tmux Commands Cheat Sheet

Terminal multiplexer

What this cheat sheet is for

This tmux commands reference helps you complete common developer tasks quickly and avoid repeated trial-and-error when working under deadlines.

When you need a reliable command or pattern during debugging and incident response.
When you are implementing a feature and want a known-good syntax example immediately.
When onboarding teammates and documenting repeatable workflows for daily use.
When reviewing pull requests and verifying that command usage follows best practices.

Sessions

tmux new -s session-name
tmux ls
tmux attach -t session-name
tmux kill-session -t session-name

Windows

Ctrl+b c - New window
Ctrl+b n - Next window
Ctrl+b p - Previous window
Ctrl+b & - Close window

Panes

Ctrl+b % - Split vertical
Ctrl+b " - Split horizontal
Ctrl+b o - Switch pane
Ctrl+b x - Close pane

Common mistakes / Pitfalls

People often copy a command or pattern without adapting placeholders, which can break production workflows unexpectedly.
It is easy to forget environment-specific differences, so always verify behavior in your shell, runtime, or API gateway before shipping.
Many errors come from skipping small validation steps, so test with realistic sample input before relying on the result.

Last updated: February 2026