Terminal

The terminal module exposes Acode’s xterm.js-based terminal. Require it with acode.require('terminal') to create terminals, manage sessions, and add themes.

Import

const terminal = acode.require('terminal');

API Overview

The module exposes these methods:

• create(options): Creates a new terminal tab. Returns an instance object.
• createLocal(options): Creates a local-only terminal (no backend).
• createServer(options): Creates a server-connected terminal when available(By default it will connect to Alpine).
• get(id): Returns a terminal instance by id or null.
• getAll(): Returns a Map-like collection of all terminals.
• write(id, data): Writes text to a terminal (ANSI supported). This only write input into the terminal, it does not automatically submit/execute shell commands. To execute a command, include a line ending (carriage return/newline) such as \r or \r\n.
• clear(id): Clears a terminal screen.
• close(id): Closes and disposes a terminal.
• themes.register(name, theme, pluginId): Adds a custom theme.
• themes.unregister(name, pluginId): Removes a theme registered by your plugin.
• themes.get(name): Returns a theme by name.
• themes.getAll(): Returns an object map of all themes.
• themes.getNames(): Returns an array of available theme names.
• themes.createVariant(baseName, overrides): Clones a theme with overrides.

TIP

The native terminal environment is also exposed globally as Terminal. Methods such as Terminal.isInstalled() are available on that global object, not on acode.require('terminal').

Create

// Generic create (chooses mode from options)
const term = await terminal.create({
  name: 'My Terminal',
  theme: 'dark', // Any installed theme
});

// Local terminal (no backend), It is like a empty terminal instance where you can write stuff , it doesn't opens any shell
const local = await terminal.createLocal({ name: 'Plugin Output' });

// Server terminal (connects to backend if available)
const server = await terminal.createServer({ name: 'Server Shell' });

// Or via command
acode.exec('new-terminal');

TerminalOptions

Common options accepted by create functions:

• name: Display name for the terminal tab.
• serverMode: Boolean to force server connection (default true) or local mode (false).
• port: Useful in server mode to connect to specific axs port. Backend HTTP/WS port (default 8767).
• theme: Theme name to apply (see Themes).
• rows, cols: Preferred initial size hints.
• renderer: Preferred xterm.js renderer. Accepts 'auto' (default; prefers webgl), 'webgl', or 'canvas'. Use webgl for best performance; canvas is a fallback and may be slower.
• fontSize: Initial font size.
• And other xtermjs terminal options such as: allowProposedApi,scrollOnUserInput,fontFamily,fontWeight,cursorBlink,cursorStyle,cursorInactiveStyle,scrollback,letterSpacing, etc

Return Value

The create methods resolve to an instance object:

• id: Unique id (PID when available; fallback to generated id).
• name: Terminal name.
• component: TerminalComponent instance.
• file: EditorFile tab representing the terminal.
• container: The DOM element hosting the terminal.

Manage

// Get a terminal by id
const t = terminal.get('terminal_1');

// Iterate all terminals
for (const [id, inst] of terminal.getAll()) {
  console.log(id, inst.name);
}

// Write text (ANSI supported)
terminal.write('terminal_1', 'Hello World!\r\n');

// Clear and close
terminal.clear('terminal_1');
terminal.close('terminal_1');

NOTE

write uses a secured path internally to prevent unintended escape sequences from breaking state.

Themes

Register custom themes or derive variants from existing ones. You can also query available themes.

// Register
terminal.themes.register('myTheme', {
  background: '#1a1a1a', foreground: '#ffffff', cursor: '#ffffff', cursorAccent: '#1a1a1a', selection: '#ffffff40',
  black: '#000000', red: '#ff5555', green: '#50fa7b', yellow: '#f1fa8c', blue: '#bd93f9', magenta: '#ff79c6', cyan: '#8be9fd', white: '#f8f8f2',
  brightBlack: '#44475a', brightRed: '#ff6e6e', brightGreen: '#69ff94', brightYellow: '#ffffa5', brightBlue: '#d6acff', brightMagenta: '#ff92df', brightCyan: '#a4ffff', brightWhite: '#ffffff',
}, 'my-plugin-id');

// Variants
const darkVariant = terminal.themes.createVariant('dark', { background: '#000', red: '#ff3030', green: '#30ff30' });
terminal.themes.register('darkCustom', darkVariant, 'my-plugin-id');

// Query
const theme = terminal.themes.get('dark');
const all = terminal.themes.getAll();
const names = terminal.themes.getNames();

// Unregister
terminal.themes.unregister('myTheme', 'my-plugin-id');
terminal.themes.unregister('darkCustom', 'my-plugin-id');

Required Theme Keys

• background, foreground, cursor, cursorAccent, selection
• black, red, green, yellow, blue, magenta, cyan, white
• brightBlack, brightRed, brightGreen, brightYellow, brightBlue, brightMagenta, brightCyan, brightWhite

Behavior & Lifecycle

• Installation flow: When serverMode is true (default), terminal checks if the backend is installed and supported. If missing, an installation terminal opens and streams progress. Creation proceeds only if install succeeds.
• IDs: If the backend provides a PID, it becomes the terminal id; otherwise a generated id like terminal_1 is used.
• Tab: Each terminal is an EditorFile tab with an icon and custom title (PID or generated id). On process exit, the tab closes and a toast shows the exit status.

Native Terminal Environment

Use the global Terminal object when you need to inspect or manage the underlying terminal runtime directly.

Terminal.isInstalled()

Returns a Promise<boolean> that resolves to true when the Alpine terminal environment has already been downloaded and extracted.

if (globalThis.Terminal) {
  const installed = await Terminal.isInstalled();

  if (!installed) {
    console.log('Terminal environment is not installed yet.');
  }
}

This is useful when a plugin needs to decide whether it can use terminal-backed features before opening a server terminal. For normal terminal creation, prefer terminal.create() or terminal.createServer(), because they already run the install flow when needed.

Background Execution (No Terminal)

Use the globally available Executor to run shell commands without opening a visual terminal session - one-off commands, long-running processes with streaming output, and background-mode execution.

See Executor.

Example: Themed Output Terminal

const terminal = acode.require('terminal');

// Ensure your theme exists (or use a built-in one)
terminal.themes.register('cyberpunk', { /* colors */ }, 'my-plugin');

// Create a local output terminal and log
const out = await terminal.createLocal({ name: 'Plugin Output', theme: 'cyberpunk' });
// Or
const out = await terminal.create({ name: 'Plugin Output', serverMode: false, theme: 'cyberpunk' });
terminal.write(out.id, '\u001b[36mPlugin initialized\u001b[0m\r\n');