Frequently Asked Questions: RunCloud Web Terminal

No, enabling Web Terminal does not install any additional software or background services on your server. The feature is built directly into the RunCloud agent version 2.19.0 and later. When you turn on Web Terminal, RunCloud simply enables an internal configuration flag to open secure HTTP and WebSocket routes.

Only the Server Owner or Workspace Owner can toggle Web Terminal on or off. Team members and collaborators cannot enable or disable this feature on their own. This restriction protects your infrastructure by ensuring that only primary account owners control terminal entry points.

RunCloud requires an 8-digit email verification code as an added layer of defense. This confirmation ensures that unauthorized users cannot open terminal access even if they compromise your dashboard login. Once you verify your identity through your registered email address, the agent securely exposes the terminal service.

Your terminal user depends on where you launch the session in the RunCloud dashboard. If you launch from a server page, you connect as the root superuser with full administrative privileges. If you launch from a web application page, you connect as that application’s system user (such as runcloud) and open directly inside your application root folder.

No, Web Terminal is designed specifically for running interactive shell commands. It does not support direct file transfers through the terminal interface. If you need to upload, download, or edit files on your server, please use the built-in RunCloud File Manager.

Web Terminal provides direct browser access without requiring standard SSH keys or server passwords. Requesting a fresh 2FA code each time guarantees that only verified users can open an active terminal shell.

Yes, Web Terminal operates within a floating, movable window overlay. You can freely navigate to other pages, such as Services, Monitoring, or Settings, without losing your connection. Your commands and terminal output will continue running uninterrupted in the foreground.

Closing your floating terminal window or browser tab only disconnects your personal view. The terminal session and all background commands remain running for any connected collaborators. In contrast, clicking Close or Disconnect Session terminates the underlying pseudo-terminal (PTY) process and disconnects the session for everyone.

RunCloud enforces automated timers to prevent abandoned shell processes and conserve server resources. If a session receives no keystrokes for 10 minutes, a 60-second warning countdown appears before the session closes due to inactivity. Additionally, the agent terminates network connections that have been disconnected for over 60 seconds and automatically closes any session that reaches four consecutive hours.

RunCloud allows a maximum of three active terminal sessions per server at any given time. When this limit is reached, you cannot start a fourth session until an existing one is terminated. You can either join one of the active sessions from the list or ask a teammate to click Close on an unused session.

Each individual terminal session supports up to 10 simultaneous collaborator connections. When a session reaches 10 users, new participants cannot join until someone leaves. You can either wait for a teammate to close their window or start a new terminal session if your server has not reached the 3-session limit.