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

## Problem

SSH sessions die when your connection drops, your laptop closes, or you walk away. Long-running jobs — storage migrations, file scans, downloads — get killed mid-run. You need a way to detach from a session, come back later, and pick up exactly where you left off.

## Solution

`tmux` is a terminal multiplexer. It runs sessions that persist independently of your SSH connection. You can detach, disconnect, reconnect from a different machine, and reattach to find everything still running.

### Installation (Fedora)

```bash
sudo dnf install tmux
```

### Core Workflow

```bash
# Start a named session
tmux new-session -s mysession

# Detach from a session (keeps it running)
Ctrl+b, d

# List running sessions
tmux ls

# Reattach to a session
tmux attach -t mysession

# Kill a session when done
tmux kill-session -t mysession
```

### Start a Background Job Directly

Skip the interactive session entirely — start a job in a new detached session in one command:

```bash
tmux new-session -d -s rmlint2 "rmlint /majorstorage// /mnt/usb// /majorRAID 2>&1 | tee /majorRAID/rmlint_scan2.log"
```

The job runs immediately in the background. Attach later to check progress:

```bash
tmux attach -t rmlint2
```

### Capture Output Without Attaching

Read the current state of a session without interrupting it:

```bash
tmux capture-pane -t rmlint2 -p
```

### Split Panes

Monitor multiple things in one terminal window:

```bash
# Horizontal split (top/bottom)
Ctrl+b, "

# Vertical split (left/right)
Ctrl+b, %

# Switch between panes
Ctrl+b, arrow keys
```

### Real-World Use

On **majorhome**, all long-running storage operations run inside named tmux sessions so they survive SSH disconnects:

```bash
tmux new-session -d -s rmlint2 "rmlint ..."   # dedup scan
tmux new-session -d -s rsync-migrate "rsync ..."  # file migration
tmux ls  # check what's running
```

---

## tmux vs screen

Both work. tmux has better split-pane support and scripting. screen is simpler and more universally installed. I use both — tmux for new jobs, screen for legacy ones. See the [screen](screen.md) article for reference.

---