tmux

name	tmux
description	Expert tmux session, window, and pane management for terminal multiplexing, persistent remote workflows, and shell scripting automation.
category	development
risk	safe
source	community
date_added	2026-03-28
author	kostakost2
tags	["tmux","terminal","multiplexer","sessions","shell","remote","automation"]
tools	["claude","cursor","gemini"]

tmux — Terminal Multiplexer

Overview

tmux keeps terminal sessions alive across SSH disconnects, splits work across multiple panes, and enables fully scriptable terminal automation. This skill covers session management, window/pane layout, keybinding patterns, and using tmux non-interactively from shell scripts — essential for remote servers, long-running jobs, and automated workflows.

When to Use This Skill

• Use when setting up or managing persistent terminal sessions on remote servers
• Use when the user needs to run long-running processes that survive SSH disconnects
• Use when scripting multi-pane terminal layouts (e.g., logs + shell + editor)
• Use when automating tmux commands from bash scripts without user interaction

How It Works

tmux has three hierarchy levels: sessions (top level, survives disconnects), windows (tabs within a session), and panes (splits within a window). Everything is controllable from outside via tmux <command> or from inside via the prefix key (Ctrl-b by default).

Session Management

# Create a new named session
tmux new-session -s work

# Create detached (background) session
tmux new-session -d -s work

# Create detached session and start a command
tmux new-session -d -s build -x 220 -y 50 "make all"

# Attach to a session
tmux attach -t work
tmux attach          # attaches to most recent session

# List all sessions
tmux list-sessions
tmux ls

# Detach from inside tmux
# Prefix + d   (Ctrl-b d)

# Kill a session
tmux kill-session -t work

# Kill all sessions except the current one
tmux kill-session -a

# Rename a session from outside
tmux rename-session -t old-name new-name

# Switch to another session from outside
tmux switch-client -t other-session

# Check if a session exists (useful in scripts)
tmux has-session -t work 2>/dev/null && echo "exists"