Compare · Terminal-shaped workspace
Zentty vs Wave
A terminal-shaped workspace, and a terminal that stays a terminal.
Overview
Wave grows the terminal outward into a workspace with file editing, previews, a browser, and dashboards. Zentty grows inward: worklanes, agent attention, and restraint.
What each tool is
Zentty is a native macOS terminal, written in Swift and AppKit and built on libghostty. It runs your agents in real shells across worklanes and surfaces the moment an agent needs you: running, idle, needs input, needs approval, done. No telemetry. No editor, file tree, git diff UI, or cloud runtime. It stays a terminal.
Wave Terminal is an open-source terminal-shaped workspace with file editing, previews, browser surfaces, widgets, dashboards, and AI features.
Who each tool is best for
Zentty is best for Mac developers who run CLI agents like Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, or OpenCode in parallel and want to stay in flow while those agents work in other panes and worklanes.
Wave is best for developers who want a single app that mixes terminals, files, previews, browser surfaces, and workspace blocks.
Capability comparison
| Dimension | Zentty | Wave Terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Native Mac terminal with worklanes and agent attention | Terminal-shaped workspace |
| File editing and previews | No — open in your own tools | Yes |
| Built-in browser | No | Yes |
| Agent attention | Running / idle / needs input / needs approval / done | Varies by tool |
| Built-in editor | No — keep your editor | Varies by tool |
| Cloud runtime | No — local only | Varies by tool |
| Platform | macOS only | macOS, Linux, Windows |
How to choose
- You want a terminal, not a workspace.
- You keep your editor and browser separate.
- You want a clear agent status model and native Mac worklanes.
- You want file editing, previews, and browser surfaces inside the terminal.
- You like workspace blocks and widgets.
- You need Linux or Windows support.
Common questions
On purpose. Zentty stays a terminal and opens into your existing tools.
Wave gives you a broader workspace. Zentty gives you real shells, worklanes, and a normalized attention model.
Keep comparing
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-23
Run your agents in real panes, and see which one needs you.
Free Native macOS No telemetry