Are you tired of sluggish terminal emulators that can’t keep up with your workflow? Looking for a modern, feature-rich terminal that leverages your GPU for lightning-fast performance? Kitty Terminal might be exactly what you need. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about installing and configuring Kitty Terminal on Ubuntu, from basic setup to advanced customization.

Kitty has gained significant popularity among developers, system administrators, and power users for good reason. Whether you’re a command-line novice or a terminal power user, by the end of this guide, you’ll have Kitty Terminal up and running with a configuration tailored to your needs.

What is Kitty Terminal?

Kitty is a fast, feature-rich, GPU-based terminal emulator developed by Kovid Goyal (who is also known for creating the popular Calibre e-book management software). Unlike traditional terminal emulators that rely solely on CPU rendering, Kitty offloads the rendering work to your GPU, resulting in significantly improved performance, especially when scrolling through large outputs or displaying complex content.

As a cross-platform application, Kitty works across Linux, macOS, and even BSD systems. It’s written primarily in C and Python, focusing on both speed and extensibility. The project is actively maintained, with regular updates and an engaged community of contributors.

Benefits of Using Kitty Terminal

Kitty Terminal offers numerous advantages that make it stand out from traditional terminal emulators:

1. GPU-accelerated rendering: By leveraging your graphics card for text rendering, Kitty achieves remarkably smooth scrolling and responsive output, even with complex or voluminous text.
2. Extensive customization: Nearly every aspect of Kitty can be configured to match your workflow and preferences, from fonts and colors to keyboard shortcuts and window layouts.
3. Rich feature set: Kitty includes built-in support for tabs, window splitting, session management, image display, and Unicode rendering-features that often require plugins or aren’t available at all in other terminals.
4. True color support: Enjoy full 24-bit color (16 million colors) in terminal applications and color schemes, allowing for more vibrant and aesthetically pleasing interfaces.
5. Programming ligatures: Kitty properly renders programming ligatures in fonts that support them, making code more readable and aesthetically pleasing.
6. Resource efficiency: Despite its rich feature set, Kitty maintains relatively low memory usage compared to other feature-heavy terminal emulators.

According to user benchmarks, Kitty can render complex outputs up to 5 times faster than traditional terminals, which translates to a noticeably smoother experience, especially in text-heavy workflows.

Why Choose Kitty Over Other Terminal Emulators?

With so many terminal emulators available for Ubuntu-from the default GNOME Terminal to alternatives like Terminator, Alacritty, and iTerm2-why should you consider switching to Kitty?

The most compelling reason is Kitty’s unique combination of performance and features. While some terminals like Alacritty also offer GPU acceleration, they typically take a minimalist approach that sacrifices functionality. Others like Terminator provide rich features but lack the performance benefits of GPU rendering.

Kitty strikes an excellent balance, offering:

• Better performance than feature-rich terminals like GNOME Terminal or Terminator
• More features than performance-focused terminals like Alacritty
• A configuration-based approach that’s both powerful and reproducible
• Modern capabilities that support today’s development environments

If you frequently work with large log files, complex data outputs, or simply value a responsive and customizable terminal experience, Kitty offers tangible benefits over its competitors.

Prerequisites for Installation

Before diving into the installation process, let’s ensure your system meets the requirements and has all the necessary dependencies to run Kitty Terminal smoothly.

System Requirements

Kitty Terminal has fairly modest hardware requirements, but to take full advantage of its GPU acceleration capabilities, your system should meet these specifications:

• Operating System: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or newer (this guide specifically covers Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04, and newer versions)
• Graphics: A graphics card or integrated GPU with OpenGL support (virtually all modern computers have this)
• Memory: At least 4GB of RAM is recommended, though Kitty itself has a small memory footprint
• Storage: Approximately 50MB of free disk space for the installation
• Display Server: Works with both X11 and Wayland (the default display servers in Ubuntu)

To check your Ubuntu version, you can run this command in your current terminal:

lsb_release -a

This will display detailed information about your Ubuntu distribution, including the version number.

Required Dependencies

Depending on your chosen installation method, Kitty requires several dependencies. Most of these will be automatically installed by the package manager, but it’s good to know what’s needed, especially if you plan to install from source:

1. Core dependencies:
   • Python 3.6 or newer
   • Xorg development files
   • OpenGL libraries
   • Font rendering libraries
2. Development dependencies (only needed for source installation):
   • GCC/G++ compiler
   • Make
   • pkg-config
   • Various development libraries

If you’re installing via APT or PPA, these dependencies will be handled automatically. For a source installation, we’ll cover the specific packages needed in that section.

Installation Methods

There are three primary ways to install Kitty Terminal on Ubuntu, each with its own advantages. Let’s explore each method in detail.

Method 1: Installing via APT Package Manager

The simplest way to install Kitty on Ubuntu 20.04 or newer is using the default package repositories through APT. This method provides a stable, tested version of Kitty that integrates well with Ubuntu’s package management system.

First, open your current terminal and update your system’s package information:

sudo apt update

Next, install Kitty with a single command:

sudo apt install kitty

When prompted, enter your password and confirm the installation. The package manager will automatically download and install Kitty Terminal along with all required dependencies.

To verify the installation, run:

kitty --version

This should display the version of Kitty that was installed.

Advantages of APT installation:

• Simple and straightforward
• Automatically handles dependencies
• Integrates with system updates
• Minimal chance of conflicts or issues

Disadvantages:

• May not have the most recent version of Kitty
• Limited customization during installation

Method 2: Installing via PPA Repository

If you want a more recent version of Kitty than what’s available in Ubuntu’s official repositories, you can use a Personal Package Archive (PPA). This is especially useful for older Ubuntu versions where Kitty might not be available in the default repositories.

First, add the Kitty PPA to your system:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:sebastian-stenzel/kitty
sudo apt update

Now install Kitty:

sudo apt install kitty

Verify the installation:

kitty --version

Advantages of PPA installation:

• Access to more recent versions of Kitty
• Still integrates with system package management
• Automatic updates through the package manager

Disadvantages:

• Relies on third-party repositories
• Slightly more complex than direct APT installation
• PPA may not always be maintained for the latest Ubuntu versions

Method 3: Installing from Source Code

For the most up-to-date version of Kitty or if you want complete control over the installation, building from source is the way to go.

Downloading the Source

First, install the required build dependencies:

sudo apt install gcc g++ make pkg-config libdbus-1-dev libxcursor-dev libxrandr-dev libxi-dev libxinerama-dev libgl1-mesa-dev libxkbcommon-dev libxkbcommon-x11-dev libfontconfig-dev libx11-xcb-dev liblcms2-dev libpython3-dev python3-pip git

Next, clone the Kitty repository:

git clone https://github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty.git
cd kitty

Building and Installing

Now, build and install Kitty:

python3 setup.py build
sudo python3 setup.py install

If you prefer to install for your user only (without sudo), you can use:

python3 setup.py install --user

With the user-specific installation, you may need to add ~/.local/bin to your PATH if it’s not already there:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Verify the installation:

kitty --version

Advantages of source installation:

• Access to the very latest version of Kitty
• Full control over compilation options
• Can apply custom patches or modifications
• Works on any Ubuntu version with the proper dependencies

Disadvantages:

• More complex installation process
• Requires manual updates
• Requires installing development tools and libraries

Post-Installation Configuration

Now that you have Kitty Terminal installed, let’s customize it to match your preferences and workflow.

Creating and Editing the Configuration File

Kitty uses a single text-based configuration file for nearly all settings. By default, this file is located at ~/.config/kitty/kitty.conf. If this file doesn’t exist yet (which is likely after a fresh installation), you’ll need to create it:

mkdir -p ~/.config/kitty
touch ~/.config/kitty/kitty.conf

For a head start, you can copy the default configuration file as a template:

cp /usr/share/doc/kitty/examples/kitty.conf ~/.config/kitty/

Or if you installed from source:

cp kitty/kitty.conf ~/.config/kitty/

Open the configuration file in your favorite text editor:

nano ~/.config/kitty/kitty.conf

Essential Configuration Options

Let’s look at some of the most important configuration options you might want to customize:

Font Configuration

The font settings significantly impact your terminal experience. Here are some example settings:

font_family      JetBrains Mono
bold_font        auto
italic_font      auto
bold_italic_font auto
font_size 12.0

# Enable ligatures
disable_ligatures never

Replace “JetBrains Mono” with your preferred font. Other popular monospace fonts for programming include Fira Code, Cascadia Code, and Ubuntu Mono.

Color Schemes

Kitty comes with several built-in color schemes, or you can define your own:

# Dark color scheme
foreground #dddddd
background #000000

# Black
color0 #000000
color8 #767676

# Red
color1 #cc0403
color9 #f2201f

# Green
color2  #19cb00
color10 #23fd00

# Yellow
color3  #cecb00
color11 #fffd00

# Blue
color4  #0d73cc
color12 #1a8fff

# Magenta
color5  #cb1ed1
color13 #fd28ff

# Cyan
color6  #0dcdcd
color14 #14ffff

# White
color7  #dddddd
color15 #ffffff

You can also use pre-made themes. For example, to use the popular Dracula theme:

curl -o ~/.config/kitty/dracula.conf https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dracula/kitty/master/dracula.conf

Then add this line to your kitty.conf:

include dracula.conf

Keyboard Shortcuts

Kitty has many keyboard shortcuts, and you can customize them to match your preferences:

# Create a new window
map ctrl+shift+n new_window

# Create a new tab
map ctrl+shift+t new_tab

# Navigate between tabs
map ctrl+shift+right next_tab
map ctrl+shift+left previous_tab

# Increase/decrease font size
map ctrl+shift+plus change_font_size all +2.0
map ctrl+shift+minus change_font_size all -2.0
map ctrl+shift+backspace change_font_size all 0

To see all available actions for keyboard shortcuts, run:

kitty --debug-keyboard

After modifying your configuration, you need to restart Kitty or reload the configuration by pressing Ctrl+Shift+F5 within Kitty for the changes to take effect.

Advanced Features of Kitty Terminal

Kitty Terminal offers several advanced features that make it particularly powerful for command-line enthusiasts and professionals. Let’s explore some of these features and how to use them effectively.

GPU Acceleration

One of Kitty’s standout features is its GPU-based rendering. This is enabled by default and generally works without any configuration, but you can fine-tune it:

# Sync with monitor refresh rate to prevent tearing
sync_to_monitor yes

# Adjust repaint delay for smooth scrolling (in milliseconds)
repaint_delay 10

# Disable GPU rendering if you experience issues
# gpu_rendering no

You can test if GPU acceleration is working correctly with:

kitty +kitten icat --detect-support

This command checks if terminal capabilities like image rendering and GPU acceleration are working properly.

Session Management

Kitty allows you to save and restore window layouts and running programs using sessions:

1. Create a session file (e.g., ~/.config/kitty/sessions/dev.conf):

# Create a window for code editing
new_tab Editor
cd ~/projects/myproject
launch vim app.py

# Create a window for running tests
new_tab Tests
cd ~/projects/myproject
launch bash -c "echo 'Run tests with: pytest'; exec bash"

# Create a window for git operations
new_tab Git
cd ~/projects/myproject
launch bash -c "git status; exec bash"

2. Start Kitty with this session:

kitty --session ~/.config/kitty/sessions/dev.conf

This feature is particularly useful for developers who work on multiple projects with different environment setups.

Split Windows and Tabs

Kitty provides a powerful window management system with tabs and splits:

• Create a new tab: Ctrl+Shift+T
• Create a new window (vertical split): Ctrl+Shift+Enter
• Create a horizontal split: Ctrl+Shift+\
• Navigate between windows: Ctrl+Shift+Arrow keys
• Resize windows: Ctrl+Shift+R followed by arrow keys

You can also use the remote control feature to create and manage windows programmatically:

kitty @ launch --type=tab --title "System Monitor" top

This command creates a new tab running the top command, allowing you to monitor system resources.

Image Viewing Capabilities

One of Kitty’s unique features is its ability to display images directly in the terminal:

kitty +kitten icat image.jpg

This capability is useful for various scenarios:

• Previewing images while navigating directories
• Including images in documentation or help text
• Displaying graphs or charts from data analysis tools
• Creating more visual terminal-based applications

The image protocol works both locally and over SSH (if Kitty is installed on both ends), making it a powerful tool for remote work.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

While Kitty Terminal is generally stable and reliable, you might encounter some issues during installation or use. Here are solutions to common problems.

Display Problems

If you experience visual glitches, missing characters, or other display issues:

1. Font rendering problems:

# Try a different font
font_family Ubuntu Mono

# Disable ligatures to test if they're causing issues
disable_ligatures always

2. Screen tearing or flickering:

# Enable sync to monitor to reduce tearing
sync_to_monitor yes

# Adjust repaint delay
repaint_delay 10

3. Issues with Wayland:
If you’re experiencing problems on Wayland, try forcing X11 mode:

KITTY_DISABLE_WAYLAND=1 kitty

If this resolves the issue, you can make it permanent by adding to your shell profile:

echo 'export KITTY_DISABLE_WAYLAND=1' >> ~/.bashrc

Font Rendering Issues

Font-related problems are common in terminal emulators:

1. Missing or incorrect characters:

# Use a widely compatible font
font_family DejaVu Sans Mono

# Add symbol mapping for specific Unicode ranges
symbol_map U+E0A0-U+E0A3,U+E0C0-U+E0C7 PowerlineSymbols

2. Poor font rendering:

# Adjust font size
font_size 12.0

# Disable subpixel rendering if it looks blurry
text_composition_strategy legacy

3. Emoji display issues:

# Set a fallback font for emoji
symbol_map U+1F300-U+1F5FF Noto Color Emoji

Performance Optimization

If Kitty isn’t performing as well as expected:

1. High CPU usage:

# Reduce scrollback buffer size
scrollback_lines 2000

# Disable resource-intensive features
disable_ligatures always
background_opacity 1.0

2. Slow startup time:

• Check if you’re loading many or large fonts
• Simplify your configuration file
• Check for scripts running at startup in your session files

3. Input lag:

# Adjust input delay (milliseconds)
input_delay 2

# Ensure sync to monitor is enabled
sync_to_monitor yes

For persistent issues, check the Kitty log for more detailed information:

kitty --debug-file=/tmp/kitty-debug.log

This creates a detailed log file that can help identify the root cause of problems.

Keeping Kitty Updated

To ensure you have the latest features, bug fixes, and security updates, it’s important to keep Kitty Terminal updated.

Updating via Package Manager

If you installed Kitty using APT or a PPA, updating is straightforward:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

This will update Kitty along with other packages on your system. To update only Kitty:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade kitty

Updating from Source

If you installed from source, update by pulling the latest changes and rebuilding:

cd ~/kitty  # Or wherever your Kitty source is located
git pull
python3 setup.py build
sudo python3 setup.py install  # Or with --user if you installed that way

To update to a specific version:

git fetch --tags
git checkout v0.31.0  # Replace with the desired version
python3 setup.py build
sudo python3 setup.py install

It’s a good practice to check for updates regularly, especially if you rely on Kitty for daily work. The development team typically releases updates every few months with new features and improvements.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I set Kitty as my default terminal in Ubuntu?

To set Kitty as your default terminal, use the update-alternatives system:

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/x-terminal-emulator x-terminal-emulator $(which kitty) 50
sudo update-alternatives --config x-terminal-emulator

In the menu that appears, select the number corresponding to Kitty. After this, applications that open a terminal should use Kitty by default.

Can I use Kitty’s GPU acceleration on systems without a dedicated graphics card?

Yes, Kitty works with integrated graphics as well. Most modern computers, including laptops with integrated Intel or AMD graphics, support the OpenGL capabilities that Kitty uses for acceleration. The performance improvement may be less dramatic than with a dedicated GPU, but you’ll still see benefits compared to CPU-only terminals.

How can I transfer my current terminal settings to Kitty?

While there’s no automatic way to convert settings from other terminals to Kitty’s format, you can manually recreate your customizations:

1. For color schemes, look for Kitty ports of popular themes or convert them using online tools
2. For fonts, simply specify your preferred font in the Kitty configuration
3. For keyboard shortcuts, review Kitty’s defaults and adjust to match your preferences
4. For bash/zsh configurations, these are independent of the terminal and will work the same in Kitty

Does Kitty support integration with tmux or other terminal multiplexers?

Yes, you can use tmux inside Kitty, but it’s often unnecessary since Kitty has its own tabs and splits functionality. If you still prefer tmux for its session management or other features, it works perfectly within Kitty. Some users choose to use Kitty’s GPU acceleration and modern features while still relying on tmux for session management and more advanced window layouts.

How can I customize Kitty’s appearance beyond the built-in options?

Beyond the basic configuration options, you can:

1. Use community themes from repositories like kitty-themes
2. Create your own color schemes based on your preferred color palette
3. Use custom backgrounds with transparency: background_opacity 0.9
4. Customize the tab bar appearance: tab_bar_style fade
5. Add padding around terminal content: window_padding_width 8

Combined with custom fonts and careful color selection, these options allow for virtually unlimited customization of Kitty’s appearance to match your desktop theme or personal preferences.