A WinPTY-derived console backend for Windows 7 and later, built for VT7.
I'm building VT7Pty to give VT7 a more faithful and reliable backend for Windows console applications. The project runs entirely in user mode and targets Windows 7 SP1 and later on x64.
My starting point is WinPTY, created by Ryan Prichard and its contributors. Microsoft's ConPTY and Windows Terminal work provides a reference for behavior and API design. I want to build on that work while keeping Windows 7 support practical.
I've published the 0.5.0 baseline. It establishes the modern build, renamed native backend, diagnostics and test system. The exact release passed all 30 acceptance cases and a two-hour soak on each of my three Windows 7 test machines, including a PowerShell 2.0 installation without KB3191566. See the release review.
I'm now working on console fidelity. Ctrl+C at CMD and native Windows PowerShell prompts still leaves typed input behind. I've verified host identification and a test-only dispatch channel on all three machines. Next I'll use that work to investigate actual line cancellation and shell recovery.
VT7 integration comes after the backend and its API are ready. VT7Pty does not yet replace ConPTY for unmodified applications. I am not planning a kernel driver.
| Start here | What you'll find |
|---|---|
| Building | Tools, local commands and debugging |
| Testing | Local checks and Windows 7 acceptance |
| Roadmap | Completed milestones, current work and next steps |
| Documentation | Architecture, guides, design notes and results |
| Compatibility | Platform targets and what I've actually tested |
The client DLL starts an agent with a hidden Windows console. The agent launches the application, translates terminal input into console events, and turns screen-buffer changes into VT output.
Terminal host <--> VT7Pty.dll <--> VT7Pty-Agent.exe
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Hidden console
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Console application
This retains the console bridge that made WinPTY useful on older Windows. I'm improving it through measured application behavior and regression tests. The architecture guide explains the boundaries.
Read Contributing before opening a pull request. Bugs and proposals belong in the issue tracker. The Code of Conduct applies to project spaces; use the Security Policy for private vulnerability reports.
I'm grateful to Ryan Prichard and the WinPTY contributors, and to Microsoft's Console, ConPTY and Windows Terminal teams and community contributors. Their engineering makes this project possible. Credits and Upstream provenance distinguish inherited code from design references.
VT7Pty uses the MIT License. Original copyright notices and upstream history are retained. This is an independent project, not an official Microsoft product or an upstream WinPTY release.