tmux Command on Linux: Multiplex Terminal with Panels and Sessions

The tmux command in Linux is another terminal multiplexer, like the screen. It allows multiple terminals to be created, accessed, and controlled from a single window. 

Just like screen, tmux can be detached from the terminal and continue running, and then reattached to the terminal.

As soon as tmux is executed, it creates a session with a single window and displays it on the terminal screen. A status bar is displayed at the bottom of the terminal indicating the current session.

A session is nothing more than a set of pseudo-terminals controlled by tmux with one or more windows. Windows can occupy the entire screen, or be divided into one or more rectangular panes. Each window will be a pseudo-terminal.

If all sessions are terminated, tmux also terminates.

tmux accepts commands through the Ctrl b key combination.

Once in command mode, the most common options are:

• ; Switches to the previous pane
• c Creates a new window
• d Detaches from the client
• n Switches to the next window
• p Switches to the previous window
• x Kills the current pane
• " Splits the window horizontally
• % Splits the window vertically

To start tmux:

$ tmux

To create a new window with horizontal split, you should type Ctrl b, followed by the single quote "  : 

Tmux with two horizontal windows

Keyboard arrows can also be used to switch between panes. 

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