CONSOLE Section: Linux Programmer's Manual (4) Updated: October 31, 2025 Index   NAME console - console terminal and virtual consoles   DESCRIPTION A Linux system has up to 63 virtual consoles (character devices with major number 4 and minor number 1 to 63), usually called /dev/ttyn with 1 < n < 63. The current console is also addressed by /dev/console or /dev/tty0, the character device with major number 4 and minor number 0. The device files /dev/* are usually created using the script MAKEDEV, Before kernel version 1.1.54 the number of virtual consoles was compiled into the kernel (in tty.h: #define NR_CONSOLES 8) and could be changed by editing and recompiling. Since version 1.1.54 virtual consoles are created on the fly, as soon as they are needed. to start a process on the console; (c) start X - it will find the first unused console, and display its output there. Common ways to switch consoles are: (a) use Alt+Fn or Ctrl+Alt+Fn to switch to console n; AltGr+Fn might bring you to console n+12 [here Alt and AltGr refer to the left and right Alt keys, respectively]; (b) use Alt+RightArrow or Alt+LeftArrow to cycle through key combinations are according to the default settings.) will free the memory taken by the screen buffers for consoles that no longer have any associated process.   PROPERTIES Consoles carry a lot of state. I hope to document that some other time. The most important fact is that the consoles simulate vt100 terminals. In particular, a console is reset to the initial state by printing the two characters ESC c. All escape sequences can be found in   FILES /dev/console /dev/tty*   SEE ALSO   Index NAME DESCRIPTION PROPERTIES FILES SEE ALSO This document was created by using the manual pages. Time: 12:11:42 GMT, March 24, 2025