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Shell lets you perform tasks on the operating system in your workspace such as managing files, installing packages, and running scripts. It provides a powerful text-based interface to interact with your Replit environment. You can use Shell to run the following tasks in your workspace:
  • Execute scripts and programs
  • Install and run popular Linux tools and packages
  • Upload and download files from the internet
  • Manage workspace files and directories
For better workflow management, prefer the Run button instead of running your app from the Shell. The workflow started by the Run button sends output to the Console tool, which provides a structured way to review the logs.
screenshot of the Shell workspace tool

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Features

Shell provides the following capabilities:
  • Run multiple shells: Open multiple shell instances to work on different tasks simultaneously
  • Search for text: Find specific text in the shell output

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Usage

From the left Tool dock:
  1. Select All tools icon All tools to see a list of workspace tools.
  2. Select Shell icon Shell.
From the Search bar:
  1. Select the magnifying glass icon magnifying glass at the top to open the search tool
  2. Type “Shell” to locate the tool and select it from the results.

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Text search

The following steps describe how to access and use the text search tool:
  1. Select the magnifying glass icon magnifying glass at the top right of the Shell tab to open the search dialog.
  2. Enter a search term and select Next to navigate through the matches.
  3. Use Previous to go back to prior matches.
  4. Select Exit or click outside the dialog to exit the text search.

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Multiple shells

To create a new shell, select the menu at the top left of the Shell tab arrow and select New Shell as shown below:
New Shell menu selection
Use the same menu to switch between shells. The workspace labels each shell with the last command executed to help you identify them.
When you open more than one shell, Replit automatically closes idle shell instances. An idle shell is unselected and not running any user processes.

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Next steps

To learn more about related Workspace tools see the following resources:
  • Console: Learn how to use Console to monitor your Replit App workflows.