learntmux.dev
Task 4 of 11
Level 1 · BasicsOverview
  1. 1Start your first session
  2. 2The prefix key and new windows
  3. 3Find any key with the help list
  4. 4Run commands from the command prompt
  5. 5Detach and come back
  6. 6Read the session list and juggle sessions
  7. 7Split the window into panes
  8. 8Split with flags
  9. 9Move between panes
  10. 10Kill the server
  11. 11Challenge: morning on the build boxchallenge
Level 2 · IntermediateOverview
  1. 1Change the current window
  2. 2Rename the session and a window
  3. 3Kill a pane, a window and a session
  4. 4Zoom a pane
  5. 5Resize panes
  6. 6Apply window layouts
  7. 7Mark and swap panes
  8. 8Move and renumber windows
  9. 9Browse in tree mode
  10. 10Tag and kill from the tree
  11. 11Kick out a stale client
  12. 12Challenge: tidy a messy sessionchallenge
Level 3 · AdvancedOverview
  1. 1Copy text in copy mode
  2. 2Scroll, search the scrollback and paste
  3. 3Choose and delete buffers in buffer mode
  4. 4Name, save and load buffers
  5. 5Find a window by its content or name
  6. 6Use the mouse
  7. 7Break out, join and send keys
  8. 8Challenge: recover the secret from the logschallenge
Level 4 · ConfigureOverview
  1. 1Show, set and unset options
  2. 2Write the configuration file
  3. 3Add and remove key bindings
  4. 4Change the prefix key
  5. 5Customize the status line
  6. 6Formats and embedded styles
  7. 7Embedded shell commands
  8. 8Configure the pane border
  9. 9Use vi keys in copy mode
  10. 10Mouse copying behaviour
  11. 11Challenge: write your own tmux.confchallenge
Cheat sheet

Run commands from the command prompt

Goal

Session learn has a window logs that is not current, and a window running top.

C-b : opens the command prompt in place of the status line. Type a tmux command, Enter runs it, Escape cancels. Do not type tmux in front — you are already talking to it.

C-b c is just new-window with no flags. The prompt is where you add them:

-d
create the window without switching to it
-n name
name it, instead of letting it take its program’s name
a word after the flags
a program to run in place of the shell

Most commands have a short alias: new-window is neww, new-session is new, list-keys is lsk.

Do this

Press C-b :, type neww -d -n logs, Enter.

The list reads 0:shell* 1:logs — the new window exists but shell stays current.

Press C-b :, type neww top, Enter.

A window running top opens and becomes current: 2:top*.

What the prompt does with output

Flags work as in the shell, and ; separates several commands on one line. A short result shows on the status line; longer output opens in view mode, which q closes.

Stuck on this one?

This is a live terminal. Typing goes to the machine, including Tab. Press Shift and Tab together to move focus back out to the page.

A real terminal, in this tab

about 15 MB, once

session learn

Done when

not started
  1. Window logs exists in session learn and is not the current window— not done yet
  2. A window in session learn is running the top program— not done yet