How to change the default terminal in Ubuntu

If you already have some experience with Ubuntu and are used to the basics of the system, you probably use the terminal on a regular basis. Although modern Linux distributions offer many graphical tools to perform various tasks, from installing software to detailed system configuration, the terminal remains an important and sought-after tool. With enough knowledge, it allows you to perform tasks much faster and more efficiently.

For example, instead of searching for the right menu items, clicking with the mouse, or searching the system, you can enter the appropriate command and pass it the necessary parameters. This simplifies many tasks. The terminal's capabilities are enhanced through the use of command combinations, output redirection, and other technologies.

All Linux distributions come with functional and customizable terminal emulators. Today we will focus not on terminal functions, but on changing the default terminal in Ubuntu.

Terminal setup

You can launch the terminal in Ubuntu using the main menu or the Ctrl+Alt+T key combination. In this article, we will focus on manual customization of the terminal, avoiding installation of additional themes. To change the Ubuntu terminal's appearance - open the context menu by clicking in any area of the window, then select “Profiles” and go to “Profile Settings”.

On the “Basic” tab you will be able to customize the size of the terminal window. To change the font, check the “Use a different font” option and select a suitable font from the list.

Special attention should be paid to the “Colors” tab. Here you can adjust the colors for the terminal window and its transparency. To access these settings, uncheck the “Use colors from system theme” option. You can choose one of the preset color schemes, but if none of them is suitable, you can customize your own. Enter the desired colors for text and background - for example, light gray for text and dark for background. You can also adjust the transparency level using the slider or check the “Use system theme transparency” option.

Customizing the shell

By default, Ubuntu uses the Bash shell, which was created in the 1980s at Bell Labs for the Unix operating system. Bash has undergone significant changes since then, and the free package is still based on early developments.

Other shells have been developed that offer users a more user-friendly interface, such as FISH, which stands for Friendly Interactive Shell.

Benefits of FISH

• Full syntax highlighting. Each correctly typed command is highlighted in a specific color, unknown commands are highlighted in a different color, and the correct file path is underlined. This allows you to see if you typed a command correctly before pressing Enter.
• Convenient command history search: just enter the first few characters of a command and see the list of previously entered commands starting with these characters. When you start typing a command - the shell suggests the last executed command starting with the entered characters; you just need to press the right arrow.
• Auto-complete is much improved over Bash: the shell not only complements commands and file paths, but also command options, which is especially useful for beginners.
• Simpler and clearer syntax compared to Bash, making scripting easier for beginners and advanced users alike.

How to install FISH

Type:
apt install fish
To test the shell without replacement:
fish
If the shell is to be used by default, enter the Profile Options tab and check Run command as login shell and Run another command instead of my shell. In the field, type the path to the fish shell file: /usr/bin/fish.

Conclusion

Customizing the terminal in Ubuntu is an important step to improve the user experience. A well-customized interface greatly improves the user experience. We have covered only a part of the possible customizations. For more details, please refer to the official documentation.