Something interesting is happening with the terminal again.
Not a return to the old command line.
A new generation of terminal-first software is being built.
And the reason isn't nostalgia.
Modern terminals are fast, lightweight, composable and automation-friendly. They work well over SSH, can run headlessly, use far fewer resources than many GUI applications, and fit naturally into scripts and larger workflows.
But terminals are also becoming much more than text interfaces.
Interactive TUIs, system dashboards, database clients, infrastructure, monitoring, networking, security, AI, development and automation are all becoming increasingly sophisticated terminal experiences.
AI is accelerating this, but it's only one part of the trend.
The bigger shift is that the terminal is becoming a programmable interface for complex workflows.
I've been exploring this space myself with Vanta, a terminal system monitor built in Rust.
Maybe terminal-native software is becoming a serious design space again.
And honestly, it feels like we're still early.
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