Boost Your Productivity with Tmux

Create Multiple Windows, Attach/Detach and Commonly Used Shortcut Keys

If you are a developer or system administrator who spends a lot of time working in the terminal, you know the importance of having an efficient workflow. Tmux is a powerful terminal multiplexer that can help you boost your productivity and make your workflow more efficient. In this article, we will explore how to use Tmux to create multiple windows, attach/detach and commonly used shortcut keys.

What is Tmux?

Tmux is a terminal multiplexer that allows you to run multiple terminal sessions within a single terminal window. It enables you to detach and reattach terminal sessions, so you can keep working even if you have to leave your computer. With Tmux, you can also create multiple windows, each with its own set of terminal sessions.

Getting started with Tmux

To get started with Tmux, you need to install it on your system. Tmux is available for most Unix-based systems, including Linux, macOS, and BSD. You can install Tmux using your system's package manager. For example, on Ubuntu, you can install Tmux by running the following command:

sudo apt-get install tmux

Creating windows and panes

Once you have installed Tmux, you can start using it by running the tmux command in your terminal. This will create a new Tmux session with a single window. You can create additional windows by pressing Ctrl-b c. This will create a new window with a shell prompt. You can switch between windows by pressing Ctrl-b n or Ctrl-b p.

Tmux also allows you to split a window into multiple panes. You can split a window vertically by pressing Ctrl-b % or horizontally by pressing Ctrl-b ". This will create two panes with separate shell prompts. You can switch between panes by pressing Ctrl-b arrow keys.

Attaching and detaching sessions

One of the most powerful features of Tmux is the ability to detach and reattach sessions. This allows you to keep working even if you have to leave your computer or switch to a different terminal. To detach a session, you can press Ctrl-b d. This will detach the current session and return you to the shell prompt.

To reattach a detached session, you can run the tmux attach command followed by the name or ID of the session. You can list all available sessions by running the tmux ls command. This will show you a list of all running Tmux sessions with their names and IDs.

Commonly used shortcut keys

Tmux has a wide range of shortcut keys that can help you work more efficiently. Here are some of the most commonly used shortcut keys:

• Ctrl-b c: Create a new window.

• Ctrl-b n: Switch to the next window.

• Ctrl-b p: Switch to the previous window.

• Ctrl-b %: Split the current window vertically.

• Ctrl-b ": Split the current window horizontally.

• Ctrl-b arrow keys: Switch between panes.

• Ctrl-b d: Detach the current session.

• tmux attach -t [session name or ID]: Reattach a detached session.

• tmux ls: List all running sessions.

Conclusion

Tmux is a powerful terminal multiplexer that can help you boost your productivity and make your workflow more efficient. With Tmux, you can create multiple windows and panes, detach and reattach sessions, and use a wide range of shortcut keys to work more efficiently. If you spend a lot of time working in the terminal, Tmux is definitely worth checking out.