tmux

The standard terminal multiplexer for splitting panes and keeping sessions alive after you disconnect.

Verified facts: 3 of 3
Alternatives ranked: 4
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About tmux

tmux is a terminal multiplexer: it runs inside any terminal and lets you create sessions with multiple windows and split panes, switch between them with keyboard shortcuts, and detach from a session so it keeps running in the background, then reattach later from the same or a different terminal. That makes it essential for working on remote servers over SSH, where a dropped connection would otherwise kill your work, and many developers also use it locally to organise projects. It is highly configurable through a config file, scriptable from the command line, and has a large ecosystem of plugins, themes and session managers. tmux runs on Linux, macOS, the BSDs and other Unix-like systems, including WSL on Windows. It is free under the ISC licence. Default key bindings are unintuitive and configuration takes effort, which is why some people prefer Zellij.

Best for: Anyone working on remote servers who needs sessions that survive disconnects.

What works

Sessions survive disconnects and can be reattached
Works in any terminal and over SSH
Huge ecosystem of configs and plugins

Why people leave

Unintuitive default key bindings
Configuration takes time to learn
No native Windows version outside WSL

Top tmux alternatives

See all 4

1
Zellij
Friendlier multiplexer with discoverable shortcuts, layouts and plugins.
66.5
2
WezTerm
Terminal with a built-in multiplexer and SSH domains.
62.6
3
kitty
Built-in tabs and layouts if you only need tiling locally.
59.6
4
Terminator
Graphical grid of terminals with broadcast input.
57.2

Why people left tmux

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

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tmux: common questions

Is tmux free?

Yes. tmux is free, open-source software.

Is tmux open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at tmux/tmux.

What platforms does tmux run on?

tmux is available for Linux and macOS.

What are the best alternatives to tmux?

The highest-ranked tmux alternatives right now are Zellij, WezTerm and kitty. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 4 tmux alternatives

tmux facts

3 of 3 verified

License: ISC; Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab); “License: ISC (ISC License).”
Type: Terminal multiplexer; Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab); “tmux is a terminal multiplexer.”
Detach and reattach: Yes; Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab); “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.”