5 Ways to open the Ubuntu Terminal application

Although Ubuntu users these days get to perform various operations through programs having high-end GUIs, there are multiple reasons to use the Linux command line called the Terminal.

• Through Terminal, you can access many powerful native Linux commands as well as the empowering command-line features of many desktop applications.
• You can install software to Ubuntu much more easier through the Command Line, than the graphical installation alternative.
• You might have seen that many online-help guides will tell you how to resolve a problem through the Command Line. No matter which desktop environment you are using or which version of Linux you are on, the Terminal commands are usually the same.

This article explains five simple ways that you can use through your keyboard, mouse control. or both, in order to open the Ubuntu Terminal application.

We have run the commands and procedures mentioned in this article on a Ubuntu 18.04 LTS system.

Method 1: Through the Default Keyboard shortcut

The quickest method to open the Terminal application that does not require the use of mouse pointer is to use the Ctrl+Alt+t shortcut.

You can also set a custom keyboard shortcut for Ubuntu in order to open the Terminal.

You can quit the Terminal by entering the exit command as follows:

$ exit

Method 2: Using the Run command window

The Run command window can be used to directly run commands that you would otherwise run by opening the command line. You can use the Run command window in order to open the Gnome Terminal as follows:

Use the Alt+F2 shortcut in order to open the Run command window. Then enter the following command and hit the Enter key:

gnome-terminal

You can even use this command in the Terminal window itself to open another Terminal session.

Method 3: Search and Open through the Ubuntu Dash

The Ubuntu Dash helps you in searching for installed applications and system utilities and also helps you in finding the ones you can download through Ubuntu Software Manager. Since the Terminal comes by default with Ubuntu, when you search for it through the Dash you will see the search result as follows:

Simply click the search result and your Terminal application will open.

Method 4: From the Applications list

The Terminal application is also available in your Ubuntu’s list of applications. As you might know, you can view the installed UI applications through the Applications button. This button is located in the down left corner of your Ubuntu desktop.

Click the Applications button and look up for the Terminal application icon and click it in order to open the Ubuntu Terminal.

Method 5: From the Desktop right-click menu

Last but not least, the only mouse click method to open the Terminal is to use the right-click menu from your desktop.

When you right-click on the desktop view itself, you will be able to see the Open Terminal option in the menu. Simply select this option in order to open the Ubuntu command line, the Terminal.

Now you are equipped with not one, but five ways to open the Terminal application.