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QGIS Terminal

ADDON
📖3 min read
Latest Version: 0.4.0
QGIS Terminal Plugin: An Integrated Terminal for QGIS by Open Geospatial Solutions

Introduction​

QGIS Terminal adds an integrated terminal panel to QGIS, similar to the terminal in VS Code. Instead of switching between QGIS and an external shell, you run command-line tools in the same workspace: GDAL, git, conda, and AI CLIs, without leaving your GIS project. It serves investigators who pair GIS work with command-line processing and want one window instead of two.

Key Takeaways​

CLI in your GIS workspace

Run command-line tools directly inside QGIS. No alt-tabbing to a separate shell.

Multi-shell tabs

PowerShell, bash, or zsh side by side, with independent sessions per tab.

One window, full power

GDAL, git, conda, and AI CLIs, all from the GIS workspace where your project lives.

Installation​

  1. In QGIS, open Plugins → Manage and Install Plugins.
  2. Search for QGIS Terminal, then select Install Plugin.
  3. The plugin is free and available from the official QGIS Plugin Repository (plugins.qgis.org/plugins/qgis_terminal/).

The plugin supports QGIS 4.0 (Qt6) and QGIS 3.28 and later (Qt5).

Usage​

Open the Terminal Dock· toolbar

Click the terminal icon in the QGIS toolbar. The panel opens at the bottom and can be docked wherever you prefer.

Optional Setup· settings

Use the settings icon to customize appearance, and switch shell types (PowerShell, bash, zsh) from the terminal toolbar as needed.

Run Commands· shell

Use the terminal like a normal shell: gdalinfo for raster metadata, conda activate for environments, git for version control, AI CLIs if installed.

Manage Tabs and Sessions· tabs

Use the plus button to open multiple tabs, close tabs when done, clear output when needed, and restart if a process gets stuck.

In an Investigation​

CLI work is only defensible if it is reproducible.

  • Method section: record the exact command, the tool and version, and the shell environment it ran in (base shell or a named conda env).
  • Decision log: note why the command was chosen over a GUI tool, and where the output was saved.
  • Verification: re-run the command in a fresh shell and save the output to a file. If the output differs, the environment changed, and that is a finding.

Limitations​

  • Shell access does not install tools for you. Command success depends on your local environment and path configuration.
  • QGIS already ships a Python console for scripting. This plugin is for full shell access to external tools like GDAL and git.
  • The plugin is a terminal host, not a GIS processor. Heavy processing still happens in the underlying CLI tools.
  • PowerShell/bash/zsh availability varies by OS (Windows users may need WSL for bash workflows).

Resources​

Sources​

  1. QGIS Terminal GitHub, source, issues, releases
  2. QGIS Terminal Plugin Repository, install page
  3. QGIS Terminal 0.4.0 changelog, version history and QGIS compatibility
  4. QGIS Terminal Plugin for Integrated Command Execution by Qiusheng Wu