---
title: "screen — Simple Persistent Terminal Sessions"
domain: opensource
category: dev-tools
tags: [screen, terminal, ssh, linux, cli]
status: published
created: 2026-04-02
updated: 2026-04-02
---
# screen — Simple Persistent Terminal Sessions

## Problem

Same problem as tmux: SSH sessions die, jobs get killed, long-running tasks need to survive disconnects. screen is the older, simpler alternative to tmux — universally available and gets the job done with minimal setup.

## Solution

`screen` creates detachable terminal sessions. It's installed by default on many systems, making it useful when tmux isn't available.

### Installation (Fedora)

```bash
sudo dnf install screen
```

### Core Workflow

```bash
# Start a named session
screen -S mysession

# Detach (keeps running)
Ctrl+a, d

# List sessions
screen -list

# Reattach
screen -r mysession

# If session shows as "Attached" (stuck)
screen -d -r mysession
```

### Start a Background Job Directly

```bash
screen -dmS mysession bash -c "long-running-command 2>&1 | tee /root/output.log"
```

- `-d` — start detached
- `-m` — create new session even if already inside screen
- `-S` — name the session

### Capture Current Output Without Attaching

```bash
screen -S mysession -X hardcopy /tmp/screen_output.txt
cat /tmp/screen_output.txt
```

### Send a Command to a Running Session

```bash
screen -S mysession -X stuff "tail -f /root/output.log\n"
```

---

## screen vs tmux

| Feature | screen | tmux |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Installed by default on most systems | Usually needs installing |
| Split panes | Basic (Ctrl+a, S) | Better (Ctrl+b, ") |
| Scripting | Limited | More capable |
| Config complexity | Simple | More options |

Use screen when it's already there or for quick throwaway sessions. Use tmux for anything more complex. See [tmux](tmux.md).

---