Tool profile
kitty: cost, fit and limits
kitty is a free terminal emulator written by Kovid Goyal under the GPL-3.0, offering a terminal graphics protocol, extension programs called kittens, a plain-text configuration file and a documented SSH kitten. The project site documents its features in detail.
What to know first
kitty is a single-maintainer terminal with one plan: the free download. The project site lists a terminal graphics protocol for showing images, kittens such as a panel kitten, and settings in a kitty.conf text file. It also keeps a list of third-party kittens that includes a category for AI tools, though the project itself names no assistant of its own.
kitty at a glance
| Maker | Kovid Goyal (project author, per the kitty site), Not stated on the vendor pages |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | Free |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Terminal Emulators in 2026, rank 6 of 12 |
| Website | sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty/ |
Who kitty is best for
Users who want images in the terminal
The graphics protocol is listed on the project site, which suits people who preview pictures or plots without leaving the shell window.
Tinkerers who extend their tools
Kittens are small extension programs, and the community list lets you add features such as helpers without patching the terminal itself.
People who prefer plain-text settings
Configuration lives in kitty.conf, which is easy to keep in version control, review in a diff and copy between machines you use.
kitty plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free download | Free | Source code and binaries under the GPL-3.0 license; the pages read publish no paid tier and describe no account. |
Checked November 2026.
What kitty does
- Graphics protocol
- A terminal graphics protocol lets programs draw images in the window. The project site documents it for tool authors as well as for people who simply use the terminal.
- Kittens
- Kittens are extension programs written for kitty, including panel kittens described in the docs, which add features while keeping the terminal core small. Each kitten is documented separately.
- Third-party kitten list
- The site lists community kittens, with a category for AI tools. These are outside programs that the project does not run, so each one needs its own review.
- kitty.conf
- All settings live in one plain-text file documented on the site, so a setup is portable, can be reviewed in a diff and survives a reinstall.
- Shell and SSH integration
- The documentation covers shell integration and an SSH kitten, which help carry your settings and conveniences to remote machines you connect to. Check the docs for the supported shells.
How kitty handles your data
kitty runs locally, and the pages read describe no account, hosted service or vendor-run model. The project's policy on retention, training and certifications is not stated. The AI category on the kitten list points to community programs, and each of those would carry its own data handling, which needs review before it sees anything sensitive. Treat community add-ons with the same care as any program.
Where kitty falls short in practice
- One maintainer. The project is run by a single author under the GPL-3.0. There is no support contract, so a business that needs one has to rely on community help and the documentation.
- AI is third-party only. The AI label on the site covers community kittens. kitty names no assistant of its own, and the quality and data handling of those add-ons vary from one to the next.
Works with
Alternatives to kitty
kitty: common questions
Is kitty free?
Yes. kitty is free software under the GPL-3.0, and the pages read publish no paid tier. Source and binaries are available, and the project is described as maintained by Kovid Goyal, with the code hosted on GitHub for anyone to read.
Does kitty include an AI assistant?
No. The site lists third-party kittens with an AI category, but those are community programs. The project names no assistant of its own on the pages we read, so any AI use depends on add-ons you install and then review yourself.
What are kittens in kitty?
Kittens are small extension programs for kitty. The project site documents them, including panel kittens and an SSH kitten, and keeps a list of third-party ones. They add features such as remote setup without changing the terminal core, which stays small.
How do I configure kitty?
Settings live in a plain-text file named kitty.conf, documented on the project site. Because it is text, it works well with version control and copying between machines. The pages read describe no graphical settings window, so edits happen in an editor.
Is kitty safe for sensitive work?
The pages read describe a local program with no account and state nothing on retention or certifications. The risk sits in third-party kittens, so review any add-on, especially AI ones, before it handles credentials, customer data or private source code.