---
name: "fgconsole"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "kbd"
version: "2.10.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/fgconsole"
---

# fgconsole(1)

print the number of the active VT.

## NAME

fgconsole - print the number of the active VT.

## SYNOPSIS

**fgconsole** \[*options*\]

## DESCRIPTION

If the active Virtual Terminal is */dev/ttyN*, then prints *N* on standard output.

If the console is a serial console, then "serial" is printed instead.

## OPTIONS

- **-n**, **--next-available**

  Will show the next unallocated virtual terminal. Normally 6 virtual terminals are allocated, with number 7 used for X; this will return "8" in this case.

- **-C**, **--console**=*DEV*

  the console device to be used.

- **-V**, **--version**

  print version number.

- **-h**, **--help**

  print this usage message.

## NOTES

Under *devfs*, the consoles are in */dev/vc/N*. *devfsd* may maintain symlinks for compatibility.

## AUTHORS

Andries Brouwer \<aeb@cwi.nl\>\
 Manpage by Alastair McKinstry \<mckinstry@computer.org\>

## SEE ALSO

[**chvt**(1)](/chvt/1.md), [**deallocvt**(1)](/deallocvt/1.md), [**openvt**(1)](/openvt/1.md)