How To Install Nautilus Terminal on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS

Ubuntu 24.04, the latest long-term support release, brings a host of new features and improvements to the popular Linux distribution. Among the many enhancements, users can significantly boost their productivity by integrating terminal functionality directly into the Nautilus file manager. This guide will walk you through the process of installing Nautilus Terminal on Ubuntu 24.04, providing you with a powerful tool to streamline your workflow and enhance your file management experience.

What is Nautilus Terminal?

Nautilus Terminal is an extension that embeds a terminal emulator directly within the Nautilus file manager. This integration allows users to access command-line functionality without leaving the graphical user interface of their file browser. By combining the strengths of both GUI and CLI interfaces, Nautilus Terminal offers a seamless and efficient way to manage files and execute commands.

Key features of Nautilus Terminal include:

• Instant access to terminal commands within the current directory
• Automatic directory synchronization as you navigate through folders
• Customizable appearance and behavior to suit individual preferences
• Support for multiple terminal instances within a single Nautilus window

Compared to other terminal integration tools, Nautilus Terminal stands out for its seamless integration and user-friendly approach, making it an ideal choice for both novice and experienced Linux users.

Why Use Nautilus Terminal?

The advantages of using Nautilus Terminal over standalone terminal applications are numerous. By integrating terminal functionality directly into the file manager, users can:

• Perform file operations and execute commands without switching between applications
• Quickly access the command line for the current directory, saving time and reducing errors
• Combine the visual benefits of a GUI with the power and flexibility of the command line
• Enhance productivity by streamlining common tasks and workflows

Nautilus Terminal is particularly beneficial in scenarios such as:

• Managing large numbers of files and directories
• Performing batch operations or complex file manipulations
• Quickly checking file permissions, ownership, or other attributes
• Running scripts or commands on specific files or directories

Many Linux enthusiasts and professionals have praised Nautilus Terminal for its ability to bridge the gap between GUI and CLI interfaces. As one user put it, “Nautilus Terminal has revolutionized the way I interact with my file system. It’s like having the best of both worlds at my fingertips.”

Installation Requirements

Before proceeding with the installation of Nautilus Terminal on Ubuntu 24.04, ensure that your system meets the following requirements:

• A clean installation of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Lunar Lobster)
• At least 4GB of RAM and 25GB of free disk space
• An active internet connection for downloading packages
• Sudo or root access to install system packages

Additionally, you’ll need to have the following dependencies installed:

• python3
• python3-gi
• python3-nautilus
• gir1.2-nautilus-3.0
• gnome-terminal

Don’t worry if you don’t have all these packages installed yet; we’ll cover the installation of dependencies in the next section.

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

Step 1: Update Your System

Before installing any new software, it’s crucial to ensure that your system is up-to-date. This helps prevent conflicts and ensures you have the latest security patches. Open a terminal and run the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

These commands will update your package lists and upgrade all installed packages to their latest versions. The -y flag automatically answers “yes” to any prompts, streamlining the upgrade process.

Step 2: Install Necessary Dependencies

Next, we’ll install the required dependencies for Nautilus Terminal. Run the following command to install all necessary packages:

sudo apt install python3 python3-gi python3-nautilus gir1.2-nautilus-3.0 gnome-terminal -y

This command installs Python 3, the required Python bindings for GNOME, the Nautilus Python extension, and the GNOME Terminal. These components are essential for Nautilus Terminal to function correctly and integrate seamlessly with your system.

Step 3: Install Nautilus Terminal

With the dependencies in place, we can now proceed to install Nautilus Terminal. There are two primary methods to install Nautilus Terminal: using the Python Package Index (PyPI) or cloning the GitHub repository. We’ll cover both methods to give you flexibility in your installation approach.

Method 1: Installing via PyPI (Recommended)

This method is straightforward and ensures you get the latest stable version of Nautilus Terminal. Run the following command:

pip3 install --user nautilus-terminal

The –user flag installs the package for the current user only, which is recommended to avoid conflicts with system-wide Python packages.

Method 2: Installing from GitHub

If you prefer to install from the source or want to contribute to the project, you can clone the GitHub repository and install manually:

git clone https://github.com/flozz/nautilus-terminal.git
cd nautilus-terminal
pip3 install --user .

This method allows you to access the latest development version, but be aware that it may contain experimental features or bugs.

Step 4: Setup and Configuration

After installation, you need to ensure that Nautilus Terminal is properly integrated with your file manager. Follow these steps:

1. Restart Nautilus to load the new extension: nautilus -q
2. Open Nautilus again from the application menu or by running: nautilus

Nautilus Terminal should now be visible at the bottom of your file manager window. If you don’t see it immediately, you can toggle its visibility by pressing F4 or selecting “Show Terminal” from the hamburger menu.

To customize Nautilus Terminal, you can edit its configuration file. Create or edit the file ~/.config/nautilus-terminal/nautilus-terminal.conf and add your preferred settings. For example:

[nautilus-terminal]
terminal_shell=/bin/bash
terminal_position=bottom
terminal_height=10

This configuration sets the default shell to bash, positions the terminal at the bottom of the window, and sets its initial height to 10 lines.

Step 5: Verify Installation

To ensure that Nautilus Terminal is correctly installed and functioning, perform the following checks:

1. Open Nautilus and navigate to any directory.
2. Press F4 to toggle the terminal visibility if it’s not already visible.
3. In the terminal pane, type pwd and press Enter. The output should match your current directory in Nautilus.
4. Try a simple command like ls -l to list files and verify that the terminal is responsive and correctly integrated.

If all these steps work as expected, congratulations! You have successfully installed and configured Nautilus Terminal on your Ubuntu 24.04 system.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

While installing and using Nautilus Terminal is generally straightforward, you may encounter some issues. Here are some common problems and their solutions:

Terminal Not Visible After Installation

If you don’t see the terminal pane after installation:

• Ensure you’ve restarted Nautilus completely (nautilus -q followed by reopening).
• Check if the extension is enabled in GNOME Tweaks (install it with sudo apt install gnome-tweaks if necessary).
• Verify that all dependencies were installed correctly.

Terminal Not Updating When Changing Directories

If the terminal doesn’t sync with your current directory:

• Check your nautilus-terminal.conf file for any custom settings that might interfere with directory syncing.
• Ensure you have the latest version of Nautilus Terminal installed.
• Try reinstalling the extension using the pip command mentioned earlier.

Performance Issues or Crashes

If you experience slowdowns or crashes:

• Update your system and all installed packages.
• Check system logs for any error messages (journalctl -xe).
• Consider reporting the issue on the Nautilus Terminal GitHub page with detailed information about your system and the steps to reproduce the problem.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Nautilus. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing the Nautilus Terminal on the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Jammy Jellyfish system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official Nautilus website.