Tmux

Tmux decouples your terminal session from the window. Detach, go home, SSH in, attach, and your cursor is exactly where you left it. v3.5 adds extended keys.

When to Use

• Remote Work: Mandatory for SSH. If connection drops, your run continues.
• Pair Programming: Two users can attach to the same session.
• Layouts: Run Editor, Server, and Logs in one window.

Core Concepts

Session / Window / Pane

Hierarchy: Session > Windows (Tabs) > Panes (Splits).

Prefix Key

Default Ctrl+b. Most users remap to Ctrl+a.

Plugins (TPM)

Tmux Plugin Manager. tmux-resurrect saves state across reboots.

Best Practices (2025)

Do:

• Use True Color: Ensure termguicolors works in Vim inside Tmux.
• Use tmux-sensible: Sets sane defaults (utf8, history limit).
• Script Layouts: Use tmuxinator to launch standard workspace layouts.

Don’t:

• Don’t nest tmux: Running tmux inside tmux is a path to madness.

References

• Tmux Wiki