Xterm vs. Terminal — What's the Difference?

Capable of displaying both text and basic graphics.

Used for system administration and file management.

Supports VT102 and Tektronix 4014 compatible modes.

Often integrated into the operating system.

Highly customizable through resource files.

Varies in capability based on the operating system.

Utilizes the X11 display protocol.

A general interface for interacting with a computer's operating system.

A terminal emulator for the X Window System.

Can refer to both hardware (physical terminal) and software (terminal emulator).

In computing, xterm is the standard terminal emulator for the X Window System. A user can have many different invocations of xterm running at once on the same display, each of which provides independent input/output for the process running in it (normally the process is a Unix shell).xterm originated prior to the X Window System.

Forming or situated at the end or extremity of something

(of a disease) predicted to lead to death, especially slowly; incurable

Done or occurring each school, college, university, or law term

The end of a railway or other transport route, or a station at such a point

A point of connection for closing an electric circuit

A device at which a user enters data or commands for a computer system and which displays the received output.

Another term for terminus (sense 3 of the noun)

A patient suffering from a terminal illness.

Of, at, relating to, or forming a limit, boundary, extremity, or end

(Botany) Growing or appearing at the end of a stem, branch, stalk, or similar part.

Of, at, relating to, or being the end of a section or series; final.

A building in an airport where passengers transfer from ground transportation to the facilities that allow them to board airplanes.

A harbour facility where ferries embark and disembark passengers and load and unload vehicles.

A rail station where service begins and ends; the end of the line. For example: Grand Central Terminal in New York City.

A rate charged on all freight, regardless of distance, and supposed to cover the expenses of station service, as distinct from mileage rate, generally proportionate to the distance and intended to cover movement expenses.

A town lying at the end of a railroad, in which the terminal is located; more properly called a terminus.

A storage tank for bulk liquids (such as oil or chemicals) prior to further distribution.

(electronics) the end of a line where signals are either transmitted or received, or a point along the length of a line where the signals are made available to apparatus.

An electric contact on a battery.

(telecommunications) The apparatus to send and/or receive signals on a line, such as a telephone or network device.

(computing) A device for entering data into a computer or a communications system and/or displaying data received, especially a device equipped with a keyboard and some sort of textual display.

(computing) A computer program that emulates a physical terminal.

(computing theory) A terminal symbol in a formal grammar.

(biology) The end ramification (of an axon, etc.) or one of the extremities of a polypeptide.

Fatal; resulting in death.

Appearing at the end; top or apex of a physical object.

Occurring at the end of a word, sentence, or period of time, and serves to terminate it

(archaic) Occurring every term; termly.

To store bulk liquids (such as oil or chemicals) in storage tanks prior to further distribution.

Of or pertaining to the end or extremity; forming the extremity; as, a terminal edge.

Growing at the end of a branch or stem; terminating; as, a terminal bud, flower, or spike.

Pertaining to a railroad terminal; connected with the receipt or delivery of freight; as, terminal charges.

That which terminates or ends; termination; extremity.

Either of the ends of the conducting circuit of an electrical apparatus, as an inductorium, dynamo, or electric motor, usually provided with binding screws for the attachment of wires by which a current may be conveyed into or from the machine; a pole.

The end of a line of railroad, with the switches, stations, sheds, and other appliances pertaining thereto.

The station at either end of a bus line line which transports freight or passengers.

A station where passenger buses start or end a trip; - also called bus terminal.

The structure at an airport where passengers board or debark, and where ticket purchases and baggage pickup is performed; - also called airline terminal.

An electronic device where data may be entered into a computer, and information received from it, usually consisting of a keyboard and video display unit (monitor); the terminal may be integrated or connected directly to a computer, or connected by a communications circuit with a computer at a remote location; - also called computer terminal.

Station where transport vehicles load or unload passengers or goods

A contact on an electrical device (such as a battery) at which electric current enters or leaves

Electronic equipment consisting of a device providing access to a computer; has a keyboard and display

Being or situated at an end;

Of or relating to or situated at the ends of a delivery route;

Relating to or occurring in a term or fixed period of time;

Occurring at or forming an end or termination;

Causing or ending in or approaching death;

Terminal functionality and appearance can vary significantly across different operating systems, tailored to system-specific commands and tools.

On macOS, Terminal integrates closely with the system, offering features like seamless window management and Spotlight search.

Xterm offers extensive customization and precise control over terminal sessions, ideal for advanced users.

Xterm is used to provide a graphical terminal interface within the X Window System environment.

Yes, Xterm can be effectively used for web development, especially when managing remote servers.

Xterm can be used on Windows through third-party software that emulates the X Window System, like Cygwin.

The main purpose of a Terminal is to allow users to execute commands, administer their systems, and script automation tasks.

Many Terminal emulators, including those on macOS and Linux, support multiple sessions through tabs or windows.

Xterm primarily runs on systems that support the X Window System, commonly Unix and Linux distributions.

Typical Terminal apps tend to be more user-friendly, especially for those not requiring extensive customization.

Some form of Terminal is available on nearly all modern computers, though its functionality and design will differ.

Customization in Xterm is done through modifying resource files and utilizing various command-line options.

Yes, most Terminal applications support programming environments but may vary in the level of support for different programming languages.

Xterm may use more resources due to its extensive customization options and graphical support, whereas other Terminals might be more lightweight.

Performance can vary; Xterm is highly optimized for X environments, while other Terminals might be optimized for specific system integrations.