programvareterminal

A programvareterminal, or terminalemulator, is a software application that provides a text-based interface within a graphical environment, allowing users to interact with the operating system and command-line programs. It emulates a terminal device and translates keyboard input into commands while displaying program output. A terminal typically runs a shell, such as Bash, Zsh, or PowerShell, which parses commands, executes programs, and supports scripting and piping.

Unlike a hardware terminal, a software terminal runs in a window and may offer features such as multiple tabs, split panes, customizable fonts and colors, and support for VT100 and ANSI escape sequences that control cursor movement and text formatting. Terminal emulators interpret these escape codes to render output. They also enable remote access via SSH or other network protocols.

Common examples include GNOME Terminal and Konsole on Linux, iTerm2 on macOS, Windows Terminal on Windows, and xterm, a minimal and widely compatible option. The concept derives from historic computer terminals that connected directly to mainframes; modern software terminals are fully software-based interfaces.

Configuration is typically done through the shell’s startup files (for example, .bashrc or .zshrc) and environment variables such as PATH and PS1. Users can customize appearance, keyboard mappings, and behavior to suit workflows. Terminal usage is central to system administration, software development, scripting, and remote management, providing a flexible, scriptable interface for interacting with local and remote systems.

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