The isCOBOL GraphicalTerminal, included with the isCOBOL Runtime Environment, enables users signing in with an SSH based terminal emulator such as PuTTY to launch graphical applications from the command line without an X Server or X Desktop client software. This provides applications with access to a user's environment variables and home directory, and the ability to call external programs (e.g. with CALL "SYSTEM") that can use the terminal emulator for stdin, stout and stderr.

The isCOBOL GraphicalTerminal includes a client-side component, the isCOBOL ClientListener.