PaperMod vs Windows Terminal
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A fast, clean, responsive theme for the Hugo static site generator.
Open source · MIT
The modern Windows terminal app, plus the original Windows console host, in one repository.
The short answer
Choose PaperMod if you need…
- Bloggers who already use or want to use Hugo
- Personal portfolio sites with a simple, minimal look
- Multilingual sites that need a built-in language selector
- People who want a theme with little or no JavaScript build tooling
Choose Windows Terminal if you need…
- Windows users who work in the command line every day and want tabs and rich text
- Developers who run PowerShell, Command Prompt and WSL side by side
- People who want to read or contribute to the source of Windows' console
- Users who want an app that updates automatically from the Microsoft Store
Side-by-side
| PaperMod | Windows Terminal | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Other | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 14k | 105k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Beginner |
| How you get it | Clone and build from source | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | HTML | C++ |
| Last code update | 12 days ago | 6 days ago |
What each one is
PaperMod
PaperMod is a theme, a set of templates and styles, for Hugo, a tool that turns text and Markdown files into a website. It gives a blog or portfolio a clean, responsive layout with light and dark modes, search, and built-in SEO metadata. It is aimed at people who want a polished site without writing much front-end code.
Windows Terminal
Windows Terminal is a tabbed command-line application for Windows that supports multiple shells such as PowerShell, Command Prompt and WSL. This repository holds its source code, along with the source for conhost.exe, the original Windows console host that Windows itself is built from. People use it as a more capable replacement for the old Windows console window.
Best for
PaperMod
- Bloggers who already use or want to use Hugo
- Personal portfolio sites with a simple, minimal look
- Multilingual sites that need a built-in language selector
- People who want a theme with little or no JavaScript build tooling
Windows Terminal
- Windows users who work in the command line every day and want tabs and rich text
- Developers who run PowerShell, Command Prompt and WSL side by side
- People who want to read or contribute to the source of Windows' console
- Users who want an app that updates automatically from the Microsoft Store
Strengths
PaperMod
- Feature-rich, covering search, SEO metadata, dark mode, and multilingual support
- Documented through a wiki with installation, variables, and template override guides
- Built on Hugo's asset pipeline with no webpack or Node.js build step required
Windows Terminal
- Official Microsoft project with a large community and frequent releases
- Installable from the Microsoft Store with automatic updates
- Source is MIT licensed, so it can be read, modified and reused under those terms
Not ideal for
PaperMod
- People who do not want to use Hugo, since this theme only runs inside it
- Sites needing a heavily custom design, as the README centers on its existing layouts and customization options
- Anyone requiring a visual site builder with no command-line use
Windows Terminal
- Users on Windows 10 builds older than 2004 (build 19041), because the README sets that as the minimum
- People on macOS or Linux, since this is a Windows-specific project
- Anyone who only wants to use the app and has no interest in building source code, which the repo itself is mainly for
Trade-offs
PaperMod
- Depends on Hugo, and the README lists a minimum Hugo version of v0.158.0 or later
- Customizing beyond the provided options means learning Hugo templates and the wiki
- Release v8.0 is listed without binaries, so installation relies on Hugo and the repository
Windows Terminal
- Installing from GitHub or a package manager means updates are manual, as the README notes
- Building from source requires a Windows development setup and is aimed at contributors rather than casual users
- The README is truncated, so details about build tooling and configuration are not fully visible here
Getting started
PaperMod
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/adityatelange/hugo-PaperMod themes/PaperMod --depth=1Windows Terminal
Install with winget (from the README)
winget install --id Microsoft.WindowsTerminal -eFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between PaperMod and Windows Terminal?
PaperMod: A fast, clean, responsive theme for the Hugo static site generator. Windows Terminal: The modern Windows terminal app, plus the original Windows console host, in one repository. PaperMod suits bloggers who already use or want to use hugo, while Windows Terminal suits windows users who work in the command line every day and want tabs and rich text.
Are PaperMod and Windows Terminal free?
PaperMod: Free and open source. Windows Terminal: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, PaperMod or Windows Terminal?
Windows Terminal is easier to get started with (rated beginner); PaperMod is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is PaperMod or Windows Terminal more popular?
Windows Terminal has more GitHub stars (105k) than PaperMod (14k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to PaperMod and Windows Terminal?
Other options people compare them with include Tabby, Files, OmniTools.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.