When comparing PuTTY vs Windows Terminal, the Slant community recommends Windows Terminal for most people. In the question“What are the best terminal emulators for Windows?” Windows Terminal is ranked 8th while PuTTY is ranked 10th.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Free
Pro De facto standard client for SSH, Telnet and Rlogin on Windows
PuTTY is one of the oldest and most popular clients. It has earned the trust of a great number of users over a long period by being reliable, offering useful features and helpful support. It got into the 15 Essential Open Source Tools for Windows Admins list by InfoWorld.
Pro Can be used on any Windows computer, even without admin rights
Pro Source code available
Full source available. Compile and modify it yourself.
Pro Lightweight and portable
Doesn't require much resources (memory and hard-disk). Can even be run on a system by just downloading without install.
Pro Official Microsoft product
Pro Is an *actual* terminal emulator--what a Linux user would expect--like xterm
Not a command prompt/processor (i.e. shell) but a host for such applications.
Pro Multiple shell support
Pro Open Source under the MIT License
Pro Easy and well documented JSON settings
Pro Microsoft is nailing on its features
Cons
Con Only one session per window
Cannot open a second session in the same window (you need multiple windows).
Con Can not save passwords
Anyway, you can use "PuTTYgen" to generate a key pair, then use "Pageant" to do a password-less SSH remote login.
Con Lacks features
It is JUST an SSH client. There are many other options with built in X-servers, Multitabbing, etc.
Con Ugly design, too simple
Looks very dated. Does the basic functions very well, but not much more.
Con No global settings
If you want to change a setting for all your connections, you'd have to do it individually.
Con Organizing sessions
Does not have features for organizing session connections (like folders). If you have 5-10 connections that's fine. But if there are 30-50 connections - that becomes a nightmare.
Con Tedious logging/tracing
Its tedious to set up logging and tracing (e.g. for serial connections).
Con No login scripting
Con Requires latest version of Windows 10
Con Cannot have a mix of elevated and non elevated tabs
Con Unstable and buggy
Sometimes freezes and/or crashes.
Con Configured via (mostly) documented json
Con Slow
Con Doesn't have feature "Open Context Menu"
Poorly, this perfect terminal doesn't has this feature for Windows version.
