The terminal,
multiplied.
Learn the shortcuts, keep remote work running, and build a terminal setup that fits your workflow. Free guides and tools, ready when you need them.
What are you working on?
Browse workflows →What is tmux?
tmux is a free, open-source terminal multiplexer. It lets one terminal window hold many shells at once, split side by side or kept in tabs, and it keeps them running in the background even after you close the window or lose your SSH connection. Come back later, type tmux attach, and everything is exactly where you left it.
It runs on Linux, macOS, the BSDs, and Windows through WSL, and it is in the package manager of every major Linux distribution. Developers use it to keep an editor, a dev server, and tests on one screen; system administrators use it so long jobs on remote machines survive a dropped connection.
How it is organized
- Sessions
- A whole workspace, usually one per project. Detach from it and it keeps running; attach again from any terminal.
- Windows
- Like browser tabs inside a session. Each one fills the screen and has a name in the status bar.
- Panes
- Splits inside a window. Each pane is its own terminal, so you can watch logs next to your editor.
Every action starts with the prefix key, Ctrl+b by default: press it, let go, then press a command key. Ctrl+b c opens a window and Ctrl+b % splits the screen. Read the core concepts →
Start here
- 1
Install tmux
One command with Homebrew, apt, dnf, or pacman, plus notes for WSL and building from source.
- 2
Your first session
A 15-minute walkthrough: the prefix key, windows, splits, and detaching and reattaching.
- 3
Practice the keys
Guided lessons in your browser that wait for you to press the right shortcut.
- 4
Make it yours
Build a .tmux.conf with mouse support, better splits, and a clean status bar.
- 5
Look things up
A cheat sheet of default keys and a reference for 41 commands, checked against tmux 3.7.
- 6
Fix a problem
Answers for broken colors, clipboard trouble, SSH sessions, and keys that don't work.
Why tmux?
Keep processes running through disconnects and organize your terminal around the work in front of you.
Persistent Sessions
Detach and reattach without losing work.
Run long-running processes on remote servers, disconnect SSH, and reconnect days later while the server and processes are still running. Sessions survive network drops and detaching; a server reboot ends the running processes.
Window Management
Resource Efficient
Fully Configurable
Plugin Ecosystem
Extend functionality with TPM. Save sessions, copy to clipboard, and more.
Questions people ask first
Is tmux free?
Yes. tmux is open-source software under the ISC license, maintained on GitHub, and available in every major package manager. Everything on this site is free to read too.
Does tmux keep my programs running after a reboot?
No. tmux keeps programs running when you disconnect or close your terminal, but restarting the machine ends every session. Plugins such as tmux-resurrect can recreate your windows and panes afterwards.
tmux or screen?
Both keep sessions alive. tmux has easier splitting, a more flexible configuration, and active development, which is why most new setups choose it. Our comparison covers GNU screen and Zellij in detail.
Do I need to configure it before using it?
No. The defaults work well, and you can learn the basics with no config at all. Most people add a few lines later, such as mouse support and a longer scrollback.
More answers in the FAQ and the tmux vs screen vs Zellij comparison.
Ready to become a power user?
Practice the shortcuts, look up a command, or build a configuration you can take back to your own terminal.