Best Open Source Web Terminals for Embedding in Your Browser

Terminals are essential tools for developers, system administrators, and DevOps engineers.
With the rise of cloud-based development and remote-first workflows, having an
embeddable open-source terminal in the web browser is becoming a necessity.

In this article, we explore the most popular open-source projects such as
xterm.js, ttyd, wetty, and GoTTY.
These tools allow you to bring the power of a shell directly inside a browser tab, making it easier to integrate into
dashboards, admin panels, or developer platforms.

1. Web Terminal: xterm.js

xterm.js
is a JavaScript library for building terminal emulators that run in the browser. It powers
the integrated terminal in Visual Studio Code and is known for its speed and reliability.

• WebGL rendering for smooth performance
• Highly customizable with themes and addons
• Supports search, hyperlinks, Unicode, and resizing

If you want to embed a terminal inside your web app, xterm.js is the best frontend option.
You will need a backend (Node.js, Go, or Python PTY) to handle real shell input/output.

// Example: Initialize xterm.js
const term = new Terminal();
term.open(document.getElementById('terminal'));
term.write('Hello from xterm.js!');
      

2. Web Terminal: ttyd

ttyd
is a simple command-line tool written in C that makes any CLI program accessible via a web browser.

• Lightweight and portable
• Supports TLS and authentication
• One command to start: ttyd bash

ttyd is great when you want a quick, no-configuration solution to expose a shell or any CLI application over the web.

3. Web Terminal: wetty

wetty
is a Node.js based web terminal that uses xterm.js on the frontend and supports both local shell
and SSH connections.

• Great for integrating into Node-based applications
• Uses xterm.js for frontend rendering
• Supports password and SSH key authentication

4. Web Terminal: GoTTY

GoTTY
is written in Go and provides a similar experience to ttyd. It allows you to turn
any command-line tool into a web application with a single command.

• Single binary deployment
• Extremely lightweight
• Command example: gotty top

Which Web Terminal Should You Choose?

– If you want a ready-to-use solution, go with ttyd or GoTTY.
– If you are building a custom web dashboard, use xterm.js with a PTY backend.
– For Node.js projects, wetty is a solid choice.

Final Thoughts

Web-based terminals bridge the gap between local development and cloud platforms.
With these open-source projects, you can easily integrate a powerful terminal
into your browser applications. Whether you are building developer tools,
internal dashboards, or remote servers, these solutions can save time
and make workflows more seamless.