How to use the command 'gnome-terminal' (with examples)

The ‘gnome-terminal’ command is a GNOME Terminal emulator that allows users to open new terminal windows and perform various actions within them. It provides a graphical interface for executing commands and managing multiple terminal sessions. This article provides examples of different use cases for the ‘gnome-terminal’ command.

Use case 1: Open a new GNOME terminal window

Code:

gnome-terminal

Motivation: The motivation for using this example is to quickly open a new terminal window without using the mouse or navigating through the GNOME desktop environment.

Explanation: By simply running the ‘gnome-terminal’ command without any arguments, a new GNOME terminal window is opened. This allows users to start a new terminal session and execute commands from the command line.

Example output: A new GNOME terminal window opens, displaying the command prompt.

Use case 2: Run a specific command in a new terminal window

Code:

gnome-terminal -- command

Motivation: This example is useful when you want to run a specific command in a separate terminal window without affecting the existing terminal session.

Explanation: The ‘–’ argument in the command separates the ‘gnome-terminal’ command from the actual command to be executed. This way, any command can be executed in a new terminal window without opening a new terminal session manually.

Example output: A new GNOME terminal window opens, and the specified command is executed within that window.

Use case 3: Open a new tab in the last opened window instead

Code:

gnome-terminal --tab

Motivation: This example is handy when you want to open a new tab in the last opened GNOME terminal window rather than opening a completely new terminal window.

Explanation: The ‘–tab’ argument instructs the ‘gnome-terminal’ command to open a new tab in the last opened window instead of opening a new window. This helps in keeping multiple terminal sessions organized within a single window.

Example output: A new tab is created in the last opened GNOME terminal window, ready for executing commands.

Use case 4: Set the title of the new tab

Code:

gnome-terminal --tab --title "title"

Motivation: This example allows you to set a descriptive title for the new tab, making it easier to identify and manage different terminal sessions.

Explanation: The ‘–title’ argument followed by the desired title in quotes sets the title of the new tab. This is useful when you want to distinguish terminal sessions based on their purposes or tasks.

Example output: A new tab is created in the last opened GNOME terminal window with the specified title, making it identifiable among other open tabs.

Conclusion:

The ‘gnome-terminal’ command provides a convenient way to open new GNOME terminal windows, run specific commands, and manage multiple terminal sessions. By utilizing the command with different arguments, users can enhance their productivity and workflow in a graphical terminal environment. The examples provided in this article cover common use cases, allowing users to harness the full potential of the ‘gnome-terminal’ command.