WezTerm Configuration

Configure the WezTerm terminal emulator.

Prerequisites

# Install WezTerm
brew install --cask wezterm

Config location: ~/.wezterm.lua or ~/.config/wezterm/wezterm.lua

Basic Configuration

Minimal Config

-- ~/.wezterm.lua
local wezterm = require 'wezterm'
local config = wezterm.config_builder()

-- Font
config.font = wezterm.font('JetBrains Mono')
config.font_size = 14.0

-- Colors
config.color_scheme = 'Catppuccin Mocha'

-- Window
config.window_padding = {
  left = 10,
  right = 10,
  top = 10,
  bottom = 10,
}

return config

Font Configuration

-- Single font
config.font = wezterm.font('JetBrains Mono')

-- Font with fallbacks
config.font = wezterm.font_with_fallback({
  'JetBrains Mono',
  'Fira Code',
  'Nerd Font Symbols',
})

-- Font with weight
config.font = wezterm.font('JetBrains Mono', { weight = 'Medium' })

-- Different font for bold
config.font_rules = {
  {
    intensity = 'Bold',
    font = wezterm.font('JetBrains Mono', { weight = 'Bold' }),
  },
}

Color Schemes

-- Use built-in scheme
config.color_scheme = 'Catppuccin Mocha'

-- List available schemes
-- wezterm show-keys --lua

-- Custom colors
config.colors = {
  foreground = '#c0caf5',
  background = '#1a1b26',
  cursor_bg = '#c0caf5',
  selection_bg = '#33467c',
  ansi = {'#15161e', '#f7768e', '#9ece6a', '#e0af68', '#7aa2f7', '#bb9af7', '#7dcfff', '#a9b1d6'},
  brights = {'#414868', '#f7768e', '#9ece6a', '#e0af68', '#7aa2f7', '#bb9af7', '#7dcfff', '#c0caf5'},
}

Key Bindings

Custom Keybindings

config.keys = {
  -- Split panes
  { key = 'd', mods = 'CMD', action = wezterm.action.SplitHorizontal { domain = 'CurrentPaneDomain' } },
  { key = 'd', mods = 'CMD|SHIFT', action = wezterm.action.SplitVertical { domain = 'CurrentPaneDomain' } },

  -- Navigate panes
  { key = 'LeftArrow', mods = 'CMD', action = wezterm.action.ActivatePaneDirection 'Left' },
  { key = 'RightArrow', mods = 'CMD', action = wezterm.action.ActivatePaneDirection 'Right' },
  { key = 'UpArrow', mods = 'CMD', action = wezterm.action.ActivatePaneDirection 'Up' },
  { key = 'DownArrow', mods = 'CMD', action = wezterm.action.ActivatePaneDirection 'Down' },

  -- Tabs
  { key = 't', mods = 'CMD', action = wezterm.action.SpawnTab 'CurrentPaneDomain' },
  { key = 'w', mods = 'CMD', action = wezterm.action.CloseCurrentPane { confirm = true } },

  -- Font size
  { key = '=', mods = 'CMD', action = wezterm.action.IncreaseFontSize },
  { key = '-', mods = 'CMD', action = wezterm.action.DecreaseFontSize },
  { key = '0', mods = 'CMD', action = wezterm.action.ResetFontSize },
}

Leader Key

-- Define leader key (like tmux prefix)
config.leader = { key = 'a', mods = 'CMD', timeout_milliseconds = 1000 }

config.keys = {
  -- Leader + c = new tab
  { key = 'c', mods = 'LEADER', action = wezterm.action.SpawnTab 'CurrentPaneDomain' },
  -- Leader + | = vertical split
  { key = '|', mods = 'LEADER', action = wezterm.action.SplitHorizontal { domain = 'CurrentPaneDomain' } },
  -- Leader + - = horizontal split
  { key = '-', mods = 'LEADER', action = wezterm.action.SplitVertical { domain = 'CurrentPaneDomain' } },
}

Advanced Features

Tab Bar Customization

config.use_fancy_tab_bar = false
config.tab_bar_at_bottom = true
config.hide_tab_bar_if_only_one_tab = true

-- Custom tab title
wezterm.on('format-tab-title', function(tab)
  local title = tab.tab_title
  if title and #title > 0 then
    return title
  end
  return tab.active_pane.title
end)

Startup Actions

-- Start with specific layout
wezterm.on('gui-startup', function(cmd)
  local tab, pane, window = mux.spawn_window(cmd or {})
  -- Split right
  pane:split { direction = 'Right' }
end)

SSH Domains

config.ssh_domains = {
  {
    name = 'my-server',
    remote_address = 'server.example.com',
    username = 'user',
  },
}

-- Connect with: wezterm connect my-server

Multiplexer

-- Unix domain for persistent sessions
config.unix_domains = {
  { name = 'unix' },
}

-- Default to multiplexer
config.default_gui_startup_args = { 'connect', 'unix' }

Useful Snippets

Quick Theme Toggle

local function toggle_theme()
  local overrides = window:get_config_overrides() or {}
  if overrides.color_scheme == 'Catppuccin Latte' then
    overrides.color_scheme = 'Catppuccin Mocha'
  else
    overrides.color_scheme = 'Catppuccin Latte'
  end
  window:set_config_overrides(overrides)
end

config.keys = {
  { key = 't', mods = 'CMD|SHIFT', action = wezterm.action_callback(toggle_theme) },
}

Background Image

config.window_background_image = '/path/to/image.png'
config.window_background_image_hsb = {
  brightness = 0.02,
  saturation = 0.5,
}

Status Bar

wezterm.on('update-right-status', function(window, pane)
  window:set_right_status(wezterm.format({
    { Text = wezterm.strftime('%H:%M') },
  }))
end)

Command Line

# Open with specific config
wezterm --config-file path/to/config.lua

# Connect to multiplexer
wezterm connect unix

# List color schemes
wezterm ls-colors

# Show key bindings
wezterm show-keys
wezterm show-keys --lua

# CLI utilities
wezterm cli list           # List panes
wezterm cli spawn          # Spawn new pane
wezterm cli split-pane     # Split current pane

Best Practices

1. Start simple - Add features as needed
2. Use config_builder - Better error messages
3. Test incrementally - WezTerm reloads on save
4. Backup your config - Keep in dotfiles repo
5. Use leader keys - Avoid conflicts with apps
6. Check logs - wezterm --config-file ~/.wezterm.lua shows errors