Setting up tmux

Introduction

Tmux is a terminal multiplexer. 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. If you work at the command line, manage multiple machines or work in the Cloud you will definitely want to investigate using a terminal multiplexer. I have found Tmux to be incredibly useful for a wide variety of usecases e.g. Kubernetes, SSH sessions and general development.

Set up TMUX

Setting up Tmux is super easy!

1. Install tmux

1sudo apt-get install -y tmux

Run the tmux application

Once installed, the application can be run from the command line.

1. Start tmux

1tmux

Optional: Add a configuration

Adding a configuration to Tmux requires updating a number of files. The following example uses my configuration.

1. Close ALL Tmux instances before continuing

1exit

2. Move to the root/home directory

1cd ~

3. Clone the repo into the home directory

1git clone https://github.com/rosera/machine-config.git

4. Copy the tmux configuration files to the home directory

1cp -r ~/machine-config/tmux/.tmux* ~

Run the tmux application

5. Remove the cloned repository

1sudo rm -r ~/machine-config

6. Start tmux

1tmux

The status line will look like the image below: