Session ($id): Named container of windows, persists after detach
Window (@id): Tab-like container of panes within a session
Pane (%id): Individual terminal within a window
Client: Terminal attached to a session
Router
User says
Load reference
Do
list sessions / status
references/session-management.md
inspect sessions
new session / create session
references/session-management.md
create session
attach / detach
references/session-management.md
attach/detach
kill session
references/session-management.md
terminate session
new window / create window
references/window-management.md
create window
rename window
references/window-management.md
rename window
kill window / close window
references/window-management.md
close window
switch window
references/window-management.md
navigate windows
split / new pane
references/pane-management.md
split pane
resize pane
references/pane-management.md
resize pane
move pane / swap pane
references/pane-management.md
rearrange panes
kill pane / close pane
references/pane-management.md
close pane
layout
references/layouts.md
apply/manage layouts
copy / paste / buffer
references/copy-mode.md
copy mode operations
config / tmux.conf / settings
references/configuration.md
configure tmux
keybind / bind / unbind
references/keybindings.md
key bindings
script / automate / send-keys
references/scripting.md
scripting/automation
capture / log / output
references/scripting.md
capture pane content
help / keys / cheatsheet
inline
show key reference
Default Key Bindings (Prefix: C-b)
Session
Key
Action
d
Detach from session
s
List/switch sessions
$
Rename session
( / )
Previous/next session
Window
Key
Action
c
Create window
&
Kill window (confirm)
,
Rename window
0-9
Switch to window N
n / p
Next/previous window
l
Last window
w
List windows
f
Find window
Pane
Key
Action
%
Split horizontally (left/right)
"
Split vertically (top/bottom)
x
Kill pane (confirm)
o
Cycle panes
q
Show pane numbers
z
Toggle zoom
{ / }
Swap pane left/right
!
Break pane to window
Arrows
Navigate panes
Space
Cycle layouts
C-o
Rotate panes
Copy Mode
Key
Action
[
Enter copy mode
]
Paste buffer
=
Choose paste buffer
#
List buffers
Quick Reference
# Session
tmux new -s name # Create named session
tmux attach -t name # Attach to session
tmux ls # List sessions
tmux kill-session -t name # Kill session
# Window
tmux new-window -n name # Create named window
tmux select-window -t :N # Go to window N
tmux rename-window name # Rename current window
# Pane
tmux split-window -h # Split horizontal
tmux split-window -v # Split vertical
tmux select-pane -t :.N # Go to pane N
tmux resize-pane -D 5 # Resize down 5 lines
# Info
tmux list-keys # All key bindings
tmux info # Server info
Safety Rules
Confirm before kill: Always confirm before kill-session, kill-window, kill-pane
Check attachments: Before killing, check if session has active clients
Preserve work: Warn if panes have running processes
Config backup: Before editing ~/.tmux.conf, suggest backup
Confirmation Policy
Read-only (always OK):
tmux ls, list-sessions, list-windows, list-panes
tmux info, show-options, display-message
tmux list-keys, list-buffers
Requires confirmation:
kill-session, kill-window, kill-pane
kill-server
Editing ~/.tmux.conf
send-keys to panes (can affect running processes)
Environment Variables
Variable
Description
TMUX
Socket path (set inside tmux)
TMUX_PANE
Current pane ID
Check if inside tmux: [ -n "$TMUX" ]
Troubleshooting
Issue
Solution
"no server running"
Start with tmux or tmux new
"sessions should be nested"
Unset $TMUX or use tmux -u
Detached session lost
Check tmux ls, attach with tmux attach
Colors not working
Set TERM=xterm-256color or set -g default-terminal "tmux-256color"
Mouse not working
set -g mouse on in config
Converted and distributed by TomeVault — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.
1---2name: bntvllnt-agent-skills-tmux3description: tmux4---56# tmux78Complete tmux management for terminal multiplexing.910## Core Concepts1112```13┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐14│ SERVER (one per socket) │15│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │16│ │ SESSION ($0, $1, ...) │ │17│ │ ┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ │ │18│ │ │ WINDOW (@0) │ │ WINDOW (@1) │ ... │ │19│ │ │ ┌────┬────┐ │ │ ┌────────────┐ │ │ │20│ │ │ │PANE│PANE│ │ │ │ PANE │ │ │ │21│ │ │ │ %0 │ %1 │ │ │ │ %2 │ │ │ │22│ │ │ └────┴────┘ │ │ └────────────┘ │ │ │23│ │ └─────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ │ │24│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │25└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘26```2728- **Server**: Background process managing all state29- **Session** (`$id`): Named container of windows, persists after detach30- **Window** (`@id`): Tab-like container of panes within a session31- **Pane** (`%id`): Individual terminal within a window32- **Client**: Terminal attached to a session3334## Router3536| User says | Load reference | Do |37|---|---|---|38| list sessions / status | `references/session-management.md` | inspect sessions |39| new session / create session | `references/session-management.md` | create session |40| attach / detach | `references/session-management.md` | attach/detach |41| kill session | `references/session-management.md` | terminate session |42| new window / create window | `references/window-management.md` | create window |43| rename window | `references/window-management.md` | rename window |44| kill window / close window | `references/window-management.md` | close window |45| switch window | `references/window-management.md` | navigate windows |46| split / new pane | `references/pane-management.md` | split pane |47| resize pane | `references/pane-management.md` | resize pane |48| move pane / swap pane | `references/pane-management.md` | rearrange panes |49| kill pane / close pane | `references/pane-management.md` | close pane |50| layout | `references/layouts.md` | apply/manage layouts |51| copy / paste / buffer | `references/copy-mode.md` | copy mode operations |52| config / tmux.conf / settings | `references/configuration.md` | configure tmux |53| keybind / bind / unbind | `references/keybindings.md` | key bindings |54| script / automate / send-keys | `references/scripting.md` | scripting/automation |55| capture / log / output | `references/scripting.md` | capture pane content |56| help / keys / cheatsheet | inline | show key reference |5758## Default Key Bindings (Prefix: `C-b`)5960### Session6162| Key | Action |63|-----|--------|64| `d` | Detach from session |65| `s` | List/switch sessions |66| `$` | Rename session |67| `(` / `)` | Previous/next session |6869### Window7071| Key | Action |72|-----|--------|73| `c` | Create window |74| `&` | Kill window (confirm) |75| `,` | Rename window |76| `0-9` | Switch to window N |77| `n` / `p` | Next/previous window |78| `l` | Last window |79| `w` | List windows |80| `f` | Find window |8182### Pane8384| Key | Action |85|-----|--------|86| `%` | Split horizontally (left/right) |87| `"` | Split vertically (top/bottom) |88| `x` | Kill pane (confirm) |89| `o` | Cycle panes |90| `q` | Show pane numbers |91| `z` | Toggle zoom |92| `{` / `}` | Swap pane left/right |93| `!` | Break pane to window |94| Arrows | Navigate panes |95| `Space` | Cycle layouts |96| `C-o` | Rotate panes |9798### Copy Mode99100| Key | Action |101|-----|--------|102| `[` | Enter copy mode |103| `]` | Paste buffer |104| `=` | Choose paste buffer |105| `#` | List buffers |106107## Quick Reference108109```bash110# Session111tmux new -s name # Create named session112tmux attach -t name # Attach to session113tmux ls # List sessions114tmux kill-session -t name # Kill session115116# Window117tmux new-window -n name # Create named window118tmux select-window -t :N # Go to window N119tmux rename-window name # Rename current window120121# Pane122tmux split-window -h # Split horizontal123tmux split-window -v # Split vertical124tmux select-pane -t :.N # Go to pane N125tmux resize-pane -D 5 # Resize down 5 lines126127# Info128tmux list-keys # All key bindings129tmux info # Server info130```131132## Safety Rules133134- **Confirm before kill**: Always confirm before `kill-session`, `kill-window`, `kill-pane`135- **Check attachments**: Before killing, check if session has active clients136- **Preserve work**: Warn if panes have running processes137- **Config backup**: Before editing `~/.tmux.conf`, suggest backup138139## Confirmation Policy140141**Read-only (always OK)**:142- `tmux ls`, `list-sessions`, `list-windows`, `list-panes`143- `tmux info`, `show-options`, `display-message`144- `tmux list-keys`, `list-buffers`145146**Requires confirmation**:147- `kill-session`, `kill-window`, `kill-pane`148- `kill-server`149- Editing `~/.tmux.conf`150- `send-keys` to panes (can affect running processes)151152## Environment Variables153154| Variable | Description |155|----------|-------------|156| `TMUX` | Socket path (set inside tmux) |157| `TMUX_PANE` | Current pane ID |158159Check if inside tmux: `[ -n "$TMUX" ]`160161## Troubleshooting162163| Issue | Solution |164|-------|----------|165| "no server running" | Start with `tmux` or `tmux new` |166| "sessions should be nested" | Unset `$TMUX` or use `tmux -u` |167| Detached session lost | Check `tmux ls`, attach with `tmux attach` |168| Colors not working | Set `TERM=xterm-256color` or `set -g default-terminal "tmux-256color"` |169| Mouse not working | `set -g mouse on` in config |170171---172> Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/bntvllnt) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.173<!-- tomevault:4.0:skill_md:2026-04-12 -->
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