Tmux Fundamentals

Server

The background process that manages all sessions, windows, and panes.

Client

Your terminal that connects to the tmux server to interact with sessions.

Session

A workspace containing one or more windows; you attach/detach from sessions.

Attach (to a session)

Connect your terminal to an existing tmux session to view and interact with it.

Detach (from a session)

Leave the session running in the background while disconnecting your terminal.

Window

A full‑screen container inside a session, typically holding one or more panes.

Pane

A split region inside a window running a shell or program; multiple panes share a window.

Prefix key

A key sequence that tells tmux the next keystrokes are tmux commands (default: Ctrl-b).

Status bar

The line (usually at the bottom) showing session/window info, time, and custom data.

Pane / window index

Numeric identifiers for panes and windows used in commands and the status line.

Target specifier (-t)

Points a command at a specific session, window, or pane (e.g., -t session:window.pane).

Command prompt

Interactive prompt (opened via a key binding) to run tmux commands.

choose-tree

Navigable tree UI to quickly jump between sessions, windows, and panes.

Copy mode

A mode that lets you scroll history and select/copy text within a pane.

Buffers / paste buffers

Temporary storage for copied text within tmux; can paste into panes.

Layouts

Saved arrangements of panes (e.g., even‑horizontal, even‑vertical, tiled).

Zoom pane

Temporarily make a pane full‑screen within its window; toggle to restore layout.

Synchronize panes

Send the same keystrokes to all panes in a window simultaneously.

Mouse mode

Option that enables clicking to select windows/panes and dragging to resize.

Options

Settings that control behavior/appearance; can be global, per‑session, per‑window, or per‑pane.

tmux.conf

Startup config file where you set options, key bindings, and plugins.

Plugin

External script or tool that extends tmux functionality (e.g., TPM for managing them).

Key tables

Named sets of key bindings that tmux switches between (e.g., root, copy-mode).

Control Mode

A special mode that allows external programs to control tmux programmatically, sending commands and receiving output.

Hooks

Triggers that run commands when events occur (e.g., client-attached, pane-died).

Formats (e.g., #{pane_id})

Placeholders used to display tmux metadata in messages, status lines, and scripts.

Alerts (activity/bell/silence)

Notifications when a pane has activity, a bell event, or prolonged silence.