My avatar logoInom Turdikulov

Sep 10, 20234 min read

Tmux

tmux is a terminal multiplexer. It lets you switch easily between several programs in one terminal, detach them (they keep running in the background) and reattach them to a different terminal.
—  tmux Wiki

Tmux is my daily driver for terminals, CLI and code [[Neovim|editors].

Cheat sheet

  • List shortcuts::?
  • Copycat search::/
  • Reload config (without killing server)::r
  • Save environment:^s, be careful, it will overwrite your current environment
  • Restore environment:^r
  • List paste buffers::b
  • Choose which buffer to paste from, and paste from it::B
  • Paste from the top paste buffer::p
  • Paste into current buffer from clipboard::C-S-v (without prefix)
  • Documentation search (cheat.sh)::i
  • Big clock::t
  • Prompt for command:::

Sessions and windows

Sessions are the independent workspaces of Tmux.

  • Rename window (tab)::, (comma)

  • Rename session::$

  • New tmux session::tmux from command line or :new<CR> from tmux session.

  • New tmux session with name::tmux new -s myname or :new -s myname<CR>

  • Attach::tmux a (or at, or attach) or use tma alias. Optionally you can use session name (tma -t myname).

  • List sessions::tmux ls or use tml alias.

  • Kill specific session::tmux kill-session -t myname.

  • You can use ==tmux kill-server== to cleanly and gracefully kill all tmux open sessions (and server). Alternative is Q keybinding.

  • You can force kill all tmux processes with ==pkill -f --bind=enter:replace-query+print-querytmux==.

  • If you are inside a tmux session you would like to keep, use ==tmux kill-session -a== to close all other sessions.

  • Jump next and previous session::), (

  • Interactive window/session list.
    w, S. Use j and k to navigate, and switch by hitting <CR>.

  • Find window (changed to tmux-sessionizer)::^a

  • Create window (tab) with current path if configured::c

  • Previous window (custom binding, last-window)::C-6

  • Next window (tab)::C-n

  • Previous window (tab)::C-p

  • Move window to the left::P

  • Move window to the right::N

  • Kill window (tab)::X

  • Kill server::q

  • Detach::d

  • List and terminate clients:::list-clients, to terminate select and press q

Panes

  • Swap pane up, right, left, down::k, l, h, j

  • Select up, right, left, down pane::C-k, C-l, C-h, C-j

  • Move the current pane left::{

  • Move the current pane right::}

  • Open tmux context menu (RMB)::C->

  • Split horizontally/vertically::s, v

  • Make panes vertical, select layout even-vertical::+

  • Make panes horizontal, select layout even-horizontal::=

  • Last pane (back and forth)::C-w

  • Toggle pane zoom (maximize current pane, other panes are hidden)::o or z

  • Toggle between layouts::space

  • Swap window left::C-S-h, :swap-window -t -1; select-window -t -1

  • Swap window right:::swap-window -t +1; select-window -t +1

  • Do I need always use prefix to resize panes?
    No, if you strike key fast enough (to hold you need to configure repeat-time option).

  • Resize pane up (by 5)::M-Up

  • Resize pane down (by 5)::M-Down

  • Resize pane left (by 5)::M-Left

  • Resize pane right (by 5)::M-Right

  • Resize pane up (by 1)::C-Up

  • Resize pane down (by 1)::C-Down

  • Resize pane left (by 1)::C-Left

  • Resize pane right (by 1)::C-Right

  • Join pane::_ TODO: not actually working, need to investigate

  • Kill pane::x

  • Break pane into a window::-

Commands

  • Sync panes (show same text in all panes):::setw synchronize-panes

Copy mode

  • With this option set, we can use h, j, k, l, w, e, ^, $, etc. to move

  • around our buffer.

  • Enter copy mode::Enter

  • To get out of Copy mode, we just press the ==Enter== key (or y to yank

  • and exit).

  • Jump to character on same line::f

  • Back to indentation::^

  • Clear selection::Escape

  • Copy selection::Enter

  • Cursor down::j

  • Cursor left::h

  • Cursor right::l

  • Cursor to bottom line::L

  • Cursor to middle line::M

  • Cursor to top line::H

  • Cursor up::k

  • End of line::$

  • Goto line:::

  • Half page down::C-d

  • Half page up::C-u

  • Next page::C-f

  • Next word::w

  • Previous page::C-b

  • Previous word::b

  • Quit mode::q

  • Scroll down::C-Down or J

  • Scroll up::C-Up or K

  • Search again::n

  • Search backward::?

  • Search forward::/

  • Start of line::0

  • Start selection::Space

References

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Backlinks