Fonts do matter when it comes to programming. As programmers, we are always reading and writing code. Our code might be unreadable or inconsistent, and this could seriously hamper your ability to finish the project.
Picking a font for your terminal or text editor isn’t an easy decision. There are thousands of mono-space fonts to choose from. That’s why we created this article so you don’t have to test all the coding fonts available.
A good font can reduce eye strain and headache, according to a number of studies, choosing a font with good readability and increasing font size helps reduce eye strain and headache.
In this article we’ve compiled the Top 10 Fonts for your Terminal, let’s get started.
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What is a Terminal Font?
Before going further, let’s talk about the terminal fonts.
What’s a programming font/terminal font? Or Why do we need to use a Monospace font?
Terminal fonts are mono-spaced fonts used in Terminals and code text editors. A monospaced font has letters with a fixed width or equal horizontal space. Using monospace fonts helps everything align smoothly. They are highly legible and easy on our eyes.
Best Terminal Fonts
Here’s the list of best terminal fonts for Windows, Ubuntu, Linux, Unix, and Mac:
1. Jet Brains Mono
Starting on the list is Jet Brains Mono. Jet Brains Mono is a developer-specific font created by Philipp Nurullin and Konstantin Bulenkov. It has 7.7k stars on Github.
JetBrains is a well-known company among developers. They made this font by focusing on readability. Yes, it is straightforward and easy to read. To improve the readability, they increased the height of lowercase letters.
The best thing about Jet Brains Mono is it’s an open-source font which means it is completely free to use.
- Code-specific ligatures of 138 letters
- It supports 143 language
- It has 4 weights
- FREE & OPEN SOURCE!
2. Fira code
Fira Code is very similar to Jet Brains Mono. When it comes to terminals and IDE Fira Code is the programmer’s favorite font. Fira code is created by Telefonica S.A. and Nikita Prokopov for The Mozilla Foundation. It is a free monospaced font with programming ligatures.
Fira code would be the most popular font on the list. It has 64k + stars on Github. The font has a sharp look which makes this font unique from others. If you’re looking for a sharp font that has good legibility, then look no further Fira code is for you.
- 393 languages Support
- 5 weights
- Ligatures
- Highly Legible
- Free & Open Source
3. Iosevka
Next, we’ve got Iosevka. Iosevka is one of the favorite programming fonts of developers. It has crisp edges, which makes it easier to read. Iosevka supports 165 Languages.
There are many variations of LosevkIso choose one which you like.
Iosevka is highly legible in all font sizes. The font is designed by Bellevue (Github/be5invis). On Github, Losevka has more than 14k stars.
- Supports 165 Languages
- Comes with 9 Weights
- Unique Look
- Free & Open Source
4. Source Code Pro
Source code pro was created as a companion of Source Sans. Paul D designed this beast from a request to create a monospaced version of source sans.
It has a total of 16 different weights. Source Code Pro supports all the characters in Adobe Latin 4 glyph set, and supports a wide range of languages based on the Latin script.
For many programmers in the past, this font was the go-to font. Still, it’s used by many. A source code copy is available on GitHub for the font which is licensed under an open font license. Paul created consistency in different weights. That’s why it is good for the eyes.
- 16 Weights
- Free & Open Source
- Good Readability
5. Inconsolata
Inconsolata was designed by Raph Levien. It is created as a font for printing codes. Inconsolata was created because he believes there are many great programming fonts, but they are only designed for screens, not for printing.
It’s important to know that this font is primarily made for print, so this font may not look good on screens. Of course, everyone’s tastes are different, so what works for you may not work for someone else. Just give it a shot.
If you liked this font, then you may also like Inconsolata-G which is a modified and cute version of inconsolata.
- 8 Weights
- Free & Open Source
- Suitable for print
6. Hack
Next on the list is a popular source code font. The hack was created specifically for working with source code. It is sometimes referred to as “A Workhse For Code”. This font was spotted on some popular Reddit posts. It has a great asterisk (*) sign, which sets it apart from other fonts.
The font hack comes with 4 styles – Regular, Bold, Italic, and Bold Italic. This font looks perfect in 8 – 14 size ranges. For the best results, use those sizes. Make sure the font size is set correctly before using this font.
It was designed by Chris Simpkins and it is licensed as an Open Source free font.
- 4 Weights
- Free & Open Source
- Recommended By Many Programmers
7. IBM Plex Mono
IBM Plex Mono is a mono typeface family designed by Mike Abbink, IBM BX&D. The typeface represents the spirit and history of the computers from IBM. It took almost 2 years for creating this masterpiece.
But the only downside of this font is that unlike Fira Code it doesn’t include ligatures. Plex Mono is just a mono version of the IBM Plex typeface. It has 7.8k stars on Github. And you can freely use this font however you want.
- 14 Weights
- Free & Open Source
- Designed by IBM
8. Tamzen
Tamzen is a bitmapped monospace font created by Sunaku. He created this font by modifying the Tamsyn font by Scott Fial. To maximize the available space for all the icons, he expanded them.
It features a bitmap look, which some programmers love. As compared to the other fonts, this one is not as popular.
- Bitmapped
- Based on Tamsyn
9. Terminus
A simple, fixed-width bitmap font was designed by Dimitar Zhekov. It is primarily designed for programmers who work long hours. Terminus makes coding easier by providing clear and clean characters.
As it is a monospace font, the terminus has a fixed width on every character. You should definitely check out this font if you’re a fan of bitmapped pixel fonts.
- Weights: normal and bold
- Bitmapped
- Fixed Width
10. Dank Mono
The last one on the list is a fancy one, named DDank Mono. Designed by Phil Pluckthun, Dank Mono is a coding typeface for aesthetes. This is the only paid one on this list. According to the Gumroad sales page, the font comes with 2 pricing plans. One is for Personal use (£24) and the other is for commercial use (£60).
Dank mono is aesthetically pleasing to our eyes. The Youtube content creator James Q Quick recommends this font in one of his videos. If you love aesthetic designs, it’s worth every penny.
- Styles: Regular, Italic, Bold
- For aesthetes
- Premium
What’s The Ideal Terminal Font Size?
It varies from person to person what the ideal font size is for a terminal. This depends on your ability to read, your vision, etc. Some people prefer the large size and others prefer the small size.
However, here is a recommendation: Size 10-20 if you use a typeface like Jet Brain Mono or Fira Mono.
What’s Your Favorite Font?
Comment down below your favorite font. If you find this post helpful, don’t forget to share it with your programming friends. Thanks
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