TMUX Guide

Introduction

TMUX (Terminal Multiplexer) is a powerful terminal management tool that allows you to run and manage multiple terminal sessions from a single window. It is particularly useful for developers and system administrators who need to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

Installation

To install TMUX on your system, use the following commands based on your operating system:

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install tmux

CentOS/RHEL:

sudo yum install tmux

macOS (using Homebrew):

brew install tmux

Basic Usage

Starting a TMUX Session

To start a new TMUX session:

tmux

To start a session with a specific name:

tmux new -s session_name

Detaching and Attaching to Sessions

To detach from the current TMUX session and return to the regular terminal:

Ctrl+b d

To list all active TMUX sessions:

tmux ls

To attach to a specific session:

tmux attach -t session_name

To attach to the last session you were working on:

tmux a

Creating and Managing Windows

To create a new window within a session:

Ctrl+b c

To switch between windows:

Ctrl+b n  # Next window
Ctrl+b p  # Previous window
Ctrl+b <window_number>  # Switch to a specific window by number

To rename the current window:

Ctrl+b ,

Creating and Managing Panes

To split the current window horizontally:

Ctrl+b "

To split the current window vertically:

Ctrl+b %

To navigate between panes:

Ctrl+b arrow_key  # Use arrow keys to navigate

To resize panes:

Ctrl+b :resize-pane -D  # Resize down
Ctrl+b :resize-pane -U  # Resize up
Ctrl+b :resize-pane -L  # Resize left
Ctrl+b :resize-pane -R  # Resize right

Synchronizing Panes

To send the same command to multiple panes simultaneously:

Enter command mode:

Ctrl+b :

Type:

setw synchronize-panes on

To turn off synchronization:

setw synchronize-panes off

Copy Mode

To enter copy mode:

Ctrl+b [

To scroll up and down:

Up/Down arrow keys or PgUp/PgDn

To start selecting text:

Space

To copy the selected text:

Enter

To paste the copied text:

Ctrl+b ]

Customizing TMUX

TMUX can be customized via the .tmux.conf file located in your home directory. Here are some common customizations:

Set prefix key to Ctrl+a:

set -g prefix C-a
unbind C-b
bind C-a send-prefix

Enable mouse support:

set -g mouse on

Change status bar color:

set -g status-bg colour235
set -g status-fg colour136

Useful Commands

Kill a specific window:

Ctrl+b &

Kill a specific pane:

Ctrl+b x

Kill a TMUX session:

tmux kill-session -t session_name

Conclusion

TMUX is an incredibly versatile tool that can greatly enhance your productivity by allowing you to manage multiple terminal sessions efficiently. With this guide, you should be able to get started with TMUX and use its basic features. As you become more comfortable with TMUX, you can explore its extensive customization options to tailor it to your workflow.