Master tmux: Essential Commands and Keyboard Shortcuts for Linux

tmux Overview

tmux (terminal multiplexer) is a powerful tool on Linux that allows managing multiple terminal sessions from a single screen. Users can attach or detach sessions while keeping them running in the background, similar to screen.

Basic Session Commands

tmux new -s <session_name>

– create a new session. tmux detach -s <session_name> – detach a session (or press Ctrl‑d). tmux ls or tmux list-sessions – list existing sessions. tmux attach -t <session_name> – attach to a session. tmux kill-session -t <session_name> – kill a session. tmux switch -t <session_id_or_name> – switch to another session. tmux rename-session -t <session_id> <new_name> – rename a session.

Session Keyboard Shortcuts

Ctrl+b d

– detach current session. Ctrl+b s – list sessions. Ctrl+b $ – rename current session.

Window Operations

tmux new-window

– create a new window. tmux new-window -n <window_name> – create and name a window. tmux select-window -t N – switch to window number N. tmux select-window -t <window_name> – switch to a named window. tmux rename-window – rename current window. tmux kill-window -t <window_id> – close a window.

Window Keyboard Shortcuts

Ctrl+b c – create a new window.

Ctrl+b & – close current window.

Ctrl+b p – go to previous window.

Ctrl+b n – go to next window.

Ctrl+b l – toggle between last two windows.

Ctrl+b w – list windows for selection.

Ctrl+b , – rename window.

Pane (Panel) Operations

tmux split-window

– split pane horizontally (default). tmux split-window -h – split pane vertically. tmux kill-pane – close current pane. tmux select-pane -U/D/L/R – move cursor up/down/left/right. tmux swap-pane -U/D – move pane up or down.

Pane Keyboard Shortcuts

Ctrl+b % – split vertically.

Ctrl+b " – split horizontally.

Ctrl+b x – close current pane.

Ctrl+b ; – focus previous pane.

Ctrl+b o – focus next pane.

Ctrl+b { – move pane left.

Ctrl+b } – move pane right.

Ctrl+b Ctrl+o – move pane up.

Ctrl+b Alt+o – move pane down.

Ctrl+b ! – convert pane to a separate window.

Ctrl+b z – toggle pane fullscreen.

Ctrl+b Ctrl+←/→/↑/↓ – resize pane.

Ctrl+b q – show pane numbers.

Identifying Physical Network Interfaces

If a server has multiple network cards and you need to know which ethX corresponds to which physical port, use the ethtool command: ethtool -p eth0 The corresponding physical port will flash its LED, confirming the mapping. If ethtool is not installed, install it via yum install ethtool.