---
name: "urxvtc"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "rxvt-unicode"
version: "9.31-11"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/urxvtc"
---

# urxvtc(1)

control the urxvtd daemon

## NAME

urxvtc - control the urxvtd daemon

## SYNOPSIS

**urxvtc** \[same options as for urxvt\]

## DESCRIPTION

This manpage describes the **urxvtc** client program. It connects to the **urxvtd** daemon and requests a new terminal window. It takes the same arguments as the **urxvt** program. The environment will also be respected. Currently, it always returns immediately after contacting the daemon.

## OPTIONS

If the first option is **-k**, **urxvtc** tries to kill the daemon process and returns.

All options that are valid for **urxvt** are valid for **urxvtc**, too. Please note that options are interpreted in the context of the daemon process. However, as current working directory, process environment and any file descriptor (e.g. for `"-pty-fd"`) are preserved, this rarely makes a difference.

## EXIT STATUS

If everything went well, urxvtc returns with an exit status of `0`. If contacting the daemon fails, it exits with the exit status `2`. In all other error cases it returns with status `1`.

This can be used to implement auto-starting behaviour, by checking for an exit status of `2`, running `"urxvtd -f -q"` and retrying the call to urxvtc, like this:

```
   #!/bin/sh
   urxvtc "$@"
   if [ $? -eq 2 ]; then
      urxvtd -q -o -f
      urxvtc "$@"
   fi
```

## ENVIRONMENT

All environment variables of the current process will be made available to the new instance, and will be interpreted as if **urxvt** were started directly.

- **RXVT\_SOCKET**

  Both urxvtc and urxvtd use the environment variable *RXVT\_SOCKET* to create a listening socket and to contact the urxvtd, respectively. If the variable is missing, *$HOME/.urxvt/urxvtd-\<nodename\>* is used.  The variable must specify the absolute path of the socket to create.

## SEE ALSO

[urxvt(7)](/urxvt/7.md), [urxvtd(1)](/urxvtd/1.md)