Frequently asked questions

Question 1

What is lil-terminal?

Accepted Answer

lil-terminal is a compact PHP application that you upload as lil.php and open in a browser. Commands are implemented in PHP, so the terminal remains useful when the hosting provider does not provide SSH, a system shell, Composer or Node.js.

It is not a Bash emulator and does not depend on exec(). The command set focuses on practical hosting work: files, archives, code, databases, network checks, diagnostics and repeatable .lil workflows.

The core is intentionally small. You install only the modules you need, choose Base or Minimum packages and can generate a one-file self-extracting build in one of ten interface languages.

The same terminal can run as its own page or inside a floating window above your website.

Question 2

Who is lil-terminal for?

Accepted Answer

lil-terminal is useful to freelancers, agencies, hosting customers, maintainers of old sites and anyone who must repair or develop a project where SSH is unavailable or inconvenient.

Upload and edit files, inspect logs, create archives, run SQL, diagnose HTTP and DNS, compare source files, automate repetitive steps and recover a broken site without leaving the browser.

Question 3

How does it work without SSH?

Accepted Answer

The browser sends the command to `lil.php`. lil-terminal runs the matching built-in command or installed module as PHP with the same permissions as the website.

No system terminal is required. If a command needs an optional PHP extension, lil-terminal checks for it before use and reports the unavailable capability or uses a documented fallback where one exists.

lil-terminal cannot exceed the filesystem, database or network permissions granted to PHP by the hosting provider. It does not magically become root and does not bypass hosting isolation.

Question 4

What are the server requirements?

Accepted Answer

The maintained line targets PHP 8. The downloaded lil.php must be executable by the web server, and its directory must be writable during first-run extraction.

Individual modules may use ZipArchive, OpenSSL, cURL, IMAP, EXIF, mysqli or other PHP extensions. Missing optional extensions do not invalidate the whole terminal; only the related feature is unavailable.

A frozen PHP 7.4 build remains available for older hosting. It receives compatibility and critical security work, not the full stream of new features.

Question 5

How do I install lil-terminal for the first time?

Accepted Answer

Choose a preset and build options on the Download page. Upload the resulting file as lil.php into the project directory. Open that URL once; the compact loader verifies the package, writes the final files atomically and redirects to the terminal.

If authorization is enabled, enter the password selected during download. Change the default quick-build password immediately with auth -p.

A fresh bare no-auth core starts with only lil.php. Opt-in runtime state, such as saved database connections or persistent history, can later create .lil.key; authorized builds use the same protected file for the auth namespace. Toolkit builds create setup.lil only for the first setup; it is removed after all selected modules install successfully.

Question 6

How does authorization work?

Accepted Answer

An authorized build contains the LIL_AUTH class, and authorization itself stores only a password hash in the auth namespace of .lil.key. A no-auth build physically omits the authorization block; there is no hidden query switch or empty-password bypass. Other opt-in namespaces may use the same protected file for their own state.

The login prompt is hidden, secrets do not enter command history, the session ID changes after authentication and progressive lock policy can delay repeated failures.

Use authorization for every public or long-lived installation. No-auth is appropriate only inside an already protected environment or for short local work.

Question 7

How do I change the password?

Accepted Answer

Run auth -p while signed in. The browser opens a hidden secret prompt and the server atomically updates only the auth namespace inside .lil.key.

Existing authorization state is reset safely. Store no plaintext password in source code, URLs, browser history or deployment notes.

Question 8

Which download preset should I choose?

Accepted Answer

Web core keeps only the web-terminal foundation. Files & archives adds everyday filesystem, transfer and archive tools. Network focuses on HTTP, DNS, TCP, IP, geolocation and TLS. More specialized starting sets are available in the use-case catalog.

A preset only defines the initial installation. Modules remain independent packages, so changing the toolset later does not require downloading a new core.

Question 9

What is the difference between Base and Minimum?

Accepted Answer

install module installs the complete current package with local reference, all published modes and optional feature links.

install module -m installs a functional reduced package. It omits detailed local help and Base-only modes. The # @more marker directs help to help module -i, which fetches localized server reference on demand.

upgrade preserves the selected package edition. It does not silently replace Minimum with Base or the other way around.

Question 10

How do I install a module?

Accepted Answer

install help installs the current compatible Base release. On a clean core, the built-in bootstrap downloads the full Installer when needed and resumes the same request automatically.

Installer downloads metadata and source, checks core generation, dependencies, PHP syntax and method conflicts, then writes .lil.php through a temporary file and atomic rename.

`install dns pwd del` processes several Base modules from left to right. Spaces, commas and semicolons are accepted between module names. `uninstall dns pwd del` uses the same cycle for removal and reports every item independently, which is useful for declaring dependencies in a Run script.

Question 11

Can I install an exact version?

Accepted Answer

Generation 1 uses the `1.major.patch` format. The middle number marks a meaningful capability or contract change; the last number is used for compatible maintenance and refinement within that line. `install -v ` accepts only stable releases that the repository currently distributes. Releases predating the current audited baseline remain in history for reference and cannot be installed. New stable releases may remain available as exact-version targets.

Question 12

How do updates work?

Accepted Answer

upgrade -c analyzes every installed module without writing. upgrade help -c limits the check to one module.

upgrade replaces existing blocks, preserves Base or Minimum and keeps the original repository. A locally newer version is reported as Ahead and is not downgraded.

Missing hard dependencies may be installed through Installer. Existing dependency blocks are repaired or updated by Upgrade itself.

With run installed, upgrade -auto check adds a managed upgrade -c action to autoload.lil. It runs once after authorization, reports available updates and does not change modules. upgrade -auto update switches the managed action to a real update; upgrade -auto off removes it.

Automatic update is disabled by default. The managed block does not replace or delete unrelated startup commands, and upgrade -info reports the current mode without writing.

Question 13

How do I remove a module?

Accepted Answer

Installer removes only the selected extension block. It refuses to remove a core command, an active protected module or a hard dependency still required by another installed module.

To remove the complete terminal use kill. To remove only .lil.php use kill -install; the bootstrap core remains able to reinstall Installer.

Question 14

What is the PHP 7.4 build?

Accepted Answer

The PHP 7.4 package exists because a PHP 8 source file cannot even be parsed by the old runtime. It has its own frozen core, modules and UI routes.

The line does not automatically receive modern modules or interface work. Use it only when the hosting runtime cannot be upgraded.

Question 15

What is web-terminal integration?

Accepted Answer

Without integration, upload lil.php and open it directly. Embedding changes only how the terminal is opened; commands, PHP permissions and authorization remain the same.

JavaScript integration adds lil.js next to lil.php. Protected PHP integration moves the real terminal to a unique protected directory and gives you an exact PHP include plus an activation URL.

Neither mode grants extra filesystem or database access. Use HTTPS and terminal authorization just as you would for the standalone page.

Question 16

How do I connect the JavaScript web version?

Accepted Answer

For an installation in the document root, add to the shared site layout. If lil-terminal lives in a subdirectory, use the corresponding public path to lil.js. lil.js opens the sibling lil.php in a movable same-origin frame. It is only the browser integration layer; commands and authorization still belong to the terminal itself. This is convenient for development, admin areas and controlled sites. Because the lil.js URL is visible in page source, keep terminal authorization enabled.

Question 17

How does protected PHP integration work?

Accepted Answer

Choose Protected PHP integration with authorization enabled. First run creates a unique protected directory containing the terminal and its private web gateway; direct public access to that directory is blocked.

The setup page prints the exact PHP include for this installation. Paste it into the shared layout before page output. Until the browser session is activated, the include emits no terminal interface.

Open the generated activation URL once in the browser that should use the terminal. The token is removed from the visible URL, while normal terminal password authorization remains required.

Question 18

Is the web activation token a password?

Accepted Answer

Activation controls whether the protected site loader is exposed to this browser session. Terminal authorization controls whether someone can execute commands. One does not replace the other.

The bridge removes the token from the visible address after successful activation, but you should still avoid sharing it in screenshots, tickets or public logs. Rebuild the protected package if the token is exposed.

Question 19

Why does the web terminal use ⌃+Shift+L / ⌘+Shift+L?

Accepted Answer

Ctrl+L focuses the browser address bar and Ctrl+T opens a new tab, so a page cannot reliably take those shortcuts over. Adding Shift avoids the normal browser actions.

The shortcut works only on pages where web integration is loaded. It does not bypass activation, terminal authorization or hosting permissions.

Question 20

How does the floating window remember its position?

Accepted Answer

The window can be moved, resized, maximized, hidden without losing its live state, closed or reset to its default geometry.

Only display state such as size and position is kept in the browser cookie. Passwords, project files and terminal output are not stored there.

Question 21

How do I keep terminal output across site pages?

Accepted Answer

The normal terminal keeps browser command history, and a floating iframe keeps its live state while it is merely hidden. Neither requires persistent server-side recording.

Install history and run history -l on. The bounded transcript is stored in .lil.log.php and can be restored by another web-terminal window for the same installation.

Recording is off by default. Ordinary output may contain project data even though hidden secret prompts are excluded. Use history -l status to check it and history -l clear or history -l off when you no longer want the stored transcript.

Question 22

How does the code editor work?

Accepted Answer

The command opens a safe textarea even without downloaded assets. include -code -s adds the richer syntax layer without changing the PHP module.

⌃S / ⌘S saves without closing. Shift+Enter saves and closes. Escape closes without saving the current changes. There is no autosave on every keystroke.

Binary files are rejected, content is escaped and the current editor limit is 2 MiB.

Question 23

Are the documentation examples real?

Accepted Answer

The documentation repeatedly uses sandbox/config, data, logs, src, workspace and tmp so separate command pages form one understandable project workflow.

Interactive previews are deterministic demonstrations generated from allowlisted files. Editing the homepage code demo changes only the browser textarea; nothing is saved or executed on the server.

Question 24

How are filesystem operations protected?

Accepted Answer

Before touching the filesystem, lil-terminal normalizes the requested path, checks the permitted working area and handles symbolic links deliberately instead of following them blindly. A command must not silently escape the root in which it is allowed to work.

Deletion, replacement, extraction and bulk editing require the documented recursive, force or write mode. When an operation supports a safe preview, the preview is shown before anything is written.

Editors, Installer, Upgrade, key storage and many data commands write a temporary file first and then replace the target atomically. An interrupted request should not turn a valid file into a partially written one.

Question 25

How do ZIP, GZIP and TAR work without shell tools?

Accepted Answer

zip uses ZipArchive for ZIP containers and PHP gzip functions for single-file GZIP data. If ZipArchive is unavailable, the command reports that capability honestly.

tar uses PHP archive facilities for uncompressed TAR without invoking Unix tar.

Both modules reject absolute paths, traversal components and unsafe links before writing extracted entries. Source deletion occurs only after a successful result and requires del.

Question 26

Which databases can I work with from the terminal?

Accepted Answer

Install only the engines you use. mysql also covers MariaDB; postgresql, redis, sqlite and mongodb remain separate modules.

Common flags cover connection, database or namespace selection, structure, preview, search, export and backups. Text after : is always native to the selected engine.

Run db mysql, db postgresql, db redis, db sqlite or db mongodb once. db then forwards later operations to that installed driver without translating its language.

Question 27

What network diagnostics are available?

Accepted Answer

ping provides compact HTTP status, timing and redirect information. curl provides full request methods, headers, authentication, body submission and file saving.

dns resolves record types, tcp checks a port and optional TLS, ip classifies addresses and net inspects interfaces visible to PHP.

cert inspects remote certificates and supports controlled local certificate, key, CSR and PKCS#12 work through OpenSSL.

Question 28

Why should I download lil-terminal only from lil.dog?

Accepted Answer

lil-terminal is an administration tool by design: it can modify files, install PHP modules and work with hosting data. That power is useful only when you trust the code you are running. A repackaged copy from an unknown mirror can be changed in ways that are difficult to notice before installation.

Download lil-terminal from lil.dog and check the domain before saving or uploading the file. The official builder assembles the selected runtime, language, authorization mode and preset from the maintained project sources.

A matching filename or familiar interface is not proof of origin. If a file came from a forum attachment, file-sharing service, unofficial mirror or third-party bundle, obtain a fresh copy from lil.dog before using it on a real hosting account.

No administration tool can make every hosting environment risk-free. lil-terminal reduces avoidable risk with authorization options, path checks, atomic writes, explicit flags for operations that change data, release policy and documented fallbacks. The first security decision is still to run a copy whose origin you can verify.

Question 29

Is lil-terminal safe to leave on a production site?

Accepted Answer

Use an authorized build, a unique strong password, HTTPS, protected PHP web integration if embedding, and the smallest useful module set. Keep lil.php and .lil.key outside public listings.

Review installed modules, update through Upgrade, remove the terminal with kill when no longer needed and never share activation tokens or terminal URLs in public logs.

The project cannot compensate for a compromised hosting account, insecure application code or excessive filesystem permissions. It works inside the security boundary of the current PHP process.

Question 30

How does the built-in Installer bootstrap work?

Accepted Answer

On a clean Bare core, install help first adds Installer to .lil.php. The continuation state survives the reload, so the same request then installs Help without asking you to type it again.

Toolkit downloads no longer embed Installer, Run or Include just to start setup. The core reads the adjacent #lil setup.lil, bootstraps Installer through the same path, installs the selected modules and removes setup.lil only after the whole setup succeeds.

Question 31

Why does a command say “command not found”?

Accepted Answer

Run help to see installed commands, help -a to see the repository catalog and help aliases to inspect active aliases.

Install the canonical module name, not the alias. For example install dir enables both dir and ls.

Run install -l and inspect .lil.php permissions. After a successful write, lil-terminal invalidates stat and OPcache so the command appears on the next browser request.

With the Base interface, `@dns google.com` keeps its original command line visible. If DNS is absent, lil-terminal installs the current package and continues the same request without a full page reload.

Question 32

What if repo.lil.dog is unavailable?

Accepted Answer

The core and installed module code are local files. File, editor, database and other installed commands do not call the repository unless their own operation requires an external service.

install, upgrade, include assets and help -i needs repository connectivity. Retry later or use a deliberately configured compatible repository.

doctor checks repository connectivity and reports TLS, HTTP and PHP capability context without exposing secrets.

Question 33

What if the interface is blank or looks outdated?

Accepted Answer

lil.php contains a functional Base or Minimal interface. A missing .lil.css or .lil.js should not make the terminal unusable.

Run kill -include to remove local interface files, reload the page and then install the code interface package with include -code -s when the code editor is used.

The public website adds content hashes to its CSS and JavaScript URLs. For terminal-local assets, a hard reload may still be useful after replacing files manually.

Question 34

What if lil.php cannot write files?

Accepted Answer

The directory containing the self-extracting package must be writable by the PHP process long enough to create the final core, extension, key and setup files.

Commands can modify only paths writable by the same PHP account. Use stat, attr and doctor to understand actual permissions.

Prefer correct ownership and the narrowest practical permissions. Global 0777 is not a universal fix and can weaken isolation on shared hosting.

Question 35

Why are large files or outputs limited?

Accepted Answer

An unlimited directory walk, log read, editor buffer or network response can exhaust memory and make a shared account unresponsive.

Commands limit file size, line count, recursion depth, result count, wall time or output bytes according to the operation. Errors explain which limit was reached.

Use filters, depth options, head/tail modes, smaller archives or direct controlled download instead of forcing an unbounded browser response.

Question 36

How can I report a problem or support the project?

Accepted Answer

Use the Technical support form for questions and bug reports. Include the command, expected behavior, actual result, PHP version and whether the module is Base or Minimum. Never send passwords, database credentials or private keys.

USDT, Bitcoin and Ethereum addresses are published on the Support page and through help me. Donations are voluntary and fund development, testing and documentation.

Recommending lil-terminal to developers and hosting users is also meaningful support.

Question 37

Is personal use really free?

Accepted Answer

Personal, educational and hobby projects qualify when the work is not performed for an organization, a paying client or a revenue-generating operation.

Personal users receive the same production downloads and modules. The distinction is the permitted use, not a technically restricted build.

Question 38

What counts as commercial use?

Accepted Answer

Company websites, agency maintenance, paid freelance work, hosting support, nonprofit or public-sector operations and internal administration all require commercial licensing after evaluation.

An organization may need a license even when the particular website does not directly sell anything.

Question 39

How does the 40-day commercial evaluation work?

Accepted Answer

The period starts with the first commercial use by the organization or for a paid client project.

Purchase enough deployment licenses or stop commercial use and remove the installation. Reinstalling does not reset the period.

Question 40

How many licenses do we need?

Accepted Answer

Development and staging copies dedicated to the same licensed project are included.

Separate client projects, websites or hosting accounts in production require separate licenses.

Question 41

How are agencies and freelancers licensed?

Accepted Answer

The agency may use development and staging copies under the license assigned to that client project.

When responsibility transfers, the client may take over the deployment license or purchase a replacement.

Question 42

Is the commercial license perpetual?

Accepted Answer

There is no recurring subscription for the licensed generation.

A future incompatible core generation may be licensed separately and will never remove the right to keep using the purchased generation.

Question 43

Does lil-terminal use DRM or a license server?

Accepted Answer

Terminal commands, project files and credentials are not sent to a licensing server.

After payment, the organization receives order and license confirmation for its records.

Question 44

How do we order a commercial license?

Accepted Answer

The site does not collect card details. Billing, payment instructions and license delivery are confirmed using the supplied business email.

The reached tier price applies to every deployment in the order. Orders of 2,000 or more receive a custom quote.

Question 45

How do I copy the last terminal result with the keyboard?

Accepted Answer

The shortcut is intentionally contextual. Focus the lil-terminal command field, leave it empty, and press ⌃C on Windows/Linux or ⌘C on macOS. The terminal copies the last rendered command result to the clipboard. This is useful for hashes, paths, IP addresses, generated identifiers and other values that you want to reuse immediately.

If the command field contains text, ⌃C keeps the terminal’s existing cancel-input behavior instead of copying an older result. Copying selected text elsewhere on the page remains a normal browser action; lil-terminal does not globally replace the operating system shortcut.

The clipboard receives the last meaningful terminal result, not the command prompt. Structured column results are copied as tab-separated text, while plain results such as a SHA-256 digest are copied as-is. Help output can also become the most recent result.

With the command field focused and empty, Ctrl+S on Windows/Linux or Command+S on macOS runs `@history -o > history.log` and appends the last result to `history.log`. Add Shift to run the replace form with `-r`. In an editor, the ordinary save shortcut keeps its editor meaning. The desktop shortcut rail shows these actions; it is intentionally hidden on mobile.

Question 46

How do I save command output to a file?

Accepted Answer

`dns google.com > save.log` still prints the DNS result in the terminal and appends the same textual representation to `save.log` in the current lil-terminal directory. After the result, the terminal prints the resolved destination path. Repeating the command appends another result instead of deleting the earlier data.

Use `-r` after the destination to replace it: `dns gmail.com > save.log -r`. `-a` explicitly requests the default append mode. Quote a destination that contains spaces. The operator is handled by the core, so modules do not need separate export flags merely to preserve what they display.

Only redirectable textual results are written. Interactive editors, secret prompts, downloads and browser-control events are not converted into files. Commands that already use `>` inside their own grammar keep that syntax; redirection is recognized as the final output operator.

`history -o` returns the last redirectable textual result kept in the current PHP session. `history -o > history.log` saves it, and `history -o > history.log -r` replaces the file. The desktop Ctrl/Command+S shortcuts invoke these same commands.

In the current grammar, `>` is reserved for core output redirection. Commands that accept a value use `:`: `ini app.ini -w key : value`, `json app.json -w path : value`, `ses path : value`, `attr file key : value` and `db : SELECT ...`. This removes the ambiguous case and lets `command ... > file` mean the same thing everywhere. An older installed module is detected and produces a migration message instead of silently redirecting the wrong text.

Question 47

How do interface packages and customization work?

Accepted Answer

The core works with its own minimal interface and no extra files. include -lil installs the complete Base interface; include -css and include -js install its CSS and JavaScript parts separately.

The public catalog currently contains lil, hotkeys, code, evelynspink, xbig and xgeek. hotkeys adds desktop keyboard features, code adds syntax highlighting and the enhanced editor, while the style packages change appearance.

include shows installed packages and include -l lists the repository. Use -i to inspect, -u to remove and -v <version> for an exact release. Add -s to assemble persistent .lil.css and .lil.js instead of keeping new packages only in the current session.

Base modules can request their matching interface package. For example, Base code connects the code UI package after the PHP module is available. Minimum editions remain free of optional browser assets unless their metadata explicitly requires them.

Question 48

What are the system requirements for lil-terminal?

Accepted Answer

PHP 8, a modern browser and write access to the installation directory during first-run extraction are enough for the core. lil-terminal does not require SSH, Composer, Node.js or a system shell.

Large archives, images, uploads, hashes and structured data can need more memory, execution time and temporary disk space than the core itself. Individual modules also check the PHP extensions they require and report missing capabilities explicitly.

Frequently asked questions

About lil-terminal

Installation

Security and privacy

Modules and updates

Web terminal

Editor and development

Practical tasks

Troubleshooting

Support and feedback

Licensing