Overview¶

tmux is a terminal multiplexer that allows you to:

Run multiple terminal sessions in one window
Split the terminal into panes
Detach and reattach sessions
Keep processes running even after disconnect

It is widely used in:

Remote server management
Long-running tasks
Cybersecurity workflows

Starting tmux¶

tmux

Explanation

Starts a new tmux session
Opens a new terminal environment inside your current shell

Pane Management¶

Split Terminal Horizontally¶

Ctrl + b %

Explanation

Splits the screen into left and right panes

Split Terminal Vertically¶

Ctrl + b "

Explanation

Splits the screen into top and bottom panes

Navigate Between Panes¶

Ctrl + b + Arrow Keys

Explanation

Move between panes using arrow keys

Window Management¶

Create New Window¶

Ctrl + b c

Explanation

Opens a new window inside the same session

Switch Between Windows¶

Ctrl + b 0
Ctrl + b 1
Ctrl + b 2

Explanation

Switch using window number

Rename Window¶

Ctrl + b ,

Explanation

Allows assigning a custom name to the current window

Session Management¶

Detach Session¶

Ctrl + b d

Explanation

Detaches session without stopping processes
Keeps tasks running in background

List Sessions¶

tmux ls

Explanation

Displays all active tmux sessions

Attach to Session¶

tmux attach -t session_name

Example

tmux attach -t 0

Create Named Session¶

tmux new -s mysession

Explanation

Creates a session with a custom name

Rename Session¶

tmux rename-session -t 0 newname

Explanation

Renames session 0 to newname

Practical Examples¶

Start a Named Session¶

tmux new -s pentest

Run Task and Detach¶

Ctrl + b d

Reattach Later¶

tmux attach -t pentest

Use Multiple Panes¶

Split screen
Run different commands simultaneously
Monitor logs in one pane and run tools in another

Important Notes¶

Default prefix key is Ctrl + b
All commands are executed after pressing prefix
Sessions persist even after SSH disconnection
Useful for long-running scripts and scans

Summary Table¶

Action	Command
Start tmux	`tmux`
Split horizontally	`Ctrl + b %`
Split vertically	`Ctrl + b "`
Switch panes	`Ctrl + b + arrows`
New window	`Ctrl + b c`
Switch window	`Ctrl + b <number>`
Rename window	`Ctrl + b ,`
Detach session	`Ctrl + b d`
List sessions	`tmux ls`
Attach session	`tmux attach -t name`
Create named session	`tmux new -s name`
Rename session	`tmux rename-session`

Conclusion¶

tmux is a powerful tool for:

Managing multiple terminal sessions
Maintaining persistent workflows
Improving productivity in Linux environments

Mastering tmux is especially useful for system administrators and cybersecurity professionals working on remote systems.