tmux — Terminal Multiplexer for Sessions, Windows, Panes

What tmux Does

• Sessions — top-level containers with multiple windows
• Windows — full-screen tabs inside a session
• Panes — splits inside a window
• Detach/attach — keep sessions running in background
• Scripting — tmux send-keys to drive panes
• Copy mode — navigate scrollback, select, copy
• Customization — .tmux.conf for prefix, status bar, colors
• Plugins — via TPM (tmux plugin manager)

Architecture

tmux runs a server process that owns sessions. Clients (terminals) attach to the server. Multiple clients can attach to the same session for mirror/pair sessions. State persists across client disconnects.

Self-Hosting

CLI tool.

Key Features

• Sessions survive logout/SSH disconnect
• Multiple windows + panes
• Copy mode with vi or emacs keybinds
• Scriptable via CLI
• Customizable status bar
• Plugin ecosystem (TPM)
• Works over ssh and mosh
• Synchronized panes for running same cmd in multiple

Comparison

FAQ

Q: Learning curve? A: Remember the prefix (default Ctrl+b) plus 10 shortcuts and you'll cover the basics. Pick up advanced features (resize, copy mode, macros) as you need them.

Q: How does it compare to Zellij? A: Zellij is more modern (Rust, batteries-included UI, layout presets), but tmux has a more mature ecosystem and a more stable server.

Q: What if my SSH drops? A: This is exactly where tmux shines. Run tmux new -s main, start your task; if it drops, ssh back in and tmux attach -t main — everything is exactly as you left it.

Sources & Credits

• GitHub: https://github.com/tmux/tmux
• License: ISC