Install and Use Tmux on Ubuntu

Why use Tmux

• Session management. Run many terminals in one window.
• Persistence. Sessions keep running after you disconnect from SSH.
• Custom setup. You can change keys and looks.
• Efficiency. Split the screen to see several things at once.

Install Tmux

Update the package list:

sudo apt update

Install Tmux:

sudo apt install tmux

Check the version:

tmux -V

The basics

• A session is one Tmux instance.
• A window is a tab inside a session.
• A pane is a split part of a window.

Basic commands

Start a session

tmux

Detach

Press Ctrl+b, then d. The session keeps running in the background.

Attach again

tmux attach

List sessions

tmux ls

Useful keys (press Ctrl+b first)

• c creates a new window.
• n and p go to the next and previous window.
• % splits the pane left and right.
• " splits the pane top and bottom.
• x closes the current pane.

Quick recap

• Install with sudo apt install tmux.
• Detach with Ctrl+b d and return with tmux attach.