

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coder/ghostty-web

 mainBranchesTagsGo to fileCodeOpen more actions menuFolders and filesNameNameLast commit messageLast commit dateLatest commit History86 Commits.github.github  demodemo  ghostty @ 0f64b9aghostty @ 0f64b9a  liblib  patchespatches  scriptsscripts  .gitignore.gitignore  .gitmodules.gitmodules  .npmignore.npmignore  .prettierignore.prettierignore  .prettierrc.prettierrc  AGENTS.mdAGENTS.md  LICENSELICENSE  README.mdREADME.md  biome.jsonbiome.json  bun.lockbun.lock  bunfig.tomlbunfig.toml  happydom.tshappydom.ts  package.jsonpackage.json  tsconfig.jsontsconfig.json  vite.config.jsvite.config.js  View all filesRepository files navigationREADMECode of conductMIT licenseSecurityghostty-web

Ghostty for the web with xterm.js API compatibility — giving you a proper VT100 implementation in the browser.

Migrate from xterm by changing your import: @xterm/xterm → ghostty-web
WASM-compiled parser from Ghostty—the same code that runs the native app
Zero runtime dependencies, ~400KB WASM bundle

Originally created for Mux (a desktop app for isolated, parallel agentic development), but designed to be used anywhere.
Try It

Live Demo on an ephemeral VM (thank you to Greg from disco.cloud for hosting).

On your computer:
npx @ghostty-web/demo@next
This starts a local HTTP server with a real shell on http://localhost:8080. Works best on Linux and macOS.

Comparison with xterm.js
xterm.js is everywhere—VS Code, Hyper, countless web terminals. But it has fundamental issues:

Issue
xterm.js
ghostty-web

Complex scripts (Devanagari, Arabic)
Rendering issues
✓ Proper grapheme handling

XTPUSHSGR/XTPOPSGR
Not supported
✓ Full support

xterm.js reimplements terminal emulation in JavaScript. Every escape sequence, every edge case, every Unicode quirk—all hand-coded. Ghostty's emulator is the same battle-tested code that runs the native Ghostty app.
Installation
npm install ghostty-web
Usage
ghostty-web aims to be API-compatible with the xterm.js API.
import { init, Terminal } from 'ghostty-web';

await init();

const term = new Terminal({
fontSize: 14,
theme: {
background: '#1a1b26',
foreground: '#a9b1d6',
},
});

term.open(document.getElementById('terminal'));
term.onData((data) => websocket.send(data));
websocket.onmessage = (e) => term.write(e.data);
For a comprehensive client <-> server example, refer to the demo.
Development
ghostty-web builds from Ghostty's source with a patch to expose additional
functionality.

Requires Zig and Bun.

bun run build
Mitchell Hashimoto (author of Ghostty) has been working on libghostty which makes this all possible. The patches are very minimal thanks to the work the Ghostty team has done, and we expect them to get smaller.
This library will eventually consume a native Ghostty WASM distribution once available, and will continue to provide an xterm.js compatible API.
At Coder we're big fans of Ghostty, so kudos to that team for all the amazing work.
License
MIT

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Ghostty for the web with xterm.js API compatibility

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Ghostty for the web represents a focused effort to provide a terminal emulation experience directly within a web browser, leveraging the existing xterm.js API compatibility as a core design principle. The project, developed by Coder, is built upon the established Ghostty native application codebase, utilizing a WASM (WebAssembly) compiled parser for efficiency. This approach addresses several limitations observed within the prevalent xterm.js library, particularly concerning complex script handling, grapheme support, and overall terminal emulation accuracy.

The project’s architecture centers around a minimal set of patches applied to Ghostty’s source code, significantly reducing the codebase’s size. These modifications expose additional functionality, facilitating direct integration within a web environment. The foundational work is spearheaded by Mitchell Hashimoto, the creator of Ghostty, alongside the continued efforts of the Ghostty team. The project’s target is a future native Ghostty WASM distribution, ensuring a streamlined experience by utilizing the same battle-tested code already proven successful in the native application.

A key differentiator is the project's commitment to xterm.js API compatibility. Developers can seamlessly transition by simply changing their import statement from `@xterm/xterm` to `ghostty-web`, simplifying the adoption process. The implementation relies on a Bun-based build system alongside Zig, ensuring consistent and manageable development. The project incorporates a comprehensive client-server example, which could provide valuable insights into its functionality and integration.

The project’s value stems from several factors: its direct reliance on the well-established Ghostty codebase, its dedication to xterm.js API compatibility, and its utilization of WASM for optimized performance. This approach uniquely positions Ghostty for the web as a viable alternative or complement to xterm.js, particularly in scenarios requiring precise terminal emulation and robust script handling. The project’s success hinges on continued development and refinement by the Ghostty team, with the goal of eventually consuming a native Ghostty WASM distribution. This ultimately benefits the developer community by offering a reliable and compatible terminal experience directly within the web browser environment.