Top Alternatives to PowerShell

PuTTY is a free and open-source terminal emulator, serial console, and network file transfer application. It supports multiple network protocols, including SSH, Telnet, and Rlogin, making it a versatile tool for remote server administration and development workflows. Its lightweight nature and configurability have made it a popular choice among system administrators and developers for Windows platforms.

ConEmu-Maximus5 is a powerful and highly customizable terminal emulator for Windows, providing a tabbed interface, split-screen views, and extensive configuration options to enhance command-line productivity for developers, administrators, and advanced users.

Cygwin is a powerful environment that provides a Unix-like shell and command-line tools on Microsoft Windows, enabling seamless execution of many Linux applications and scripts without a separate virtual machine or dual boot.

KiTTY is a robust and portable Telnet and SSH client for Windows, offering enhanced features beyond the standard PuTTY client, including session filtering, portability, and advanced scripting capabilities, making it ideal for network administrators and power users.

GNOME Terminal is a robust terminal emulator specifically designed for the GNOME desktop environment, providing users with powerful command-line access and customization options for interacting with their operating system.

Cmder is a highly portable and versatile console emulator for Windows, combining the power of ConEmu and embedded msysgit. It provides a seamless command-line experience with a focus on developer productivity, offering features like a tabbed interface, ANSI color support, and built-in tools.

MinGW is a minimalist software development environment for Windows, leveraging the GNU toolchain, primarily GCC. It provides a set of freely available and freely distributable Windows specific header files and import libraries combined with GNU tools that allow users to create native Windows applications.

iTerm2 is a powerful, free terminal emulator for macOS, offering a vast array of features beyond the standard Terminal app. It provides enhanced customization, productivity tools like split panes and search, and deep integration with macOS.

Yakuake is a feature-rich, dropdown terminal emulator for KDE, inspired by the quick-access consoles in games like Quake. It slides down from the top of your screen with a single keypress, providing immediate command-line access and then retracts just as easily, maximizing screen real estate.

Terminal is the standard terminal emulator included with macOS, providing a direct command-line interface for interacting with the operating system and executing Unix-like commands. It offers core functionality for developers, system administrators, and power users to manage files, run scripts, and access system utilities.

Windows Command Prompt (cmd.exe) is the classic command-line interpreter for Microsoft Windows operating systems. It allows users to interact with the system by typing commands directly, providing access to system utilities, file management operations, and scripting capabilities for automation.

Clink extends the functionality of the Windows Command Prompt, enhancing it with powerful features like command line editing, history recall, and tab completion borrowed from Bash and GNU Readline. It aims to make the Windows command line experience more efficient and user-friendly for developers and power users.

fish is an intelligent and user-friendly command-line shell designed for macOS, Linux, and other Unix-like operating systems. Featuring powerful autocompletion, syntax highlighting, and modern scripting capabilities, fish simplifies the command-line experience for both beginners and experienced users.

mintty is a powerful and lightweight terminal emulator designed specifically for Cygwin and MSYS2 environments on Windows. It offers a highly customizable and efficient command-line experience, providing a Unix-like feel within a Windows setting.

Gow (Gnu On Windows) is a lightweight alternative to Cygwin, providing a collection of essential open-source UNIX command-line tools compiled as native Win32 binaries for easy integration into Windows environments.

ConsoleZ is a highly customizable tabbed console emulator for Windows. Building upon the foundation of Console 2, it offers enhanced visual rendering, improved compatibility with modern Windows versions (Vista, 7, 8, 10), and a wealth of features for power users and developers.

PyCmd is a robust extension for the standard Windows command prompt (cmd.exe). It introduces several productivity-enhancing features borrowed from more powerful command-line environments, aiming to make working within cmd.exe significantly more efficient for users familiar with its interface but seeking modern functionalities.

MSYS2 is a software distribution and building platform for Windows that provides a Bash shell environment and a collection of GNU and other open-source software tools. It offers a package management system (Pacman) similar to Arch Linux, allowing users to easily install, update, and manage software directly from the command line, making it a powerful tool for developers and users needing a familiar Linux-like environment on Windows.

LXTerminal is a lightweight and fast terminal emulator specifically designed for the LXDE desktop environment, but adaptable to others. It provides essential features for command-line interaction with a focus on resource efficiency.

FireCMD is a powerful and user-friendly command-line environment for Windows, designed to replace the standard Windows Command Prompt and offer advanced features like tabbed interfaces, integrated SSH/Telnet clients, and extensive customization options for developers and power users.

TCC/LE is a powerful command line interpreter designed as a superior replacement for the standard Windows CMD.EXE. It offers a rich set of features for enhanced command-line productivity and scripting on the Windows platform.

PowerCmd is a robust command prompt replacement for Windows, offering a user-friendly tabbed interface, quick access features, and extensive customization options. It streamlines command-line workflows with features like shell integration, enhanced highlighting, and scripting support.

JuiceSSH is a professional Android SSH client, supporting Telnet and Mosh. It offers robust host management, comprehensive terminal features like color support and tabbed interface, and security through encryption. Ideal for network administrators and developers on the go.

Hyper is a powerful and highly customizable terminal emulator built on Electron, offering a modern and cross-platform solution for interacting with command-line environments. It provides a sleek interface, extensive plugin ecosystem, and supports various connection methods including SSH and serial.