Practical guides · 05
Set up a project's terminals once, then reopen them in one step.
Put each job in its own tab or pane, save the layout as a workspace, and bring back every pane in the right folder tomorrow.
4 minute read
Most projects need more than one shell: one to run the app, one for tests, one for Git. Opening them by hand each morning and changing into the right folder in every one is small work that adds up, and it is easy to run a command in the wrong place. AITerm keeps the layout for you, so the setup happens once.
1. Give each task its own tab.
Press ⌘T for a new tab. Each tab is its own shell session. Move between tabs with ⌘⇧] and ⌘⇧[, or jump straight to one of the first nine with ⌘1 to ⌘9. The Shell menu lists the open tabs by folder, with a check mark beside the active one.
2. Split a tab when you want to watch two things at once.
Press ⌘D to split the current pane to the right, or ⌘⇧D to split it downward. Panes can nest, so a tall pane on the left and two shorter ones on the right takes three keystrokes. Move focus with ⌘⌥ and an arrow key. ⌘W closes the focused pane first, then the tab, then the window.
A layout that works for many projects is one pane for a long-running process such as a development server, one for running tests and one for git status and commits. Before you run anything, glance at which pane has focus. The command goes to that pane's shell and that pane's folder.
3. Save the layout as a workspace.
When the panes are arranged and each one is in the folder you want, choose Shell ▸ Save Workspace As… and give it a name, such as the project's name. A saved workspace remembers the whole pane layout and each pane's working directory. Saving under a name that already exists asks before replacing the old one.
Next time, choose the workspace from Shell ▸ Open Workspace. To rename or delete saved workspaces, use Shell ▸ Manage Workspaces…
4. Check what is running before you open one.
Opening a saved workspace replaces the current layout. If a pane is running something, or would be risky to replace, AITerm asks before closing it. Treat that question as a real check: if a pane holds a build, a server or a remote session you still need, choose Cancel, finish or stop it on purpose, and then open the workspace.
If you just want yesterday's layout back.
You can also have AITerm reopen your tabs, splits and folders automatically the next time it launches. Turn on Restore last session on launch in Settings ▸ Terminal; it takes effect immediately. A named workspace is still useful when you move between several projects, because each one opens the same way every time.
A two-minute practice run.
- Open a new tab in a folder with nothing private in it.
- Press ⌘D, then ⌘⇧D, so the tab has three panes.
- Use ⌘⌥ and the arrow keys to visit each pane, and run
pwdin each one to see its folder. - Choose Shell ▸ Save Workspace As… and name it practice.
- Close two of the panes with ⌘W, then choose Shell ▸ Open Workspace ▸ practice and watch the three panes come back.
- When you are done, delete it from Shell ▸ Manage Workspaces…
Try it in AITerm.
Tabs, split panes and saved workspaces are part of the free core app, along with AI command suggestions, /fix, /explain, command history, Ollama and supported bring-your-own-key connections. Runbooks and the autonomous agent are Pro. AITerm runs on Apple Silicon Macs with macOS 13 or later. Cloud provider charges are separate.
Keep learning.
Prepared with AI assistance from the current AITerm documentation. The steps follow the handbook and the app's menus; this is not a recorded app demonstration.