Configuration¶

Null Terminal uses a layered configuration system designed for both ease of use and security. Most settings can be modified directly within the application via the /settings or /config commands, or by manually editing the configuration files.

Configuration Overview¶

Null Terminal stores its state and settings in the ~/.null/ directory:

Settings Categories¶

Appearance¶

Customize the look and feel of the terminal interface. These settings are stored in config.json.

Editor¶

Settings for the input field and text interaction.

Terminal¶

Configure terminal behavior and session management.

AI Core Settings¶

Basic AI behavior. Detailed provider settings are stored securely in null.db.

Advanced Configuration¶

The config.json Structure¶

For users who prefer manual editing, ~/.null/config.json follows a nested structure.

{
  "appearance": {
    "theme": "null-dark",
    "font_family": "monospace",
    "font_size": 14,
    "line_height": 1.4,
    "show_timestamps": true,
    "show_line_numbers": true
  },
  "editor": {
    "tab_size": 4,
    "word_wrap": true,
    "auto_indent": true,
    "vim_mode": false
  },
  "terminal": {
    "shell": "/bin/bash",
    "scrollback_lines": 10000,
    "max_history_blocks": 100,
    "clear_on_exit": false,
    "confirm_on_exit": true,
    "auto_save_session": true,
    "auto_save_interval": 30,
    "cursor_style": "block",
    "cursor_blink": true,
    "bold_is_bright": true
  },
  "ai": {
    "provider": "ollama",
    "default_model": "",
    "active_prompt": "default",
    "context_window": 4000,
    "max_tokens": 2048,
    "temperature": 0.7,
    "stream_responses": true,
    "autocomplete_enabled": false
  }
}

Per-Provider Configuration¶

While general settings reside in config.json, sensitive data like API keys and specific model endpoints are stored in the null.db SQLite database and encrypted using system-level keyring or a local master key.

You can configure these via the UI using /provider <name> or /settings.

Security¶

Null Terminal prioritizes the safety of your local environment. Security settings control how the AI interacts with your system and tools.

You can also configure "dangerous" tools to always require manual confirmation in the /settings menu.

Keyboard Shortcuts¶

Null Terminal provides several global shortcuts to manage your workflow. You can view the full list in the Shortcuts Guide.

Theme Configuration¶

Null Terminal supports highly customizable themes. Themes are JSON files located in ~/.null/themes/.

• Switching Themes: Use the /theme command or press F3.
• Custom Themes: Place your .json theme files in the themes/ directory. They will be automatically detected on startup.

For a detailed guide on creating your own themes, see the Themes Documentation.

Environment Variables¶

The following environment variables are respected for default values:

Resetting Configuration¶

If you need to start fresh, you can reset specific parts of the configuration:

Reset UI Settings¶

To reset config.json only:

rm ~/.null/config.json
# Restart Null Terminal to regenerate defaults

Reset All Data (Caution)¶

To delete all settings, encrypted API keys, and session history:

rm -rf ~/.null/
# Warning: This is irreversible and will delete all stored secrets.