microsoft / microsoft/terminal

Windows Terminal input is as slow as rubber cement

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#11,916 31 comments 30 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
Area-Performance Issue-Bug Product-Terminal
Dominant language
C++
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Description

### Windows Terminal version

1.11.2921.0

### Windows build number

10.0.22000.318

### Other Software

My environment:

* VMware Fusion version 12.1.1
* macOS Monterey 12.0.1
* 2.2 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7 CPU (as reported by About This Mac)
* 16 GB host memory

The virtual machine specs:

* 4 cores (the Windows 10 minimum)
* 8 GB RAM

### Steps to reproduce

I am currently running the Visual Studio installer in this VM, placing it under heavy load (100% CPU utilization in Task Manager). If I type anything when the machine is this loaded, the input response time is unusably slow. It is so slow that if I alt-tab away from the terminal, I worry that my inputs might be sent to another program because the terminal hasn't processed them yet. Not being able to alt-tab away after typing a command is a serious productivity blocker for me.

### Expected Behavior

The input latency being as fast as any other program on the VM at this heavy a load. (Try filling out a bug report form in Microsoft Edge under these circumstances, like I'm doing. The input latency there is as fast and as responsive as I expect.)

### Actual Behavior

Enough time for me to enter a complete command line before the first character appears onscreen. The arrow keys, Backspace, and Ctrl+C are also processed this slowly. (I am a fast typist, but my hand-eye coordination isn't what it used to be; I make many typos while writing text.)

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start by reproducing the input-latency problem in Windows Terminal 1.11.2921.0 with the stated Windows VM configuration while the Visual Studio installer drives CPU usage to 100%. Compare typing, arrow keys, Backspace, and Ctrl+C with another program under the same load; done means terminal input responds promptly without delayed or misdirected keystrokes.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
cli, performance
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
48/100

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