Microsoft clarified in a podcast posted on YouTube that they have no plans to replace the traditional command prompt (cmd.exe) with Windows Terminal (Terminal) in Windows 11 or next-generation operating systems.
As we all know, Windows Terminal offers many useful features that are not present in the Command Prompt, such as tab support, split panes, custom wallpapers, and tons of customization settings. You can even set a GIF background.
Microsoft first released Terminal at the Build Developer Conference in 2020, and it has now developed into a mature terminal environment with complete content such as backward compatibility, GPU rendering acceleration, modern text rendering, and you can also Call Linux, CMD and PowerShell from the same place.
The recent Windows 10 update also added a new feature option that allows users to set Terminal as the default terminal environment.
Although some users are worried that the rise of Terminal and AI may cause the Command Prompt to be chopped or renamed, according to Microsoft program manager Christopher Nguyen, Microsoft will keep the Command Prompt intact.
“This is a very common problem. Command Prompt and Windows Terminal work hand in hand,” notes Christopher Nguyen. He also added that Command Prompt integrates seamlessly with Windows Terminal.
“Windows Terminal acts as a host for a command-line shell, such as Command Prompt. When you enter commands in the terminal, it communicates those commands to CMD for execution and then displays the results,” he said.
“Custom backgrounds not only enhance your personal touch but also help differentiate between shells,” adds the project manager.
Of course, it’s possible that Microsoft didn’t originally intend for Terminal to replace Command Prompt, but some users are worried that Microsoft might stop using the Command Prompt or PowerShell brand name and call all terminals Terminal, hence this concern.
