Freedom251 › Terminal Emulators
LXTerminal
What LXTerminal is
LXTerminal is a Linux terminal emulator built on VTE, with support for multiple tabs. The project describes it as desktop-independent and says it avoids unnecessary dependencies. Terminal instances share one process, which is intended to reduce memory use and improve performance. Command-line options can launch a program with arguments, set the terminal size in characters and lines, open a login shell, and specify a working directory. You can set a terminal title and assign comma-separated names to multiple tabs. The no-remote option starts a window in its own process, allowing it to inherit environment variables from the process that launched it. Instances given the same profile name share a configuration file; the manual places configuration files under ~/.config/lxterminal/. The project is licensed under GPL-2.0. Its latest listed tag is version 0.4.1, dated March 31, 2025. LXTerminal is free: its listed plan is free, and there is no free trial.
Who it suits
It suits Linux users who want a tabbed terminal with command-line options for launching programs and configuring windows. It may also fit users who value desktop independence and shared configuration by profile name.
What it does well
- Supports multiple tabs.
- Terminal instances share one process.
- Command-line options set size and working directory.
- Same-named profiles share configuration.
- GPL-2.0 licensed.
What to know first
- Available on Linux only.
- No split panes.
- No free trial.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| LXTerminal | VTE-based terminal emulator · GPL-2.0 | Free |
As github.com lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
LXTerminal offers tabbed terminal access and command-line configuration on Linux at no charge. Its listed feature set has no split panes, so that limitation matters if you need them.
Facts from LXTerminal's own pages
- Build dependencies
- The README lists libglib2.0-dev, libgtk2.0-dev, libvte-dev, autotools-dev, and intltool as basic build requirements. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Build guidance
- The README provides source build instructions for Debian, Ubuntu, and their derivatives. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Command execution
- Its command-line options can run a specified program and its arguments inside the terminal. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Configuration location
- The manual lists the configuration file under ~/.config/lxterminal/. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Desktop independence
- The project describes LXTerminal as completely desktop-independent and says it has no unnecessary dependencies. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Latest listed tag
- The repository tags page lists version 0.4.1 with a release date of March 31, 2025. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- License
- The repository lists the project under the GPL-2.0 license. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Login shell
- The loginshell option executes a login shell. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Memory and performance
- All terminal instances share a single process to reduce memory usage and increase performance. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Profiles
- Instances invoked with the same profile name share a configuration file named lxterminal-NAME.conf. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- LXTerminal is a VTE-based terminal emulator with support for multiple tabs. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Scripting API
- Yes · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Separate process option
- The no-remote option starts a window in a process separate from other LXTerminal windows so it inherits environment variables from the launching process. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Split panes
- No · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Supported platforms
- linux · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Terminal sizing
- The geometry option sets the terminal size in characters and lines. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Titles and tabs
- The title option sets the terminal title, and comma-separated names can be used for multiple tabs. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Working directory
- A command-line option sets the terminal's working directory. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Where LXTerminal stands on Freedom251
- Terminal Emulators#20 of 40
- Terminal apps#38 of 41