kitty
kitty 0.48.2 is a GPU-accelerated terminal emulator for macOS and Linux with tabs, windows, sessions, images, hyperlinks, SSH and file-transfer kittens, remote control and extensive key and theme customization.
What kitty is for
kitty targets macOS and Linux users who need GPU rendering, complex tabs and windows, image and hyperlink protocols, sessions, SSH integration and scriptable terminal control. It is a terminal emulator rather than a shell, and it has no official native Windows desktop package.
Version and platform boundary
Version 0.48.2 provides macOS DMG packages, Linux x86_64 and ARM64 archives, distribution packages and source archives. It fixes a Plasma Wayland drag-and-drop regression and adds vertical tab placement in the 0.48 series. Keep the complete application directory instead of copying out one executable.
Protocols, SSH and control
Images, clipboard, file transfer, SSH kittens and remote control expand what local scripts, untrusted hosts and other processes can request. Verify host keys, control sockets, listening addresses and kitten sources separately. A tab layout does not replace user permissions, firewall rules or credential isolation.
Maintenance note
Review date: 2026-08-06. The page was checked against kitty 0.48.2 release notes, installation layout, platform packages, SSH integration and GPL-3.0 license boundaries.
Save to your cloud drive
Open the cloud drive to get the file directly, or save it for convenient access on another device.
Quark Cloud Drive
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kitty 0.48.2 installation, tabs, sessions and SSH guide
Install the package that matches macOS or Linux, verify rendering and fonts with the default configuration, then add tabs, sessions, SSH kittens and restricted control one layer at a time.
Before you start
- Use a supported macOS or Linux environment and choose the Intel, Apple silicon, x86_64 or ARM64 package; Windows has no ordinary native kitty installer.
- Back up `kitty.conf`, sessions and custom kittens, and prepare a monospace font and working GPU driver. Unknown kittens and startup commands may execute local code.
- Prepare trusted SSH fingerprints and least-privilege keys, and define whether remote control will use only a local socket and which actions are permitted.
Installation steps
- 01
Install the complete application
Use the macOS DMG or Linux archive and package, keeping the application directory intact; create command-line links for kitty and kitten only when needed.
- 02
Check rendering with defaults
Open a local shell and test fonts, non-Latin text, colors, clipboard and window scaling, moving old configuration aside when Wayland or high-DPI behavior is unclear.
- 03
Build a minimal configuration
Start with font size, theme and a few key bindings, and save a session without credentials. Add one group of settings at a time so startup issues remain traceable.
Quick start
- 01
Organize tabs and windows
Separate operating-system windows, kitty windows and tabs by project, and give production sessions visible titles; layouts improve orientation but do not isolate permissions.
- 02
Test the SSH kitten on a safe host
Verify the host key on first connection, keep automatic transfers and forwarding off initially, and confirm shell, TERM and remote terminfo before enabling integration.
- 03
Restrict remote control
Enable control only when a script needs it, prefer a permission-limited local Unix socket and minimum actions, and never expose an unauthenticated control interface on a shared network.
Usage tips
- Version 0.48.2 was released on 2026-07-30 and fixes a Plasma Wayland drag-and-drop regression.
- Sessions, startup commands, paths and environment details can expose internal information when shared; sanitize them before export.
- Custom kittens, shell integration and remote control have different levels of code and terminal access, so review their sources like scripts and plugins.
- Images, hyperlinks, clipboard and file transfer depend on terminal protocols and remote trust. Limit automatic actions when connected to an unfamiliar host.
Troubleshooting and uninstall
Why are drag-and-drop, window size or Wayland rendering incorrect?
Update to 0.48.2 and retest with the default configuration, then compare an X11 session and disable transparency, background and custom dimensions one at a time.
Why do backspace, colors, images or shell integration fail over SSH?
Check the remote TERM and terminfo, shell startup files and SSH kitten configuration, and compare with the system ssh client without disabling host-key verification.
- Save configuration and close control interfacesBack up sanitized configuration, sessions and custom kittens, end SSH sessions, and remove unused control sockets and permissions.
- Remove the complete installationRemove the macOS app or Linux package and the kitty and kitten command links; shared shells, SSH keys and fonts may belong to other terminals.
Frequently asked questions
Does kitty support a native Windows desktop version?
Its official prebuilt terminal targets macOS and Linux. A separate kitten asset or a WSL experiment does not represent an ordinary native Windows kitty installation.
How does the SSH kitten differ from system ssh?
It adds terminal information, shell integration, configuration copying and transfer conveniences around SSH, while host identity, keys, agents and account permissions still follow the SSH security model.
Why should remote control be restricted?
It can create windows, send text, change configuration or operate sessions. A broad socket, listener or weak password policy could let another process control the terminal, so disable unused control and limit socket permissions.