Real-World Workflows
Updated for tmux 3.6Professional use cases demonstrating how tmux solves real problems in development and operations. Understand the core concepts first for better context.
Verified Dec 2025 for tmux 3.6
10 min read
intermediate
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.