How to Install Terminator in Ubuntu 25.04

Terminator is a feature-rich terminal emulator for Linux that allows multiple terminal panels in one window. It’s perfect for users who run several commands or manage multiple sessions side by side. Installing it on Ubuntu 25.04 is fast and easy.

Step 1: Update your system

Before you install anything, it’s always good to update your package lists and upgrade existing packages to avoid conflicts.

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

This ensures your system is ready to install new software cleanly.

Step 2: Install Terminator

Terminator is available in Ubuntu’s default repositories, so you don’t need to add any extra sources:

sudo apt install terminator -y

This command installs Terminator along with any required dependencies.

Step 3: Launch Terminator

You can now open Terminator from the applications menu or launch it directly from the terminal:

terminator &

Once open, right-click inside the window to split terminals horizontally or vertically and create your layout.

Step 4: Set Terminator as default terminal (optional)

If you prefer to use Terminator as your default terminal instead of GNOME Terminal, you can set it using the update-alternatives system:

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/x-terminal-emulator x-terminal-emulator /usr/bin/terminator 60
sudo update-alternatives --config x-terminal-emulator

Choose Terminator from the list when prompted.

Step 5: Customize Terminator

Terminator is highly configurable through a hidden configuration file. The first time you launch it, it creates this file:

~/.config/terminator/config

Open it in a text editor to adjust font size, colors, keybindings, layouts, and more:

nano ~/.config/terminator/config

You can also create profiles for different use cases like SSH, system monitoring, or development.