How to Use Integrated Terminal in VS Code

· Category: VS Code & Developer Tools

Short answer

VS Code includes a built-in terminal that opens at the bottom of the window. It shares the environment with your project folder and supports multiple shells simultaneously.

Steps

  1. Open the terminal with Ctrl+` (backtick) or via View > Terminal.
  2. The terminal opens in the current workspace root by default.
  3. Click the plus icon to create additional terminal tabs.
  4. Use the dropdown to switch between different shells like PowerShell, Bash, or Zsh.
  5. Split the terminal by clicking the split icon to view two sessions side by side.

Tips

  • Configure your default shell in the terminal settings.
  • Use the "Kill Terminal" button to force-stop hung processes.
  • The terminal inherits the VS Code theme for a consistent look.

Common issues

  • Environment variables may differ from an external terminal; restart VS Code if paths seem wrong.
  • Some shell plugins can cause rendering glitches in the integrated terminal.