How to use the command 'kitty' (with examples)

Kitty is a fast, feature-rich terminal emulator designed to leverage the power of the GPU for an enhanced computing experience. It is highly configurable, supports advanced features such as graphics rendering, and is known for its speed and efficiency. Kitty provides a versatile platform for users who want more control and capabilities in their terminal environment, and it is particularly suited for tasks that demand performance and graphical output.

Use case 1: Open a new terminal

Code:

kitty

Motivation: Opening a terminal is a fundamental task for any command line user. With Kitty, this task is not only about launching a command-line interface but also about accessing an environment that boosts productivity through faster rendering and more advanced feature sets. Whether performing basic operations or complex computations, having a reliable and efficient terminal is crucial.

Explanation: The command kitty on its own is a simple invocation that starts a new terminal window. This is akin to typing the name of any other application to open it. No additional arguments are necessary for this basic functionality, making it straightforward for users to access Kitty’s advanced features right away.

Example output: A new terminal window opens displaying the default shell prompt, ready for user interaction.

Use case 2: Open a terminal with the specified title for the window

Code:

kitty --title "title"

Motivation: Organizing multiple terminal windows can be challenging. By setting a unique title for each terminal window, users can easily identify and switch between open sessions, improving workflow efficiency. This is particularly useful for multitaskers or for users who work with numerous terminal windows simultaneously.

Explanation: The --title option followed by a string (in this case “title”) sets the title of the window to the specified value. This helps in differentiating between windows in the taskbar or when using window management tools.

Example output: A new terminal opens with the window title set to “title”. This title is visible in the window manager or taskbar.

Use case 3: Start the theme-chooser builtin

Code:

kitty +kitten themes

Motivation: Personalizing the terminal’s appearance can enhance the user experience and make the environment more visually appealing. With Kitty’s theme-chooser, users can quickly switch between different themes to find the one that suits their preference or task at hand, without needing to manually edit configuration files.

Explanation: The +kitten syntax in Kitty allows for the execution of additional features, or “kittens.” The themes kitten specifically invokes the theme chooser, an interactive tool to change the terminal’s color scheme. This built-in feature simplifies theme management and exploration.

Example output: An interactive theme selection menu is displayed within the terminal, allowing the user to preview and apply different color schemes with ease.

Use case 4: Display an image in the terminal

Code:

kitty +kitten icat path/to/image

Motivation: Displaying images directly in the terminal can be useful for tasks such as reviewing graphical outputs of programs without leaving the terminal environment. This can streamline workflows, such as when previewing images in scripting or data analysis tasks.

Explanation: The icat kitten is a tool provided by Kitty to render images in the terminal window. The path/to/image argument specifies the path to the image file that needs to be displayed. This feature leverages Kitty’s GPU-based rendering capabilities to handle graphical content smoothly.

Example output: The specified image is rendered within the terminal window, providing a quick preview without needing an external image viewer application.

Use case 5: Copy the contents of stdin to the clipboard

Code:

echo example | kitty +kitten clipboard

Motivation: Transferring data from the terminal to the clipboard is a common requirement, especially for sharing or reusing command outputs. Kitty’s clipboard management capability simplifies this by allowing users to directly funnel the required content into the system clipboard using standard command line operations.

Explanation: Here, the echo command generates the string “example” and sends it to standard input (stdin). The +kitten clipboard command in Kitty reads from stdin and copies the received content to the clipboard. This is a convenient way to handle text that needs to be used elsewhere, without manual copying.

Example output: The word “example” is copied to the system clipboard and can be pasted into other applications using typical clipboard operations.

Conclusion:

Kitty’s robust functionalities through its various use cases showcase how it enhances and streamlines terminal operations. From its ability to organize workspace more effectively to its support for rich media right in the terminal, Kitty stands out as a versatile tool for users seeking efficiency and performance in their command-line environment. Whether for professional use, development, or casual tasks, Kitty’s extensive feature set offers actionable utilities to make interactions smoother and more productive.