The Terminal panel gives you a full terminal inside kill9. You can run commands, manage dependencies, and inspect your project without leaving the app.
Open it from the command palette (Cmd/Ctrl+K) by typing "Terminal." It opens as a panel, not a workspace rail surface.
Multiple terminals
The Terminal panel supports multiple terminal instances with internal splits. Click Split right or Split down in the header to create a new terminal next to the current one. Each split is an independent terminal instance with its own working directory and command history.
This is useful when you need multiple shells:
- One terminal running your dev server
- One terminal running tests
- One terminal for git operations
- One terminal for exploring the file system
Working directory
Each terminal starts in your workspace directory. If you have worktrees configured, the terminal uses the active branch's worktree path. This means terminals automatically follow the context of the initiative you're working on.
Closing terminals
Each terminal instance has its own close button. Closing the last terminal closes the entire panel. If you close a panel by accident, reopen it from the command palette.
When to use the terminal
Use the terminal when you need to run commands that agents cannot or should not run:
- Start your dev server with custom flags
- Run one-off scripts or data migrations
- Inspect system state or logs
- Run commands that require interactive input
- Explore the file system with familiar tools
Agents can run bash commands through their tools, but the terminal gives you direct control. Use it when you want to run something manually or when an agent's command needs your supervision.