Command to open new tab in the current terminal

Question

Is it possible to open a new tab in the current terminal with some commands?

score 131 · Accepted Answer · edited Jan 15 '18 at 21:51

131

If you just want to open a new tab

To open a new tab in the current opened terminal you can press SHIFT+CTRL+T. Alternatively, use the top level menu, which shows the keyboard shortcut (see screenshot below)

If you want to do it from the command line

Install xdotool - a program that lets you simulate keyboard input (among other things).

sudo apt-get install xdotool

then type in the terminal:

xdotool key ctrl+shift+t

That will simulate pressing the key combination, and open the new tab in the terminal.

enter image description here

edited Jan 15 '18 at 21:51

Krease

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answered Nov 21 '13 at 12:11

Raja G

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Great answer, really easy to follow. How would one make a shortcut for switching to the next/previous tab? This would help immensely. – programstinator Sep 15 '14 at 12:24
What window theme are you using? Really like it – xoner Feb 06 '15 at 08:37
Thats I am not using right now. Its long ago. not sure I didnt remember the name.@xoner – Raja G Feb 08 '15 at 05:38
@Goran_Mandic I found it is now possible with SHIFT+CTRL+arrow key. – llrs May 26 '15 at 13:14
@Goran_Mandic you can also use alt + a number to switch between terminal tabs. like if you have three tabs they would be 1,2,3 from left to right. alt + 1 would open the leftmost tab. – user137717 Aug 27 '15 at 20:13
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There is no need for xdotools. ctrl+shift+t opens a new tab in the default ubuntu terminal with no modifications necessary. – user137717 Aug 27 '15 at 20:13
For me it is not a satisfying "command line" option if evetually the solution fakes a GUI input instead. This is at best a workaround, with the ill effect that it eases the desire for a real command line solution like: `gnome-terminal --add-new-tab`. Also a key press combination is not a command line – humanityANDpeace Aug 29 '16 at 10:35
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@user137717 the question does ask for a command line, not a keyboard shortcut, therefore you need `xdotools`. – humanityANDpeace Aug 29 '16 at 10:37
hwo to switch between tabs in terminal – Indrajeet Gour Sep 15 '16 at 19:31
can be open a new tab using command without using `xdotools` – Prakash P Nov 03 '17 at 17:10
Ubuntu 20.04 users will face an issue to install xdotool. https://askubuntu.com/questions/378558/unable-to-locate-package-while-trying-to-install-packages-with-apt. follow the steps mentioned in to install xdotool. – Shah Vipul Aug 21 '22 at 07:50

score 80 · Answer 2 · edited Dec 01 '13 at 04:23

80

In Gnome Terminal Emulator just use Ctrl+Shift+T

You can check and change this and other key combinations in Edit menu.

edited Dec 01 '13 at 04:23

Raja G

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answered Nov 21 '13 at 12:05

xangua

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The question searches for a command and not for a shortcut. – BuZZ-dEE Jan 02 '14 at 09:33
I'd love to be able to `cntrl+tab` between the tabs – Jamie Hutber Mar 15 '16 at 11:14
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@JamieHutber You can use Ctrl+PgUp and Ctrl+PgDn – wjandrea Sep 11 '17 at 03:32

score 24 · Answer 3 · edited Feb 06 '15 at 07:49

24

in the terminal the shortcut key is

Ctrl + Shift + T

this shortcut can also be edited

edited Feb 06 '15 at 07:49

Sylvain Pineau

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answered Feb 06 '15 at 04:36

iec2011007

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that is not a command line solution, but a keyboard shortcut. – humanityANDpeace Aug 29 '16 at 10:36
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hwo to switch between tabs in terminal ? – Indrajeet Gour Sep 15 '16 at 19:31
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For switching tabs between terminal use CTRL + PAGEUP/PAGEDOWN – iec2011007 Sep 16 '16 at 08:13

score 20 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 23 '17 at 13:36

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New tab Ctrl + Shift + T

Close tab: Ctrl + Shift + W

Switch tab: Ctrl + Pg Up and Ctrl + Pg Dn

Move tab: Ctrl + Shift + Pg Up and Ctrl + Shift + Pg Dn

answered Apr 23 '17 at 13:36

kaxi1993

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Where are the command line commands? – Aug 10 '18 at 09:12

score 5 · Answer 5 · answered Oct 19 '18 at 16:40

Huh, I do this to fork a build process. package.sh builds and uploads docker images - so I prefer them to overlap. gnome-terminal has some command line options to make new tabs:

#!/bin/bash
BRANCH=${1?choose an environment e.g. stage, demo, production}

if [ -x "$(command -v gnome-terminal)" ]; then
  # run in parallel for gnome-terminal
  gnome-terminal \
  --tab --working-directory=`pwd` --command "zsh -is eval './package.sh app1 $BRANCH'" \
  --tab --working-directory=`pwd` --command "zsh -is eval 'sleep 75  && ./package.sh app2 $BRANCH'" \
  --tab --working-directory=`pwd` --command "zsh -is eval 'sleep 150 && ./package.sh app3 $BRANCH'" \
  --tab --working-directory=`pwd` --command "zsh -is eval 'sleep 225 && ./package.sh app4 $BRANCH'" \

else
  # run one at a time for bash
  ./package.sh app1 $BRANCH
  ./package.sh app2 $BRANCH
  ./package.sh app3 $BRANCH
  ./package.sh app4 $BRANCH

fi

This is the best answer. No need for installing extra tools and simulating keystrokes — Flemming Funch, Jan 12 '23 at 19:26

score 3 · Answer 6 · edited Apr 03 '19 at 20:13

3

Use package ttab

Edit like this

ttab 'cd /Users/chenkai/gh/g-imagery-api && npm run dev '

edited Apr 03 '19 at 20:13

Philippe Delteil

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answered Apr 03 '19 at 13:58

chenkai

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Please, provide a more detailed answer, include more specific commands and not just link to another solution. – Philippe Delteil Apr 03 '19 at 14:42

M Imam Pratama · Answer 7 · 2019-10-03T06:55:38.093

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If you want to open a new tab to a specific directory:

Set the shortcut to Switch to Last Tab in your terminal Preferences.

Put the shortcut to the command below.

gnome-terminal --tab --working-directory=$HOME/path/to/the/dir; xdotool key <Switch to Last Tab shortcut>

Make sure you have xdotool installed.

edited Oct 03 '19 at 06:55

answered Sep 17 '19 at 03:05

M Imam Pratama

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score 1 · Answer 8 · answered Sep 07 '21 at 19:54

The way i usually want to do this is when i start typing cd some/directory/to-switch-to and then i realize i would much rather open that directory in a new tab. This function will open a new tab in the same directory if no path is specified, and in the specified directory (absolute, home-relative, or current directory relative) if one is supplied, with much credit to @wolcen.

tcd() {
  if [ -d ${PWD}/$1 ]; then
    gnome-terminal --tab --working-directory=${PWD}/$1
  else      
    gnome-terminal --tab --working-directory=$1
  fi
}

Usage example:

tcd some/directory

Now if i've finished typing a cd command i can press ctrl+a and t and ENTER to instead open the directory in a new tab with just a few keystrokes.

score 0 · Answer 9 · edited Jun 06 '20 at 13:24

0

Open the terminal
maximize it (or just click the terminal window)
at top bar, click Terminal-->Preferences
under General option, switch Window to Tab
after that, whenever you want to open new terminal, RightClick in the terminal --> Open Terminal

edited Jun 06 '20 at 13:24

tinlyx

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answered Jun 06 '20 at 12:18

necip

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score 0 · Answer 10 · edited Mar 17 '23 at 13:04

There is no universal way on *Nix to open new Window(s) or Tab(s) on and execute bash command(s), on all the different distros and flavours out there: Gnome, KDE, XWindows, Windows Terminal (WSL), MacOS and the list goes on.

Each window manager and flavour comes with its own Terminal / Console app, and they all have different command line arguments, behaviours and quirks.

As far as I know, the closest you can get are:

neWin: Windows WSL & KDE Konsole

Opens multiple new Window(s) or Tab(s) on Windows Terminal (WSL) or KDE Konsole and optionally executes bash command(s).

Works as-is in both KDE Linux and WSL, with no code changes. Example:

$ npm i -g newin

$ newin 
# open a new window, waiting for input command

$ newin --workdir '~/myproject' 'npm start:watch' 'npm test:watch'
# executes the first command on a new window and the second on another one.

Disclaimer: I am the author of neWin - looking for help to add more flavors!

wttab: Windows WSL & Powershell only

Programmatically open Windows Terminal tab or windows

$ npm i -g wttab
$ wttab --window --workdir '~/myproject' 'ls -all' 
# executes the command on a new window

ttab: MacOS & gnome-terminal only

Similar to wttab "a CLI for Unix-like platforms that programmatically opening a new terminal tab/window in one of the following terminal applications, optionally with a command to execute". Unfortunatelly, Ttab has no plans to add support for other platforms.

$ npm i -g ttab

$ ttab ls -l "$HOME/Library/Application Support"
# Open a new tab and execute the specified command before showing the prompt.