Real-World Workflows
Updated for tmux 3.4Professional use cases demonstrating how tmux solves real problems in development and operations. Understand the core concepts first for better context.
Last updated: January 23, 2025
1. DevOps & Infrastructure Management
Managing multiple servers and monitoring systems
- ✓Server Monitoring: Split window into a 2x2 grid with
htop,iftop, log tailing, and a command prompt. - ✓Multi-Server Admin: Use
synchronize-panes(see advanced features) to runapt updateon 4 servers simultaneously. - ✓Production Support: Keep a persistent session on the jump host to quickly access production without re-authenticating.
2. Software Development
Turning the terminal into an IDE
- ✓IDE Layout: Vim/Neovim on the left (80%), terminal/test runner on the right (20%).
- ✓Context Switching: One session for "Backend", one for "Frontend". Switch instantly with
Ctrl+b s. - ✓TDD Loop: Use
tmux send-keysfrom your editor to trigger tests in the adjacent pane automatically.
Create a script (e.g., dev.sh) to automate your setup. Check the configuration guide for more automation tips.
bash
#!/bin/bash
tmux new-session -d -s dev -n "editor"
tmux send-keys -t dev "vim" C-m
tmux new-window -t dev -n "server"
tmux send-keys -t dev "npm run dev" C-m
tmux attach -t dev3. Data Science & Long-Running Tasks
Never lose your training progress
- ✓Model Training: Start a 12-hour training run on a remote GPU instance, detach, and check back later.
- ✓Jupyter Persistence: Keep Jupyter Notebook servers running in a background session.
- ✓Remote Visualization: Use SSH tunneling in one window while monitoring Tensorboard in another.