Interactive Shell

The most common way to use Eshell is via an interactive shell. You can start this via the eshell command:

Command: eshell &optional arg

Start a new interactive Eshell session, or switch to an already active session. The exact behavior depends on the value of arg (interactively, the prefix argument):

nil or omitted

Start or switch to the default Eshell session. This is the behavior when typing M-x eshell RET.

a number

Start or switch to the Eshell session with the specified number (e.g. ‘*eshell*<2>’).

anything else

Start a new Eshell session, no matter if another one already exists.