Overview
The Terminal User Interface (TUI) is the default mode when you run openhands. It provides a rich, interactive experience directly in your terminal.
Features
- Real-time interaction: Type natural language tasks and receive instant feedback
- Live status monitoring: Watch the agent’s progress as it works
- Command palette: Press
Ctrl+P to access settings, MCP status, and more
Command Palette
Press Ctrl+P to open the command palette, then select from the dropdown options:
| Option | Description |
|---|
| Settings | Open the settings configuration menu |
| MCP | View MCP server status |
Controls
| Control | Action |
|---|
Ctrl+P | Open command palette |
Esc | Pause the running agent |
Ctrl+Q or /exit | Exit the CLI |
Starting with a Task
Start a conversation with an initial task:
# Provide a task directly
openhands -t "Create a REST API for user management"
# Load task from a file
openhands -f requirements.txt
Confirmation Modes
Control how the agent requests approval for actions:
# Default: Always ask for confirmation
openhands
# Auto-approve all actions (use with caution)
openhands --always-approve
# Use LLM-based security analyzer
openhands --llm-approve
Resuming Conversations
Resume previous conversations:
# List recent conversations
openhands --resume
# Resume the most recent
openhands --resume --last
# Resume a specific conversation
openhands --resume abc123def456
Tips
Press Ctrl+P and select Settings to quickly adjust your LLM configuration without restarting the CLI.
Press Esc to pause the agent if it’s going in the wrong direction, then provide clarification.
See Also
