Terminal User Guide
Terminal opens a local /bin/sh session on a PTY. It is a local shell, not an SSH client or a sandbox.
Use a session
Open Terminal from Launcher and wait for the prompt. Type with the software or hardware keyboard, then press Enter. Clear resets the displayed screen without stopping the shell. Restart stops the process and creates a fresh session. Press the header Exit button to leave. Directory changes and variables survive only within the current session.
| Control | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Touch keyboard | Lowercase, uppercase, numbers, and symbols. |
| Special keys | Larger terminal-control key window. |
| Ctrl | One-shot control modifier. |
| Esc, Tab, Enter | Send terminal input. |
| Arrows | ANSI cursor-key sequences. |
| BS | Delete byte. |
| Clear | Local screen buffer only. |
| Restart | Recreate the shell. |
| A- / A+ | Save 14, 18, or 22 px text. |
Ctrl+C normally interrupts the foreground program; Ctrl+D may end an empty shell input; Ctrl+L clears the local screen. A hardware keyboard hides the software keyboard.
Environment and permissions
The child inherits the UI environment and sets TERM=ansi. Initial home is selected from LILYGO_UI_TERMINAL_HOME, HOME, the account home, then /. A non-empty LILYGO_UI_TERMINAL_PS1 overrides the prompt. Commands can access resources allowed to the launching account. If the Terminal process runs as root, its shell also has root privileges. Launcher normally starts applications as the signed-in Linux user.
Preferences and limits
Font settings use font_level=0/1/2 for 14/18/22 px. LILYGO_UI_TERMINAL_CONFIG selects the settings file; LILYGO_UI_TERMINAL_SHELL replaces /bin/sh, and LILYGO_UI_TERMINAL_HOME changes the initial directory.
There is no scrollback. ANSI colors and per-character attributes are not rendered; xterm extensions and some full-screen programs may display incorrectly.
| Symptom | Check |
|---|---|
| Shell exited | Press Restart and check the shell path. |
| PTY failed | Check /dev/ptmx, devpts, and permissions. |
| Font not saved | Check the settings path and directory permissions. |
| Garbled full-screen app | Confirm compatibility with TERM=ansi. |