Microsoft first unveiled its new command line app for Windows, dubbed Windows Terminal, at Build earlier this year. It’s a new central location where you can access the traditional cmd line, PowerShell, and the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). While developers have been able to compile and use the Windows Terminal from the code available on GitHub, Microsoft is now releasing an easy installer through the Windows Store today.
The Windows Terminal app includes multiple tab support, alongside themes and customization for developers who want to tweak the Terminal app. You’ll need to edit a JSON file if you want to get to all of the customization options right now, as this early preview doesn’t have full functionality. Microsoft has some instructions on how to configure your settings and key binds in the JSON file, and you can even change the background image.
Windows Terminal will also support full GPU-based text rendering and even emoji. Microsoft showed off the emoji support with a flashy sizzle video at Build, and the text rendering is DirectX-based so it will display regular text characters, glyphs, and symbols that are available on your PC.
Microsoft did promise a Windows Terminal preview in mid-June, and we’re just past the midway point of the month and it has arrived. “This is the first of several preview releases to the Microsoft Store,” says Kayla Cinnamon, Windows Terminal program manager. “The Terminal team is working towards creating a consistent schedule that offers regular previews and more frequent builds for those who want to get access to the latest features as they arrive. Windows Terminal 1.0 will arrive in the Microsoft Store this winter!”
Microsoft is also working on bringing the full Linux kernel to Windows 10 to improve performance of the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). If you want to try out the new Windows Terminal, you can download it immediately from the Windows Store.
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