What is Tmux?
Tmux is a terminal multiplexer for Unix-like operating systems. It allows multiple terminal sessions to be accessed simultaneously in a single window. Tmux is useful for:
- Running multiple programs from one terminal window and switching between them easily
- Detaching and reattaching terminal sessions
- Splitting terminal windows horizontally and vertically
- Synchronizing input between multiple terminals
- Persisting sessions after disconnecting
Some key features of tmux include:
- Pane splitting - Split terminal windows into tabs and panes for simultaneous interaction
- Session management - Attach and detach sessions for flexible usage
- Copy mode - Scrollback buffer lets you copy text from previous output
- Window naming - Name windows and sessions for easy identification
- Scriptability - Automate and customize workflows with configuration files
Tmux is commonly used by developers, system administrators, and remote server users to manage multiple terminal sessions. It can increase productivity when working on the command line across multiple projects or servers. Tmux requires less system resources than having multiple terminal emulator instances open.