# Terminal

> The Codevre terminal runs a shell on Nodepod. Covers multiple terminals, the command input, history, keyboard shortcuts and Codevre's own commands.

Last updated: October 17, 2026
Source: https://codevre.com/docs/ide/terminal

Open the terminal with **Ctrl+\`** or **View ▸ Terminal**. **Ctrl+Shift+\`** opens another one.

## How it runs

The shell runs on [Nodepod](nodepod.md), in a hidden runtime frame on `preview.codevre.dev`. Commands you type run on your device, in the browser:

- `node`, `npm`, `npx` and `git` are available
- a bash-like shell with pipes (`|`), redirects (`>`), `&&` chains and variables
- common commands such as `ls`, `cd`, `cat`, `grep`, `find`, `sed`, `mkdir`, `rm`, `cp`, `mv`

It's not a Linux machine. Some things a real OS provides don't exist. See [What works in Nodepod](nodepod.md).

Every new terminal starts in the project folder, even if another terminal has `cd`-ed elsewhere. The prompt looks like:

```
my-project:~/src$
```

`~` is the project root. Paths outside the project, such as `/tmp`, show in full.

## Multiple terminals

- **+** (New terminal) opens another session: `Terminal 1`, `Terminal 2`, …
- With two or more, a list appears on the right. Click to switch, double-click to rename, use the trash icon or middle-click to close. Drag its edge to resize it.
- **Closing a terminal ends what it was running.** Codevre sends Ctrl+C first so servers shut down cleanly, and closes that server's Browser tabs.

## The terminal view

Output is drawn as real text, so you can select it, double-click words, use Ctrl+F (the browser's Find) and click links. VS Code-style extras:

- **Command markers:** a dot beside each command you ran. Solid means finished; a pulsing hollow dot means still running. Click it for **Copy Command**, **Copy Output** or **Rerun Command**.
- **Sticky header:** when you scroll through long output, the command that produced it stays pinned at the top. Click it to jump there.
- **Overview ruler:** in place of a scrollbar, with ticks for commands (blue), errors (red) and warnings (yellow). Click or drag to scroll.

Right-click for Copy, Paste, Select All, Clear, Previous/Next Command, Interrupt, and link actions.

## Keyboard

| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+C | Copy if text is selected, otherwise interrupt the running program |
| Ctrl+Shift+C | Copy |
| Ctrl+V | Paste (multi-line is fine; nothing runs until you press Enter) |
| Ctrl+Shift+A (Cmd+A on Mac) | Select all |
| Ctrl+A / Ctrl+E | Start / end of line |
| Cmd+K (Mac) | Clear |
| Ctrl+↑ / Ctrl+↓ | Jump to previous / next command |
| Shift+Page Up / Page Down | Scroll |

Keys the shell handles, like Ctrl+C, are captured while the terminal has focus, so app shortcuts such as Ctrl+W and Ctrl+B don't fire by accident.

## The command input

On some setups a command input appears under the terminal. It's handy on touch screens and for pasting.

- **Enter** runs; **Shift+Enter** adds a line. Multi-line input runs one line at a time, waiting for the prompt between lines.
- **Autosuggestions** from your history appear as ghost text, preferring commands you ran in the same folder. **→**, **End** or **Tab** accepts; **Ctrl/Alt+→** accepts one word; **Esc** dismisses.
- **↑/↓** with text typed cycles through earlier commands that start with that text.
- With the input empty, Ctrl+D, Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+L, Ctrl+R and the arrow keys go to the shell.

## Command history

The clock button opens your command history for this project: the command, the folder it ran in and when.

- Click to run again; **Shift+click** inserts it without running. Filter with the search box.
- Up to 300 commands per project are kept, and saved with the project.
- Only commands typed at the prompt are recorded, not answers you type into a running program.
- **Clear history** removes them.

## Codevre commands

Codevre installs two commands in `/usr/local/bin`, outside your project, so they never appear in the Explorer or get saved. They also work inside npm scripts and `&&` chains.

### `vre`

Controls the [localhost:codevre](localhost-codevre.md) preview:

```
vre run [entry.html]      start or rerun the preview (aliases: dev, preview, start, serve)
vre reload [entry.html]   rerun without saving the active editor (aliases: refresh, restart)
vre stop                  stop the preview
vre status                log status to the browser console
vre gh auth login|logout  same as gh auth
```

### `gh`

A small stand-in for the GitHub CLI. Only authentication is supported:

```
gh auth login     connect GitHub (opens a sign-in tab)
gh auth status    ✓ Logged in to github.com via Codevre
gh auth logout    disconnect
```

Other `gh` commands print `gh: only 'gh auth' commands are currently supported in Codevre`.

## Environment

| Variable | Value |
|---|---|
| `CODEVRE_PROJECT_ROOT` | The project folder |
| `CODEVRE_GITHUB_LINKED` | `1` if GitHub is connected, else `0` |

Your GitHub token is **not** in the environment. When you type a plain `git push`, `pull`, `fetch` or `clone` yourself, Codevre runs that one command with your credentials. Commands with pipes, `;`, `&&`, redirects or `$`, and anything run by scripts, tasks or the Agent, run without them. See [GitHub](github.md#how-your-token-is-used).

## Servers

When a program in the terminal starts listening on a port, Codevre opens a **localhost:PORT** tab in the Browser and a link in the status bar. Links printed in the terminal (`http://localhost:5173`) open in the Browser when clicked. See [Dev servers](dev-servers.md).

## While a project is opening

When you open a saved project, the terminal ignores input until all files have downloaded ("Syncing project files 120 of 300…"). A command run against half a project would just fail.

## When the runtime restarts

Signing in or out, and connecting or disconnecting GitHub, restart the runtime. Terminals start fresh, running processes end, and `npm install` runs again if the project has a `package.json`. Your files and history are kept.

## Running commands without typing

- **Terminal ▸ Run npm Script** lists your `package.json` scripts.
- **Terminal ▸ Run Active File** runs a `.js` file with `node` or previews an `.html` file.
- **Terminal ▸ Run Selected Text** runs the selection or current line.
- [Tasks](tasks.md) can run commands when the project opens.