QvATPC - Terminal Process Controller

Overview

QvATPC is an open-source, Node.js-powered CLI tool that streamlines managing multiple development services. Run npm run demo to launch predefined terminals for back-end and front-end processes (e.g., Node.js, .NET, Python, Angular), all controlled from a single interface. Built for developers prototyping microservices or full-stack apps, it’s free under MIT and designed for quick, hands-on workflows.

Key Features

• Configurable Terminals: Define processes in demo_terminals.json (e.g., npm run dev, dotnet run).
• Port Management: Vacates ports on startup/quit with precise, awaitable steps and netstat checks.
• Process Control: Start, stop, restart, or list services with real-time status.
• Reliable Timing: Async process management ensures clean startup, shutdown, and port cleanup.
• Interactive CLI:
  • list: Shows all terminals, ports, and output status.
  • focus [idx]: Targets a terminal for commands.
  • start/stop/restart [idx]: Manages processes by index.
  • browse [idx/all]: Opens URLs in Chrome.
  • hide/show [idx]: Toggles output per terminal.
  • [any command]: Runs PowerShell commands in the focused terminal.
  • Port Management: Vacates ports on startup/quit via process termination and netstat checks.
  • Persistence: Ctrl+C detaches processes; relaunch cleans them up. Quit will stop the running processes.
• Colored Output: ANSI-styled logs for clarity, filterable per terminal.

Use Cases

• Full-Stack Dev: Run Node.js (npm run dev) and .NET (dotnet run) side by side.
• Microservices Testing: Manage multiple demo services in one terminal.
• Framework Demos: Spin up Angular, Vue, or React with a single command.

How It Stands Out

QvATPC blends terminal control with process management in a Node.js-first package. It’s simpler than tmux (no panes) and lighter than PM2 (no daemon), focusing on dev-stage flexibility with port cleanup and browser integration.

Get Started using the demo

• Clone: git clone https://github.com/QueasovanAlles/qvatpc
• Install: npm install
• Install all demo services : install dependencies in demo folder
• Run: npm run demo (uses demo_terminals.json)
• Predefine your Dev environment using empty_terminals

Practical example: Using QvATPC for "MyLoRe" project

Directory structure:

QvA/                    # projects folder
├── MyLoRe/            # project using services (eg. webserver)
└── QvaTPC/            # clone of this repo (demo content optional)

Launch command from projects folder:

# For MyLoRe project
node ./qvatpc/qva_tpc.js ./MyLoRe/mylore_terminals.json

# Generic format
node ./qvatpc/qva_tpc.js ./a_project/a_project_terminals.json

Terminal configuration:

• Use demo_terminals.json as reference
• Start new projects with empty_terminals.json template

Current State

QvATPC (v1.0.0, March 2025) by Queaso van Alles is a solid dev tool with a JSON-configurable future. It’s functional for small projects, with room for polish (e.g., error handling, docs). Contributions welcome!

Extra info

📖 Detailed guide: ABOUTDEMO.md
🎥 Quick demo: Watch on YouTube