Hyper
An open-source terminal app built with web technologies, focused on being extensible.
- Stars
- 44.8k
- Forks
- 3.6k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- TypeScript
- Last update
- 3 months ago
- Type
- App
What it is
Hyper is a terminal application, the window where you type commands on your computer, built on open web standards. Its stated goals are speed, stability, and a clear API for extension authors, so people can add features and customize its look. The README says it is available for macOS, Linux, and Windows through various package managers and downloads.
- Run your everyday shell commands in a customizable terminal window
- Install extensions or themes to change the terminal's behavior or appearance
- Work on a Mac, Linux, or Windows machine using the same terminal app
- Contribute to the Hyper codebase itself by building and running it locally with pnpm
Great for
- Developers who want a terminal they can customize with extensions or themes
- People who prefer a terminal built with web tools like TypeScript, React, and HTML/CSS
- Linux or macOS users who want a downloadable app with a simple install
- Hobbyists who enjoy tweaking their development environment
Not ideal for
- People who need the fastest or most minimal terminal, since the README names speed as a goal rather than a proven result
- Users who want a stable, long-established terminal with a large existing ecosystem, as the README does not compare it to mature alternatives
- Anyone who needs an install guaranteed to be the newest version, since the README warns package-manager versions may lag behind
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Homebrew (macOS) or Chocolatey (Windows), or an AppImage/.deb/.rpm for Linux
macOS install via Homebrew Cask
brew updatemacOS install via Homebrew Cask
brew install --cask hyper - 2
Run it
- Install Hyper using the command for your platform from the README or download the latest release from hyper.is
- Open the Hyper app from your applications menu or launcher
- Start typing commands in the terminal window
- Visit hyper.is or the Awesome Hyper list to find extensions or themes
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Check the Awesome Hyper list linked in the README for community extensions and themes
- Try the Sample Extension and Sample Theme repositories linked in the README to learn how customization works
- Install from the official download page at hyper.is if you want the latest version rather than a package-manager build
Downloads
Strengths
- Built on open web standards, so its codebase is approachable to people who know JavaScript or TypeScript
- Designed around an extension API, with sample extensions and themes linked from the README
- Open source under the MIT license with an active project and a public contribution path
Trade-offs
- The README does not give performance benchmarks, so speed claims are goals rather than measured results
- Some package-manager versions (Homebrew, Chocolatey, Snapcraft, AUR) may be out of date
- Building from source needs extra system setup, including build tools and platform-specific fixes for node-pty and code signing
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hyper (this) | 44.8k | App | beginner | 3 months ago | Developers who want a terminal they can customize with extensions or themes |
| yazi | 43.2k | App | intermediate | 4 days ago | People who already spend time in a terminal and want a faster way to browse folders |
| inshellisense | 10.8k | Dev tool | beginner | 7 days ago | Developers who spend a lot of time in the terminal and want suggestions for unfamiliar command options |
| atom | 60.7k | App | beginner | 3.8 years ago | Developers who want a desktop code editor they can customize with packages |
| upterm | 19k | App | intermediate | 7.5 years ago | Developers who want to try an Electron-based terminal with autocompletion |
| tabby | 75.3k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | Developers who keep many SSH sessions open and want them saved and organized |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.