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Xonsh vs ksh 93u+m: catalog facts
Xonsh	ksh 93u+m
Best for: Python users who want to script and work at the command line in one language	Best for: Maintaining KornShell scripts or using ksh as a daily shell
Free Free to use, with optional sponsorship through GitHub Sponsors.	Free Free and open source.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Command line	macOS, Linux, Command line
Python code and shell commands mix in one language Access to the full Python library ecosystem from the prompt All 4 strengths for Xonsh Python code and shell commands mix in one language Access to the full Python library ecosystem from the prompt Runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, BSD and Android Extensible through xontrib plugins	Keeps the original KornShell 93 alive with ongoing fixes Compatible with existing ksh93 scripts All 3 strengths for ksh 93u+m Keeps the original KornShell 93 alive with ongoing fixes Compatible with existing ksh93 scripts Published releases plus a development branch
Syntax differs from POSIX shells, so existing Bash scripts need changes Most useful to people who already know Python	Mainly distributed as source code Smaller community than Bash or Zsh
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Xonsh xon.sh Catalog checked September 24, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for ksh 93u+m github.com/ksh93/ksh Catalog checked October 1, 2026

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