Web Shell
The primary interface to your Matrix computer, available at app.matrix-os.com.
The web shell at https://app.matrix-os.com is the primary interface to your Matrix computer. It gives you Terminal, Files, Canvas, apps, integrations, and settings — all running on your persistent Matrix computer.
Terminal and sessions
The Terminal is a persistent shell that keeps running after you close the browser. Your sessions are shared across the web shell, the CLI, and the desktop app — start work in the browser and pick it up later from the CLI exactly where you left off.
Open Terminal
From the shell, click Terminal in the sidebar or dock. A new terminal session opens on your Matrix computer.
Create or attach a named session
Named sessions let you organize work and reattach from any surface. From the CLI:
matrix shell new main --attach
matrix shell connect main
matrix shell connect -c setupUse -c (--create-or-connect) to open the session if it exists, or create it if it does not.
Detach without closing
To leave a session running while you switch away:
Ctrl-\ Ctrl-\The session stays live on your Matrix computer. Reconnect from the browser or CLI at any time.
Sessions are shared across surfaces
The web Terminal, matrix shell connect, and the desktop app all attach to the same named session model. A session you open in the browser is immediately available from the CLI and vice versa.
GitHub auth
Run gh auth login inside a terminal session to authenticate with GitHub. The credentials are stored on your Matrix computer and persist across sessions.
gh auth loginChoose the browser-based flow and complete the login in the browser tab that opens. Once done, git and gh commands work from any terminal session without re-authenticating.
Set a passphrase for your SSH key
When gh auth login generates an SSH key in the shell, choose a password
(passphrase) for it — don't leave it empty. The key lives on your Matrix
computer; a passphrase keeps it protected.
File browser
Click Files in the sidebar to open the file browser. It shows your Matrix home directory and lets you navigate folders, select files, rename, copy, paste, delete, and move items to Trash.
- Navigate directories with the column view or list view.
- Select a file and press Space to preview it with Quick Look.
- Double-click a file to open it in the Preview panel.
- Right-click any file or folder for a context menu with copy, cut, paste, duplicate, rename, and delete options.
Files you create or clone in the Terminal appear immediately in the file browser. Changes sync across the web shell and persist on your Matrix computer.
What persists
- Shell sessions and terminal output.
- Source repositories under
~/projects. - GitHub credentials and agent credentials you install inside the workspace.
- App state and settings under your Matrix home.
Related
How is this guide?