Use for boot/persistent virtual-console keyboard/font config on systemd systems.
Research:
man vconsole.conf | col -b
man localectl | col -b
man systemd-vconsole-setup.service | col -b
State persistence and privilege needs before editing.
Palette / colors
Research:
man console_codes | col -b
man setterm | col -b
infocmp -1 linux | grep -E 'initc|oc|op|setaf|setab'
Linux console color behavior is not the same as graphical terminal emulators.
Verify palette, SGR, and reset behavior locally.
# Tools
## setterm
Use for terminal attributes and VT-specific controls.
Research:
```sh
man setterm | col -b
setterm --help
```
Common scopes:
- foreground/background/rendering attrs:
current terminal stream
- `--store`:
stored defaults for reset-to-default on virtual consoles
- blanking, bell, repeat, kernel messages:
virtual-console-specific controls
State exact scope before changing.
## loadkeys / dumpkeys / showkey / keymaps
Use for kernel console keyboard maps, not XKB/X11/Wayland.
Research:
```sh
man loadkeys | col -b
man keymaps | col -b
man dumpkeys | col -b
man showkey | col -b
dumpkeys | head
```
Critical scope:
`loadkeys` changes the kernel keymap used by virtual consoles; check local docs
for exact reach and permissions.
Rollback idea:
```sh
loadkeys --default
```
Verify with local docs before presenting as final rollback.
## setfont
Use for Linux console fonts and Unicode maps.
Research:
```sh
man setfont | col -b
ls /usr/share/kbd/consolefonts 2>/dev/null | head
```
Important:
- PSF fonts are common.
- Font/glyph choices can affect color availability.
- `-O` can save previous font/map.
- `-C` can target a console device; permissions vary.
## vconsole.conf / localectl / systemd-vconsole-setup
Use for boot/persistent virtual-console keyboard/font config on systemd systems.
Research:
```sh
man vconsole.conf | col -b
man localectl | col -b
man systemd-vconsole-setup.service | col -b
```
State persistence and privilege needs before editing.
## Palette / colors
Research:
```sh
man console_codes | col -b
man setterm | col -b
infocmp -1 linux | grep -E 'initc|oc|op|setaf|setab'
```
Linux console color behavior is not the same as graphical terminal emulators.
Verify palette, SGR, and reset behavior locally.