---
title: "ktm shell"
description: "Run interactive live shell commands on SIM cards and web agents, sending USSD, SMS, calls, or HTTP requests in real time."
sidebarTitle: "shell"
lastUpdated: "2026-09-23"
---

> **For AI agents:** the complete documentation index is at [llms.txt](/llms.txt). Append `.md` to any page URL for its markdown version.

{/* GENERATED FILE: do not edit by hand. Regenerate with: node scripts/generate.mjs */}

Shell — interactive live sessions on SIM cards and web agents

## Usage

```bash
ktm shell [flags]
```

## Subcommands

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="cancel" icon="angle-right" href="/cli/commands/shell/cancel">
    Cancel a pending or ongoing shell command
  </Card>
  <Card title="get" icon="angle-right" href="/cli/commands/shell/get">
    Get full shell command result
  </Card>
  <Card title="list" icon="angle-right" href="/cli/commands/shell/list">
    List recent shell actions (last 24h by default)
  </Card>
  <Card title="progress" icon="angle-right" href="/cli/commands/shell/progress">
    List pending and ongoing shell commands
  </Card>
  <Card title="send" icon="angle-right" href="/cli/commands/shell/send">
    Send a shell command to a device
  </Card>
  <Card title="types" icon="angle-right" href="/cli/commands/shell/types">
    List available shell action types
  </Card>
</Columns>

## Details

Send commands directly to devices and see results in real time.
Unlike tests, shell commands have no assertions — they fire a command and return the raw result.

Supported device types:
  SIM (owner_kind=S):      USSD, SMS, calls, data operations via cellular network
  Ethernet (owner_kind=E): HTTP API, ping, DNS, transfers via web agents

Smartphones are not supported — drive them through tests or the live device automation instead.

USSD sessions are stateful — dialing a shortcode opens a session, and sending menu
option numbers (1, 2, 3) navigates deeper into the menu tree. Sessions expire after
~30s of inactivity. Use --wait to see the menu text inline.

Some flows trigger asynchronous events (e.g. wait SMS after a USSD selection or API call).
Use 'shell list --from-date &lt;timestamp&gt;' to poll for new shells since your session started.

Note: SIM cards and web agents are shared resources. Active monitors run tests on the same
devices on a schedule. If a shell returns Blocked or Timeout unexpectedly, it may be resource
contention — wait 15-30s and retry. Use 'monitors toggle' to pause monitors if needed.

## Related

- [`ktm monitors toggle`](/cli/commands/monitors/toggle)

<Note>
  Global flags (`--output`, `--debug`, `--host`, …) apply to every command. See the [command reference overview](/cli/commands/overview).
</Note>

## What's next?

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="All commands" icon="terminal" href="/cli/commands/overview">
    Browse the full CLI reference.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Get started" icon="rocket" href="/cli/getting-started">
    Install the CLI and authenticate.
  </Card>
</Columns>