Tmux Commands

This pae goes through tmux commands and its arguments. Most of these notes come from man tmux

To see all commands in a nice little table, check out the Table of Commands.
The options aren't explained there like they are in the list, but it's easier to look at.

Tmux Basics

Usage

tmux [options] command [flags]  

• command [flags]
  • This specifies one of a set of commands to send to tmux.
  • If no commands are given, new-session is assumed.

Most important options:

• -f file: Specify the config file to use.
• -s session-name: Specify the name of a new session.
• -t session-name: Specify the name of an existing session

Usage Examples

tmux new -s session1    # Create and attach a new session named "session1"
tmux a -t session1      # Attach to and existing session named "session1"
tmux new -s session1 -d # Create and new session named "session1" and detach
tmux kill-session -t session1 # Kill the session named "session1"

List of Options

When launching tmux from the command line, you can specify the following options:

• -2
  • Force tmux to assume the terminal supports 256 colours. Equivalent to -T 256
• -C
  • Start in control mode (see man://tmux 2933).
  • Given twice (-CC) disables echo.

• -c shell-command

  • Execute shell-command using the default shell.

• -D

  • Do not start the tmux server as a daemon.
  • This also turns the exit-empty option off.
  • With -D, command may not be specified.

• -f file

  • Specify an alternative configuration file.
  • By default, tmux loads the system configuration file from /etc/tmux.conf, if present
  • Then it looks for a user configuration file at ~/.tmux.conf.

• -L socket-name

  • tmux stores the server socket in a directory under TMUX_TMPDIR (defaults to /tmp).
  • The default socket is named default.
  • Allows a different socket name to be specified, allowing several independent
    tmux servers to be run.

• -l

  • Behave as a login shell.
  • Currently has no effect. Exists for compatibility with other shells when using tmux as a login shell.

• -N

  • Do not start the server even if the command would normally do so.
  • E.g., with new-session or start-server.

• -S socket-path

  • Specify a full alternative path to the server socket.
  • If -S is specified, the default socket directory is not used and any -L flag is ignored.

• -u

  • Force output to be UTF-8 in the terminal. Ignores LC_ALL, LC_CTYPE, or LANG.
  • Equivalent to -T UTF-8.

• -T features

  • Set terminal features for the client as a comma-separated list of features.
  • Equivalent to setting terminal-features in tmux config.

• -v

  • Verbose logging.

  • Log messages are saved into tmux-client-PID.log and tmux-server-PID.log files
    in the current directory.

    • PID is the PID of the server or client process.
      • If -v is specified twice, an additional tmux-out-PID.log file is generated with
        a copy of everything tmux writes to the terminal.

• -V

  • Output the tmux version.

Useful Commands Quickref

Note: -t is usually target.

Command	Alias	Effect
list-panes [-ast]	lsp	-a: List all panes on server. -s: List panes for a session
list-windows [-afFt]	lsw	-a: List all windows on server. -F: Format for each line. -f: Filter.

List of tmux Commands and their Options/Argumnents

tmux list-commands

1. attach-session (attach)

   • -t: Target session
   • -d: Detach other clients

2. bind-key (bind)

   • -T: Key table
   • -n: No prefix key required

3. break-pane (breakp)

   • -d: Leave pane in detached state
   • -n: New window name

4. capture-pane (capturep)

   • -S: Start line
   • -E: End line

5. choose-buffer

6. choose-client

7. choose-session

8. choose-tree

9. choose-window

10. clear-history (clearhist)

11. clock-mode

12. command-prompt

13. confirm-before (confirm)

    • -p: Prompt message

14. copy-mode

    • -u: Scroll one page up

15. copy-pipe

    • command: Shell command to pipe to

16. delete-buffer (deleteb)

    • -b: Buffer index

17. display-menu (menu) [-O] [-c target-client] [-t target-pane] [-T title] [-x position] [-y position] name key command ...

18. detach-client (detach)

    • -s: Target session
    • -a: All but current client

19. display-message

    • -c: Target client
    • -p: Print message to stdout

20. display-panes

21. find-window

    • -N: Search window names
    • -C: Search window contents

22. has-session

    • -t: Target session

23. if-shell

    • shell-command: Shell command to execute
    • tmux-command: Tmux command to run if shell-command succeeds

24. join-pane

    • -h: Join horizontally
    • -v: Join vertically

25. kill-pane

    • -t: Target pane

26. kill-server

27. kill-session

    • -t: Target session

28. kill-window

    • -t: Target window

29. last-pane

30. last-window

31. link-window

    • -s: Source window
    • -t: Target window

32. list-buffers

33. list-clients

34. list-commands

35. list-keys

36. list-panes

37. list-sessions

    • -F: Format

38. list-windows

39. load-buffer

    • -b: Buffer name
    • path: File path

40. lock-client

    • -t: Target client

41. lock-server (lock)

42. lock-session

    • -t: Target session

43. move-pane

    • -t: Target window

44. move-window

    • -t: Target session
    • -s: Source window

45. new-session

    • -s: Session name
    • -n: Window name
    • -c: Start directory
    • -d: Detached session

46. new-window

    • -n: Window name
    • -c: Start directory
    • -d: Detached window

47. next-layout

48. next-window

49. paste-buffer

    • -b: Buffer index
    • -t: Target pane

50. pipe-pane

    • -o: Only pipe new output
    • command: Shell command to pipe to

51. previous-layout

52. previous-window

53. refresh-client

    • -S: Save layout

54. rename-session

    • new-name: New session name

55. rename-window

    • new-name: New window name

56. resize-pane

    • -U: Resize up
    • -D: Resize down
    • -L: Resize left
    • -R: Resize right

57. resize-window

    • -U: Resize up
    • -D: Resize down
    • -L: Resize left
    • -R: Resize right

58. respawn-pane

    • -k: Kill existing pane
    • command: Command to execute

59. respawn-window

    • -k: Kill existing window
    • command: Command to execute

60. rotate-window

    • -D: Rotate down
    • -U: Rotate up

61. run-shell (run)

    • command: Shell command to execute

62. save-buffer

    • -b: Buffer index
    • path: File path

63. select-layout

    • layout-name: Name of the layout

64. select-pane

    • -U: Up
    • -D: Down
    • -L: Left
    • -R: Right
    • -m and -M: Set and clear the marked pane.
      • There is one marked pane at a time.
      • Setting a new one clears the last.
      • The marked pane is the default target for -s to:
        • join-pane
        • move-pane
        • swap-pane
        • swap-window

65. select-window

    • -t: Target window

66. send-keys

    • -t: Target pane
    • -l: Literal string
    • -R: Clear pane's input buffer

67. send-prefix

68. set-buffer

    • -b: Buffer index
    • data: Data to set

69. set-environment

    • -g: Global variable
    • -u: Unset variable

70. set-hook

    • hook-name: Name of the hook
    • command: Command to run

71. set-option

    • -g: Global option
    • -w: Window option
    • -s: Server option

72. set-window-option

    • option: Window option
    • value: Value to set

73. show-buffer

    • -b: Buffer index

74. show-environment

    • -g: Show global variables

75. show-hooks

76. show-messages

77. show-options

    • -g: Global options
    • -w: Window options
    • -s: Server options

78. show-window-options

79. source-file

    • file: File to source

80. split-window

    • -h: Horizontal split
    • -v: Vertical split
    • -c: Start directory

81. start-server

82. suspend-client

    • -t: Target client

83. swap-pane

    • -s: Source pane
    • -t: Target pane

84. swap-window

    • -s: Source window
    • -t: Target window

85. switch-client

    • -n: Next session
    • -p: Previous session
    • -t: Target session

86. unbind-key

    • -T: Key table

87. unlink-window

    • -k: Kill window if becomes detached

88. wait-for

    • channel: Channel to wait for

Table of tmux list-commands Output

This table does not explain what each option does, but it is exhaustive.

Command	Shorthand	Options
tmux attach-session	attach	[-dErx] [-c working-directory] [-f flags] [-t target-session]
tmux bind-key	bind	[-nr] [-T key-table] [-N note] key [command [arguments]]
tmux break-pane	breakp	[-abdP] [-F format] [-n window-name] [-s src-pane] [-t dst-window]
tmux capture-pane	capturep	[-aCeJNpPq] [-b buffer-name] [-E end-line] [-S start-line] [-t target-pane]
tmux choose-buffer		[-NrZ] [-F format] [-f filter] [-K key-format] [-O sort-order] [-t target-pane] [template]
tmux choose-client		[-NrZ] [-F format] [-f filter] [-K key-format] [-O sort-order] [-t target-pane] [template]
tmux choose-tree		[-GNrswZ] [-F format] [-f filter] [-K key-format] [-O sort-order] [-t target-pane] [template]
tmux clear-history	clearhist	[-t target-pane]
tmux clock-mode		[-t target-pane]
tmux command-prompt		[-1kiNTW] [-I inputs] [-p prompts] [-t target-client] [template]
tmux confirm-before	confirm	[-p prompt] [-t target-client] command
tmux copy-mode		[-eHMuq] [-s src-pane] [-t target-pane]
tmux customize-mode		[-NZ] [-F format] [-f filter] [-t target-pane]
tmux delete-buffer	deleteb	[-b buffer-name]
tmux detach-client	detach	[-aP] [-E shell-command] [-s target-session] [-t target-client]
tmux display-menu	menu	[-O] [-c target-client] [-t target-pane] [-T title] [-x position] [-y position] name key command ...
tmux display-message	display	[-aINpv] [-c target-client] [-d delay] [-F format] [-t target-pane] [message]
tmux display-popup	popup	[-CE] [-c target-client] [-d start-directory] [-h height] [-t target-pane] [-w width] [-x position] [-y position] [command]
tmux display-panes	displayp	[-bN] [-d duration] [-t target-client] [template]
tmux find-window	findw	[-CiNrTZ] [-t target-pane] match-string
tmux has-session	has	[-t target-session]
tmux if-shell	if	[-bF] [-t target-pane] shell-command command [command]
tmux join-pane	joinp	[-bdfhv] [-l size] [-s src-pane] [-t dst-pane]
tmux kill-pane	killp	[-a] [-t target-pane]
tmux kill-server
tmux kill-session		[-aC] [-t target-session]
tmux kill-window	killw	[-a] [-t target-window]
tmux last-pane	lastp	[-deZ] [-t target-window]
tmux last-window	last	[-t target-session]
tmux link-window	linkw	[-abdk] [-s src-window] [-t dst-window]
tmux list-buffers	lsb	[-F format] [-f filter]
tmux list-clients	lsc	[-F format] [-t target-session]
tmux list-commands	lscm	[-F format] [command]
tmux list-keys	lsk	[-1aN] [-P prefix-string] [-T key-table] [key]
tmux list-panes	lsp	[-as] [-F format] [-f filter] [-t target-window]
tmux list-sessions	ls	[-F format] [-f filter]
tmux list-windows	lsw	[-a] [-F format] [-f filter] [-t target-session]
tmux load-buffer	loadb	[-b buffer-name] [-t target-client] path
tmux lock-client	lockc	[-t target-client]
tmux lock-server	lock
tmux lock-session	locks	[-t target-session]
tmux move-pane	movep	[-bdfhv] [-l size] [-s src-pane] [-t dst-pane]
tmux move-window	movew	[-abdkr] [-s src-window] [-t dst-window]
tmux new-session	new	[-AdDEPX] [-c start-directory] [-e environment] [-F format] [-f flags] [-n window-name] [-s session-name] [-t target-session] [-x width] [-y height] [command]
tmux new-window	neww	[-abdkPS] [-c start-directory] [-e environment] [-F format] [-n window-name] [-t target-window] [command]
tmux next-layout	nextl	[-t target-window]
tmux next-window	next	[-a] [-t target-session]
tmux paste-buffer	pasteb	[-dpr] [-s separator] [-b buffer-name] [-t target-pane]
tmux pipe-pane	pipep	[-IOo] [-t target-pane] [command]
tmux previous-layout	prevl	[-t target-window]
tmux previous-window	prev	[-a] [-t target-session]
tmux refresh-client	refresh	[-cDlLRSU] [-A pane:state] [-B name:what:format] [-C XxY] [-f flags] [-t target-client] [adjustment]
tmux rename-session	rename	[-t target-session] new-name
tmux rename-window	renamew	[-t target-window] new-name
tmux resize-pane	resizep	[-DLMRTUZ] [-x width] [-y height] [-t target-pane] [adjustment]
tmux resize-window	resizew	[-aADLRU] [-x width] [-y height] [-t target-window] [adjustment]
tmux respawn-pane	respawnp	[-k] [-c start-directory] [-e environment] [-t target-pane] [command]
tmux respawn-window	respawnw	[-k] [-c start-directory] [-e environment] [-t target-window] [command]
tmux rotate-window	rotatew	[-DUZ] [-t target-window]
tmux run-shell	run	[-bC] [-d delay] [-t target-pane] [shell-command]
tmux save-buffer	saveb	[-a] [-b buffer-name] path
tmux select-layout	selectl	[-Enop] [-t target-pane] [layout-name]
tmux select-pane	selectp	[-DdeLlMmRUZ] [-T title] [-t target-pane]
tmux select-window	selectw	[-lnpT] [-t target-window]
tmux send-keys	send	[-FHlMRX] [-N repeat-count] [-t target-pane] key ...
tmux send-prefix		[-2] [-t target-pane]
tmux set-buffer	setb	[-aw] [-b buffer-name] [-n new-buffer-name] [-t target-client] data
tmux set-environment	setenv	[-Fhgru] [-t target-session] name [value]
tmux set-hook		[-agpRuw] [-t target-pane] hook [command]
tmux set-option	set	[-aFgopqsuUw] [-t target-pane] option [value]
tmux set-window	setw	-option [-aFgoqu] [-t target-window] option [value]
tmux show-buffer	showb	[-b buffer-name]
tmux show-environment	showenv	[-hgs] [-t target-session] [name]
tmux show-hooks		[-gpw] [-t target-pane]
tmux show-messages	showmsgs	[-JT] [-t target-client]
tmux show-options	show	[-AgHpqsvw] [-t target-pane] [option]
tmux show-window	showw	-options [-gv] [-t target-window] [option]
tmux source-file	source	[-Fnqv] path ...
tmux split-window	splitw	[-bdefhIPvZ] [-c start-directory] [-e environment] [-F format] [-l size] [-t target-pane] [command]
tmux start-server	start
tmux suspend-client	suspendc	[-t target-client]
tmux swap-pane	swapp	[-dDUZ] [-s src-pane] [-t dst-pane]
tmux swap-window	swapw	[-d] [-s src-window] [-t dst-window]
tmux switch-client	switchc	[-ElnprZ] [-c target-client] [-t target-session] [-T key-table]
tmux unbind-key	unbind	[-anq] [-T key-table] key
tmux unlink-window	unlinkw	[-k] [-t target-window]
tmux wait-for	wait	[-L\|-S\|-U] channel