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The Terminal runs a command in your site’s Live Preview, in your site’s folder, and shows what it prints. Use it to check a version, list your site’s files or install a package, without setting anything up on your own computer. This guide runs two commands on Northwind’s Pearl District site: node -v to see the Node.js version, and ls to list the site’s files.
Need a quick answer about what’s inside your site? Here’s the Hiveku site Terminal.We’re using the Northwind Pearl District demo site. Commands run in its Live Preview, not on your computer or the public site.Websites is on the left rail. Choose it, then open Northwind Pearl District and let the builder load.Open Deploy at the top right. This is its menu, not a publish action.View build logs is the small icon at the bottom of the menu. Choose it to open the lower panel.Choose Terminal among the tabs. When it says Runs in your Live Preview, you’re ready. If the preview is still starting, give it a moment.Click the prompt, type node -v, and press Enter. Here it prints version twenty point nineteen point six, then shows how long the command took.Now type ls and press Enter. There’s the site’s working folder: app, components, content, lib, and package.json, among others.Type help to see what this Terminal can do. The answer says it runs one command at a time, for up to ninety seconds.Pipes, redirects, and chained commands won’t work here. Don’t repeat a slow install just because ninety seconds passed; a build needs a preview restart. Hiveku hides secrets and personal details. We only read today.Up and down recall commands; clear clears the screen. The other tabs hold your logs and browser console. If your role can’t run commands, Terminal tells you. Your live site stays as it was.
The Terminal needs your Live Preview to be running. If it’s stopped or still starting, the Terminal says so and tells you to start it.

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Open the Terminal

1

Open the Deploy menu

Open your site in the builder and click Deploy at the top right. At the bottom of the menu, click the build logs icon.
The Deploy menu with Development and Production, and the build logs icon at the bottom left, outlined, beside Deploy All

The build logs icon, in the Deploy menu

2

Click Terminal

The logs panel opens at the bottom of the builder. Click Terminal among its tabs. It reads Runs in your Live Preview when it’s ready.

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Run a command

Click in the Terminal, type a command and press Enter. It shows Running…, then what the command printed and how long it took.
The Terminal tab, outlined; Terminal, Runs in your Live Preview, outlined; the command node -v with Running, v20.19.6 and Done in 584 ms, outlined; and ls listing the site's files and folders, such as app, components, content and lib

node -v, then ls

Type help to see what the Terminal can do. The up and down arrows bring back earlier commands, and clear clears the screen.

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What it runs

  • One command at a time, for up to 90 seconds, such as node -v, ls, cat package.json or npm install and a package name.
  • No pipes, redirects or chained commands (|, >, &&, ;).
  • Long installs. If a command takes longer than 90 seconds, it may still be finishing. Don’t run the install again right away: check with ls, or restart the Live Preview.
  • Builds. If you run a build, restart the Live Preview afterwards: a build writes into the folder your Live Preview runs from.
  • Your secrets stay hidden. What the Terminal prints hides secret values and personal details such as email addresses and phone numbers, and it refuses commands that read your site’s secret settings or delete your site’s own files.

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Good to know

  • Other tabs. Build Logs, Runtime Logs, Local Server Logs and Browser Console in the same panel show what your site printed. See Read Your Site’s Logs.
  • Your role decides. If your role can’t run commands on a site, the Terminal says so.