Windows Terminal 2.0 Roadmap

Microsoft has shared a roadmap for the Windows Terminal app version 2.0. Microsoft is set to implement a number of new features and improvements to this modern console.

Windows Terminal a new terminal app for command-line users that has plenty of new features including tabs, a GPU accelerated DirectWrite/DirectX-based text rendering engine, profiles, and more.

Windows Terminal is fully open-sourced. Thanks to the new tabbed console, it allows organizing instances of Command Prompt, PowerShell, and Windows Subsystem for Linux together in a single app.

The app comes with an icon that reminds of new Office and OneDrive icons, reflecting Microsoft's modern design view known as 'Fluent Design'.

The Windows Terminal project is engineered and delivered as a set of 4-week milestones. New features will go into Windows Terminal Preview first, then a month after they been in Preview, those features will move into Windows Terminal.

 

Priority*	Scenario	Description/Notes
0	Settings UI	A user interface that connects to settings.json. This provides a way for people to edit their settings without having to edit a JSON file. Issue: #1564
0	Command palette	A popup menu to list possible actions and commands. Issues: #5400, #2046 Spec: #2193
1	Tab tear-off	The ability to tear a tab out of the current window and spawn a new window or attach it to a separate window. Issue: #1256 Spec: #2080
1	Clickable links	Hyperlinking any links that appear in the text buffer. When clicking on the link, the link will open in your default browser. Issue: #574
1	Default terminal	If a command-line application is spawned, it should open in Windows Terminal (if installed) or your preferred terminal Issue: #492 Spec: #2080
1	Overall theme support	Tab coloring, title bar coloring, pane border coloring, pane border width, definition of what makes a theme Issue: #3327 Spec: #5772
1	Open tab as admin/other user	Open tab in existing Windows Terminal instance as admin (if Terminal was run unelevated) or as another user. Issue: #5000
1	Traditional opacity	Have a transparent background without the acrylic blur. Issue: #603
2	SnapOnOutput, scroll lock	Pause output or scrolling on click. Issue: #980 Spec: #2529 Implementation: #6062
2	Infinite scrollback	Have an infinite history for the text buffer. Issue: #1410
2	Pane management	All issues listed out in the original issue. Some features include pane resizing with mouse, pane zooming, and opening a pane by prompting which profile to use. Issue: #1000
2	Theme marketplace	Marketplace for creation and distribution of themes. Dependent on overall theming
2	Jump list	Show profiles from task bar (on right click)/start menu. Issue: #576
2	Open with multiple tabs	A setting that allows Windows Terminal to launch with a specific tab configuration (not using only command line arguments). Issue: #756
3	Open in Windows Terminal	Functionality to right click on a file or folder and select Open in Windows Terminal. Issue: #1060 Implementation: #6100
3	Session restoration	Launch Windows Terminal and the previous session is restored with the proper tab and pane configuration and starting directories. Issues: #961, #960, #766
3	Quake mode	Provide a quick launch terminal that appears and disappears when a hotkey is pressed. Issue: #653
3	Settings migration infrastructure	Migrate people's settings without breaking them. Hand-in-hand with settings UI.
3	Pointer bindings	Provide settings that can be bound to the mouse. Issue: #1553

Feature Notes:

* Feature Priorities:

0. Mandatory
1. Optimal
2. Optional / Stretch-goal

Download Windows Terminal

You can download Windows Terminal from the Microsoft Store or from the GitHub releases page.

Windows Terminal Preview

Microsoft is also launching a preview channel of Windows Terminal. If you are someone who likes to be involved with the development of Windows Terminal and use the latest features as soon as they are developed, you can download the app preview version from the Microsoft Store or from the GitHub releases page. Windows Terminal Preview will have monthly updates, starting in June 2020.

Source: Microsoft