> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.noxity.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Terminal

> Browser-based shell access to your account. The same shell you'd get over SSH, with no key setup.

Terminal opens a real bash shell in your browser, scoped to your cPanel account. No SSH keys, no client setup. Useful for one-off commands when you're already in cPanel.

<Frame caption="cPanel home → Advanced → Terminal">
  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/noxity/images/cpanel/advanced/terminal/page-light.png" alt="Terminal interface running in the browser" className="block dark:hidden" />

  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/noxity/images/cpanel/advanced/terminal/page-dark.png" alt="Terminal interface running in the browser" className="hidden dark:block" />
</Frame>

## What you can do

The shell behaves like SSH: full bash, your full home directory, your account's PATH, and the same per-account resource caps as any other process.

Everyday things that work fine here:

* Edit files with `nano` or `vim`.
* Run `git pull`, `composer install`, `npm install`.
* Read logs with `tail -f`.
* Run any binary in your account's PATH (`php`, `mysql`, `wp-cli`, etc.).

## What you can't do

* **No root.** Anything that requires `sudo` or affects shared system files is off-limits.
* **No long sessions.** The browser tab closes mean the shell dies. For long-running tasks, run them inside `nohup` or `screen`, or use SSH.
* **No port binds outside your account.** Server-level network listeners are locked down by the LVE policy.

## When to prefer real SSH

Terminal is convenient for short tasks. For anything serious, real SSH is better:

| Task                                                     | Where to do it                        |
| -------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| Quick file edit, one-off command                         | Terminal                              |
| File transfer with `scp` or `rsync`                      | SSH (Terminal can't do scp)           |
| Long-running process you don't want to babysit           | SSH with `screen`, `tmux`, or `nohup` |
| Anything needing SSH key auth (Git push to GitHub, etc.) | SSH                                   |
| Tab in a tab on a tab in a tab                           | Real terminal app                     |

To set up SSH access, see [SSH Access](/web-hosting/cpanel/security/ssh-access).

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="The terminal froze or disconnected mid-command">
    Closing the browser tab or losing the network kills the shell. If the command was important and short, just rerun it in a fresh terminal. If it's a long-running command (a backup, a `composer install` on a slow connection), wrap it in `nohup` so it survives the disconnect:

    ```bash theme={}
    nohup /home/USER/long-script.sh > /home/USER/long-script.log 2>&1 &
    ```

    Or run from real SSH inside `screen` or `tmux` so you can detach and reattach.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Some commands say 'permission denied' or 'command not found'">
    `sudo` and anything that needs root are blocked. For "command not found", check the binary's full path: `which php`, `which mysql`. If you're using a tool from a non-default location (e.g., `~/.composer/vendor/bin/`), add it to your PATH or use the full path.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I copy/paste into the terminal?">
    Yes. Most browsers handle paste with Ctrl+Shift+V (Linux/Windows) or Cmd+V (Mac) into the terminal area. If you have a long block to paste, it sometimes helps to type slowly or paste in chunks; the browser-side terminal can drop characters under load.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why doesn't 'top' or 'htop' work properly?">
    Both work, but the terminal emulator handles screen redraws differently from a native terminal. Resize the browser window, or use `top -b -n 1` for a one-shot batch view instead of the live UI.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Need a hand?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Open a ticket" icon="life-ring" href="https://members.noxity.io/submitticket.php">
    Best for anything that needs an account check or a config change on our end.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Live chat" icon="messages" href="https://noxity.io/contact">
    Faster for quick questions during business hours.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>