Windows Terminal Command Palette

The Windows Terminal Command Palette is a powerful, context-aware interface that allows you to quickly discover and execute commands within Windows Terminal. Accessible via a keyboard shortcut, it streamlines your workflow by providing a searchable list of available actions, from opening new tabs and windows to executing complex shell commands.

Accessing the Command Palette

The Command Palette is typically opened using the keyboard shortcut:

Ctrl + Shift + P

Once open, you can start typing to filter the list of commands. Pressing Enter will execute the selected command.

Key Features and Benefits

Discoverability: Easily find commands you might not know exist.
Speed: Execute actions much faster than navigating through menus.
Context-Awareness: The palette intelligently suggests commands relevant to your current context.
Customization: You can bind custom actions to commands and have them appear in the palette.

Commonly Used Commands

Here are some of the most frequently used commands you'll find in the Command Palette:

New Tab: Opens a new tab with the default profile.
New Window: Opens a new Windows Terminal window.
Split Pane: Splits the current pane horizontally or vertically.
Close Tab: Closes the current tab.
Close Window: Closes the entire Windows Terminal window.
Search: Opens a search bar within the current tab.
Settings: Opens the Windows Terminal settings JSON file.
Duplicate Tab: Creates an exact duplicate of the current tab.

Command Palette Interaction Example

🗃️ New Tab Opens a new tab with the default profile.

🗄️ New Window Opens a new Windows Terminal window.

↔️ Split Pane Horizontal Splits the current pane horizontally.

↕️ Split Pane Vertical Splits the current pane vertically.

❌ Close Tab Closes the current tab.

Customizing the Command Palette

Windows Terminal's settings file (settings.json) allows you to define custom actions that can be invoked via the Command Palette. This is particularly useful for running specific scripts, opening certain directories in new tabs, or executing complex shell commands with predefined arguments.

To add a custom command, you would typically define a new action in the actions array within your settings.json file. For example:

{
    "actions": [
        {
            "command": {
                "action": "newTab",
                "profile": "{YOUR_PROFILE_GUID}" // Optional: Specify a profile
            },
            "name": "Open Project Folder" // This name appears in the palette
        },
        {
            "command": {
                "action": "sendInput",
                "input": "echo 'Hello from custom command!'\n"
            },
            "name": "Run Custom Echo"
        }
    ]
}

Tip: Finding Profile GUIDs

You can find the GUID for your profiles by opening the Settings UI and inspecting the JSON, or by looking in the profiles.list section of your settings.json file.

Performance and Usability

The Command Palette is designed to be highly performant, even with a large number of available commands. Its intuitive search functionality ensures that you can locate and execute what you need in seconds, significantly boosting productivity for power users and beginners alike.

By mastering the Windows Terminal Command Palette, you can unlock a more efficient and fluid command-line experience.