Aspire terminals

Aspire sample

TypeScript AppHost

Clone, run, and explore this sample

Use interactive tools alongside your application without installing them on the host, copying connection strings, or leaving the Aspire dashboard.

C#DashboardDatabasesRedisTypeScript

View on GitHub Browse all samples

AppHost

The entry point that composes every resource and dependency in this sample's distributed application.

View on GitHub

import { createBuilder } from './.aspire/modules/aspire.mjs';

const builder = await createBuilder();

// No persistent volume: use disposable data. The authenticated Redis REPL is for trusted dashboard users only.
const redis = await builder.addRedis('redis').withRepl();

// Local demo: anyone who can reach this unauthenticated HTTP API can read, replace, or delete demo notes.
const api = await builder.addNodeApp('api', './api', 'src/index.ts')
    .withEnvironment('NODE_OPTIONS', '--import tsx --import ./src/instrumentation.ts')
    .withHttpEndpoint({ env: 'PORT' })
    .withHttpHealthCheck({ path: '/health' })
    .withReference(redis)
    .withOtlpExporter()
    .waitFor(redis);

await builder.addDockerfile('slumber', './slumber')
    .withEnvironment('BASE_URL', api.getEndpoint('http'))
    .waitFor(api)
    .withTerminal();

await builder.build().run();

Sample	AppHost	API	Terminal features
C# basics	File-based C#	ASP.NET Core	`WithTerminal()` and Redis `WithRepl()`
TypeScript basics	TypeScript	Express/TypeScript	`withTerminal()` and Redis `withRepl()`
Terminal automation	File-based C#	ASP.NET Core	Drive Slumber with `SendKeyAsync` / `WaitForTextAsync`, verify CRUD, handle repeat runs
Custom docked SQL REPL	File-based C#	rqlite HTTP API	Custom container resource and `TerminalService` / `TerminalPlacement.Dock`

Each basic sample is standalone: its own API, Redis database, Dockerfile, and saved request collection. Both demonstrate the same round trip: create a note in a REST terminal UI, edit its underlying Redis value in a REPL, then read the changed value through the API.

The automation sample reuses the C# basic sample's API and Slumber image source, but launches its own resources and supplies a separate request collection. The custom REPL sample is independent and uses rqlite's official image and SQL shell. Each sample has its own AppHost and can run separately.

Two different terminal experiences

Slumber runs as the main process of a container. WithTerminal() / withTerminal() makes that process interactive in the dashboard's console view, including keyboard input and terminal resizing.

Redis continues running as a normal server. WithRepl() / withRepl() adds an on-demand REPL resource action that launches an authenticated redis-cli terminal. It does not attach interactive input to the Redis server process.

The REST client is Slumber, an MIT-licensed Rust application with YAML request collections and environment substitution. The basic samples package checksum-verified Slumber 5.3.0 binaries for Linux ARM64/AMD64 in a non-root container, with Vim as the default editor. No host Slumber or Vim installation is required.

Aspire version

These samples use the released Aspire 13.6.0 CLI and packages, matching the repository.

Install the matching CLI using the root installation instructions. Packages restore from NuGet.org without staging feeds or sample-specific NuGet configuration.

The terminal APIs remain experimental in Aspire 13.6.0, but terminal CLI commands no longer require a feature flag. When updating, align the CLI and package versions across the repository and repeat the interactive walkthroughs.

These are local-development examples, not deployment samples. Only give trusted users dashboard access: the Redis and SQL REPLs grant database access. Data is disposable, and the HTTP APIs deliberately have no application authentication.