iTerm2

iTerm2 is the power-user terminal for Mac. v3.5/3.6 (2025) adds AI Integration (OpenAI key) and a built-in Web Browser panel.

When to Use

• macOS Power User: Split panes, hotkey window (Quake style), search.
• Remote Integration: Shell integration allows downloading files via drag-drop from SSH.

Core Concepts

Profiles

Define colors, fonts, and keyboard behavior per environment.

Triggers

Regex that watches output and performs actions (e.g., highlight “Error”, run a script, ring incomplete).

Tmux Integration

tmux -CC makes remote tmux sessions appear as native iTerm2 windows/tabs.

Best Practices (2025)

Do:

• Use Shell Integration: Install it to enable features like “Status Bar” on the prompt line.
• Use “Composer”: Like Warp, iTerm2 has an input composer window (Cmd+Shift+C).
• Map Option to Meta: Ensure Option key acts as Esc+ for proper Emacs/Vim navigation.

Don’t:

• Don’t ignore the GPU renderer: Enable Metal renderer for performance.

References

• iTerm2 Documentation