ttyd vs xterm.js
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 command-line tool that shares a terminal session in a web browser.
Open source · MIT
A front-end component that puts a fully featured terminal inside a web page.
The short answer
Choose ttyd if you need…
- Developers who want to open a shell on a home server or device from a browser
- People running tools on OpenWrt routers or other small Linux boxes
- Anyone who needs quick browser access to a command-line program on a local network
- Users who want a terminal in a browser with file transfer or image output support
Choose xterm.js if you need…
- Developers building a browser-based IDE or cloud workspace that needs an integrated terminal
- Teams adding a web console to a server or device management tool
- Projects that already use Node.js and npm and want a terminal component
- Developers who need to run headless terminal state tracking in Node.js via @xterm/headless
Side-by-side
| ttyd | xterm.js | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dev tool | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 12.6k | 21.3k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | C | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 3 months ago | 7 days ago |
What each one is
ttyd
ttyd runs a command on your machine and serves it as a terminal you can open in a web browser. You start it from the command line, and anyone with the address (and credentials, if you set them) can see and, if you allow it, type into that terminal. People use it to reach a shell or program from another device without a native terminal client.
xterm.js
Xterm.js is a JavaScript and TypeScript component that lets a web app show a working terminal to its users in the browser. It handles display and keyboard input, while a separate process such as a shell is connected through a pseudoterminal library like node-pty. It is used by VS Code, Tabby and Hyper to provide their built-in terminals.
Best for
ttyd
- Developers who want to open a shell on a home server or device from a browser
- People running tools on OpenWrt routers or other small Linux boxes
- Anyone who needs quick browser access to a command-line program on a local network
- Users who want a terminal in a browser with file transfer or image output support
xterm.js
- Developers building a browser-based IDE or cloud workspace that needs an integrated terminal
- Teams adding a web console to a server or device management tool
- Projects that already use Node.js and npm and want a terminal component
- Developers who need to run headless terminal state tracking in Node.js via @xterm/headless
Strengths
ttyd
- Written in C on top of libuv and WebGL2, aiming for speed according to the README
- Supports CJK text, IME input, SSL, and basic authentication
- Available through many package managers on macOS, Linux, Windows, and OpenWrt
xterm.js
- The README says it works with common terminal apps such as bash, vim, and tmux, including mouse events
- The core library has zero dependencies, according to the README
- Supports CJK, emoji, and IME input, plus an optional GPU-accelerated renderer
Not ideal for
ttyd
- Anyone exposing a terminal to the internet without strong authentication, since the README describes basic auth and SSL options but the security risk of a shared shell is significant
- Users who only want an SSH-style remote login; the README lists Wetty as an SSH/login-based alternative
- People who need a full multi-user web-based IDE, as ttyd focuses on the terminal itself
xterm.js
- People who want a terminal app to install on their computer, since the README says xterm.js is not a terminal application
- Users who only want to run bash or tmux directly, since xterm.js needs a host app and a backend process to be useful
- Non-developers, because it is a library that must be wired into code
Trade-offs
ttyd
- Sharing a shell over the web carries real security risk, so configuration must be done carefully
- The README is brief and points to the wiki for usage examples
- Read-only by default; write access must be enabled explicitly with a flag
xterm.js
- The README says it is only officially supported in the latest evergreen browsers, so older browsers may not work
- Experimental APIs can change between versions without the usual semver guarantees
- It ships only through npm, so it is not a standalone download
Getting started
ttyd
Install with Homebrew on macOS
brew install ttydInstall on Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install ttydFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between ttyd and xterm.js?
ttyd: A command-line tool that shares a terminal session in a web browser. xterm.js: A front-end component that puts a fully featured terminal inside a web page. ttyd suits developers who want to open a shell on a home server or device from a browser, while xterm.js suits developers building a browser-based ide or cloud workspace that needs an integrated terminal.
Are ttyd and xterm.js free?
ttyd: Free and open source. xterm.js: Free and open source.
Is ttyd or xterm.js more popular?
xterm.js has more GitHub stars (21.3k) than ttyd (12.6k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to ttyd and xterm.js?
Other options people compare them with include GoTTY, mitmproxy, chalk, FTXUI.
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.