# Interactive Web Terminals

> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/50144) in GitLab 11.3.

Interactive web terminals give the user access to a terminal in GitLab for
running one-off commands for their CI pipeline. Since this is giving the user
shell access to the environment where [GitLab Runner](https://docs.gitlab.com/runner/) 
is deployed, some [security precautions](../../administration/integration/terminal.md#security) were
taken to protect the users.

NOTE: **Note:**
[Shared runners on GitLab.com](../quick_start/README.md#shared-runners) do not
provide an interactive web terminal. Follow [this
issue](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/52611) for progress on
adding support. For groups and projects hosted on GitLab.com, interactive web
terminals are available when using your own group or project runner.

## Configuration

Two things need to be configured for the interactive web terminal to work:

- The Runner needs to have [`[session_server]` configured
  properly](https://docs.gitlab.com/runner/configuration/advanced-configuration.html#the-session_server-section)
- If you are using a reverse proxy with your GitLab instance, web terminals need to be
  [enabled](../../administration/integration/terminal.md#enabling-and-disabling-terminal-support)

## Debugging a running job

NOTE: **Note:** Not all executors are
[supported](https://docs.gitlab.com/runner/executors/#compatibility-chart).

NOTE: **Note:** The `docker` executor does not keep running
after the build script is finished. At that point, the terminal will automatically
disconnect and will not wait for the user to finish. Please follow [this
issue](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-runner/issues/3605) for updates on
improving this behavior.

Sometimes, when a job is running, things don't go as you would expect, and it
would be helpful if one can have a shell to aid debugging. When a job is
running, on the right panel you can see a button `debug` that will open the terminal
for the current job.

![Example of job running with terminal
available](img/interactive_web_terminal_running_job.png)

When clicked, a new tab will open to the terminal page where you can access
the terminal and type commands like a normal shell.

![terminal of the job](img/interactive_web_terminal_page.png)

If you have the terminal open and the job has finished with its tasks, the
terminal will block the job from finishing for the duration configured in
[`[session_server].terminal_max_retention_time`](https://docs.gitlab.com/runner/configuration/advanced-configuration.html#the-session_server-section) until you
close the terminal window.

![finished job with terminal open](img/finished_job_with_terminal_open.png)
