tty2

tty2 refers to the second virtual terminal console available on Unix-like operating systems. When a system boots, it typically provides several virtual consoles, often accessible by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Fkey combinations, where Fkey is usually F1 through F6 or F7. Tty2 is one of these consoles.

These virtual consoles offer a text-based interface to the operating system, independent of any graphical user interface (GUI). This means that even if a GUI is running and has frozen, a user can often switch to a virtual console (like tty2) to access a command-line interface and troubleshoot the problem. Each virtual console runs its own login session.

Users can switch between tty1, tty2, and other virtual consoles to manage different tasks or simply to have separate command-line environments. For example, one might be logged into tty1 with a GUI running, while tty2 is used for running background processes or compiling software. The primary graphical session is often assigned to tty7, though this can vary depending on the system's configuration. Accessing tty2 directly without a running GUI will present a login prompt.