# Console & Power Actions

> How to view server output, control your server with power actions, and run shell commands in the Console.

The **Console** tab in the Portal is your real-time window into your running server. It streams output as it happens and provides buttons to start, stop, restart, or forcefully kill your server.

## What you'll learn

- How to view live server output
- How to use power actions (Start, Stop, Restart, Kill)
- How to send shell commands in the console

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## Viewing Live Output

Once your server is running, the Console tab streams its output in real time. Use it to:

- Confirm that your application started successfully
- Read startup errors and stack traces
- Monitor live log output

If your server starts and immediately crashes, the console output almost always shows why.

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## Power Actions

| Action | Effect |
| :--- | :--- |
| **Start** | Starts the server |
| **Stop** | Sends a graceful stop signal to the running process |
| **Restart** | Stops the server and starts it again |
| **Kill** | Immediately and forcefully terminates the process |

Use **Kill** only when the server is completely unresponsive and won't stop with the normal Stop button.

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## Sending Shell Commands

By default, the console input box sends text to your application's stdin — useful for game servers or custom CLI interfaces. To run arbitrary shell commands instead (e.g., `ls`, `node --version`, `pip install requests`), you first need to configure your server to accept them.

### How to enable shell command input

1. Go to the **Startup** tab of your server.
2. Change the **Startup Command** to `bash`.
3. Return to the **Console** tab and click **Restart**.

After restarting, the console input accepts shell commands directly.

> **Warning:** With the startup command set to `bash`, your application will **not** start automatically. You must run it manually from the console, or restore your original startup command when you are done. See [Startup Settings](https://daki.cc/wiki/guides/startup-settings).

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## Troubleshooting Common Issues

**Server crashes immediately on start**

Check the console output for error messages. Common causes:
- Wrong startup command (wrong filename or wrong syntax)
- Missing entry point file (upload your files first)
- Incorrect Docker image version
- Missing dependencies (try running `npm install` or `pip install -r requirements.txt` manually via `bash` mode)

See [Startup Settings](https://daki.cc/wiki/guides/startup-settings) and [File Manager](https://daki.cc/wiki/guides/file-manager).

**Console shows no output at all**

Your application may be writing logs to a file instead of stdout. Check if a log file exists in the file manager. Some frameworks require a specific flag to enable console output (e.g., disabling silent mode).

**I can't type in the console input box**

Make sure your server is running (green status). The console input is only active while the server process is alive.

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## Next Steps

- [Startup Settings](https://daki.cc/wiki/guides/startup-settings) — Fix your startup command or Docker image.
- [File Manager](https://daki.cc/wiki/guides/file-manager) — Upload missing files.
- [Troubleshooting](https://daki.cc/wiki/guides/troubleshooting) — More help for common problems.

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Source: https://daki.cc/wiki/guides/console