xfce4-terminal

Open a new terminal window

$ xfce4-terminal

$ xfce4-terminal --initial-title "[initial_title]"

$ xfce4-terminal --tab

$ xfce4-terminal --command "[command_with_args]"

$ xfce4-terminal --command "[command_with_args]" --hold

$ xfce4-terminal --tab --command "[command1]" --tab --command "[command2]"

xfce4-terminal [OPTIONS...]

-h, --help
    Displays a help message and exits.

-v, --version
    Shows version information and exits.

-e, --command=COMMAND
    Executes the specified COMMAND inside the terminal.

-T, --title=TITLE
    Sets the window TITLE.

--window
    Opens a new terminal window.

--tab
    Opens a new tab in an existing terminal window.

--geometry=GEOMETRY
    Sets the initial window size and position (e.g., "80x24+100+100").

--fullscreen
    Starts the terminal in fullscreen mode.

--maximize
    Starts the terminal in maximized mode.

--hide-toolbar
    Hides the toolbar.

--font=FONT
    Specifies the FONT to use (e.g., "Monospace 12").

--color-foreground=COLOR
    Sets the foreground text COLOR (e.g., "#FFFFFF").

--color-background=COLOR
    Sets the background COLOR (e.g., "#000000").

--working-directory=PATH
    Sets the initial working PATH for the terminal.

--holding-command
    Keeps the terminal open after an executed command finishes.

--drop-down
    Starts the terminal in a drop-down (Quake-style) mode.

xfce4-terminal is the default terminal emulator for the Xfce desktop environment, renowned for its balance of features and low resource usage. It offers essential functionalities like tabbed browsing, customizable color schemes, font selection, and transparency. Users can easily manage multiple sessions within a single window using tabs, enhancing productivity.

The application provides extensive customization options for appearance and behavior, including support for 256 colors, true color, and a configurable scrollback buffer. It also allows execution of specific commands upon startup and can be launched in various window states such as fullscreen or maximized. Designed to integrate seamlessly with Xfce, it provides a fast and efficient command-line interface experience.

When using options like --tab or --window, xfce4-terminal relies on D-Bus integration; if the server isn't running or communication fails, new instances might be launched instead of new tabs/windows. Custom color and font settings from the command line may override user preferences or require specific formats. The --drop-down mode, while convenient, might interact differently with various window managers.

User-specific preferences for xfce4-terminal are typically stored in the file ~/.config/xfce4/terminal/terminalrc. This file contains settings for appearance, behavior, shortcuts, and more.

xfce4-terminal leverages D-Bus for inter-process communication. This allows multiple instances to share a single server process, enabling features like opening new tabs or windows in an already running terminal instance rather than launching entirely new processes, improving resource efficiency.

xfce4-terminal emerged as the default terminal emulator for the Xfce desktop environment, designed to be lightweight, efficient, and well-integrated into the Xfce ecosystem. Its development reflects Xfce's philosophy of providing a user-friendly yet resource-conscious desktop experience. Over the years, it has continuously evolved with features like tab support, enhanced customization, and D-Bus integration, solidifying its role as a robust alternative to other terminal emulators while maintaining its core focus on performance.

gnome-terminal(1), konsole(1), lxterminal(1), terminator(1), xterm(1), xfce4-panel(1)