terminal handler

In computing, a terminal handler is a process within an operating system that manages user interaction through a terminal. This allows users to enter commands and receive results directly from the computer.1

Terminals, in a computing context, are devices that combine a keyboard for input and a display for output, enabling data entry and retrieval from a computer system. The development of time-sharing systems in early computing necessitated terminal handlers to manage these direct user interactions. These handlers work alongside mechanisms like interrupts and buffers to ensure smooth data flow and prompt responses from the operating system.21