Terminal

Acode provides a full Linux terminal environment using proot with Alpine Linux.

Getting Started

Installation

1. Tap the in the top-right corner of the app
2. Select Terminal
3. If not installed, it will begin the installation process
4. Once installed, the terminal opens as an editor tab

Background Process

The terminal runs as a foreground service. It will continue running in the background unless you explicitly close it or your device kills the process.

File Access

Location	Access
Home directory (/home)	Always accessible
Public folder	Always accessible
Internal storage	Requires All Files Access permission (from Terminal Settings). Not available on Play Store version. Only works on Android 10+.

Using the Terminal

Package Management

The terminal uses Alpine Linux's apk package manager:

# Search for a package
apk search <query>

# Install a package
apk add <package>

# Uninstall a package
apk del <package>

# Update all packages
apk update && apk upgrade

Alpine Packages Only

Only Alpine Linux packages are supported. For Alpine-specific queries, refer to the Alpine Linux documentation.

Acode CLI Tool

A built-in acode command lets you open files and folders directly in the Acode editor from the terminal:

# Open a file
acode file.txt

# Open current folder
acode .

# Open a specific folder
acode ~/project

# Show help
acode --help

Customization

Shell Configuration

You can customize your terminal using standard shell configuration files like:

• /etc/profile
• ~/.bashrc
• /etc/bash/bashrc

The /initrc File

Every time a terminal session starts, the /initrc script runs. This file allows you to:

• Set environment variables
• Customize your prompt (PS1)
• Source additional configuration files
• Define shell functions and aliases

Example /initrc Configuration

# Custom environment variables
export EDITOR=nano

# Custom aliases
alias ll="ls -la"
alias update="apk update && apk upgrade"

# Custom prompt (already has a fish-style path shortening by default)
# PS1="\[\033[1;32m\]\u\[\033[0m\]@localhost \[\033[1;34m\]\w\[\033[0m\] \$ "

Default Features

The default /initrc includes:

• Fish-style path shortening in the prompt (e.g., ~/p/s/components)
• Command-not-found handler that suggests packages to install
• MOTD (Message of the Day) display
• Automatic sourcing of standard rc files

Terminal Settings

Configure terminal appearance and behavior in Settings → Terminal Settings. See Terminal Settings for details.

Multiple Terminal Tabs

You can open multiple terminal sessions as separate tabs. Each tab runs an independent shell session.

Copy & Paste

• Copy: Long-press to select text, then use the copy option or Ctrl+Shift+C
• Paste: Long-press and select paste, or use Ctrl+Shift+V

Backup & Restore

From Terminal Settings, you can:

Action	Description
Backup	Creates a backup of your terminal installation and config.
Restore	Restores a previous backup.
Uninstall	Completely removes the terminal installation.

Troubleshooting

Terminal won't start

• Check if you have sufficient storage space
• Try uninstalling and reinstalling the terminal from Terminal Settings
• Clear the app cache and try again

Packages fail to install

• Run apk update first to refresh package lists
• Check your internet connection
• Some packages may not be available for the ARM architecture

Internal storage not accessible

• Enable All Files Access in Terminal Settings
• This feature is not available on the Play Store version
• Requires Android 10 or higher