What it does
tmux is a terminal multiplexer that lets users manage several terminal programs from one terminal connection. Sessions can keep running after detaching, while windows and panes divide work into manageable views. The project is part of OpenBSD and also maintains a portable version on GitHub for other operating systems.
Install tmux from your system package manager, start a session for a project, and create windows for tasks such as a development server, tests, and logs. Detach when you need to close the terminal connection, then reattach later to continue using the running session. The Getting Started guide explains the distinction between sessions, windows, and panes, which helps avoid treating each as the same kind of terminal split.
This is especially useful on remote machines where a connection may drop while a command should keep running. It does not replace a process supervisor for long-lived production services. The project’s portable GitHub repository identifies its licensing, and its wiki notes that OpenBSD CVS is the primary source repository while GitHub hosts the portable version.
Strengths
- The guide describes sessions, windows, and panes as distinct terminal structures.
- A session can be detached and reattached to preserve an interactive terminal workflow.
- The project documents OpenBSD CVS as primary source and GitHub as its portable version.
Watch out for
- tmux keeps interactive terminal sessions, but it is not a production process supervisor.
- The portable GitHub version may differ slightly from tmux in the OpenBSD base system.
Best for
- Keeping a development shell available across remote disconnects
- Organizing logs, tests, and interactive commands in terminal panes
Sources
- Getting Started | tmux/tmux Wiki (Oct 25, 2026)
- README | tmux/tmux (Oct 25, 2026)
- COPYING | tmux/tmux (Oct 25, 2026)
- Releases | tmux/tmux (Oct 25, 2026)