GNU Screen Alternatives

GNU Screen is described as 'Enables full-screen terminal session multiplexing, independent windows for processes, VT100 emulation, scrollback, copy-paste, and detachable sessions' and is a popular app in the os & utilities category. There are more than 10 alternatives to GNU Screen for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Mac, Rust, Cygwin and iPhone apps. The best GNU Screen alternative is tmux, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like GNU Screen are byobu, Zellij, abduco and Twin.

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Alternatives list

  1. tmux icon

    tmux

     127 likes
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    tmux is a terminal multiplexer: it enables a number of terminals (or windows), each running a separate program, to be created, accessed, and controlled from a single screen. tmux may be detached from a screen and continue running in the background, then later reattached.

    13 tmux alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Cygwin
    tmux screenshot 1
     
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    18
    Comments about tmux as an Alternative to GNU Screen
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Tmux is the hot new kid on the terminal multiplexing block. Better readability in config and code, vertical split, and actual updates!

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Much simpler, more logical and there is a great guide available which let me understand the program in minutes!

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    GNU Screen Icon
    tmux icon

    • Almost everyone thinks tmux is a great GNU Screen alternative.

    • tmux is the most popular Mac & Linux alternative to GNU Screen.

    • tmux is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to GNU Screen.

    • tmux is Free and Open SourceGNU Screen is also Free and Open Source
    • tmux is LightweightGNU Screen is not according to our users
  2. byobu icon

    byobu

     24 likes
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    Byobu is a GPLv3 open source text-based window manager and terminal multiplexer. It was originally designed to provide elegant enhancements to the otherwise functional, plain, practical GNU Screen , for the Ubuntu server distribution.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    byobu screenshot 1
     
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    1
    9
    Comments about byobu as an Alternative to GNU Screen
    rogeriopradoj
    Positive
    0

    It's more modern than GNU Screen and still simple to use, on the other hand tmux is very complex.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    GNU Screen Icon
    byobu icon

    • Almost everyone thinks byobu is a great GNU Screen alternative.

    • byobu is Free and Open SourceGNU Screen is also Free and Open Source
    • byobu is LightweightGNU Screen is not according to our users
  4. Zellij icon

    Zellij

     8 likes
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    Zellij is a terminal workspace. It has the base functionality of a terminal multiplexer (similar to tmux or screen) but includes many built-in features that would allow users to extend it and create their own personalized environment.

    11 Zellij alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    Zellij screenshot 1
     
  5. abduco icon

    abduco

     2 likes
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    abduco provides session management i.e. it allows programs to be run independently from their controlling terminal. That is programs can be detached - run in the background - and then later reattached. Together with dvtm it provides a simpler and cleaner alternative to tmux or...

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
     

  6. Twin

     1 like
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    Twin is a windowing environment with mouse support, window manager, terminal emulator and networked clients, all inside a text display.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
     
  7. mtm icon

    mtm

     2 likes
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    Perhaps the smallest useful terminal multiplexer in the world.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    mtm screenshot 1
     
  9. Wemux icon

    Wemux

     3 likes
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    wemux - Multi-User Tmux Made Easy.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
     
  10. dtach icon

    dtach

     7 likes
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    dtach is a tiny program that emulates the detach feature of screen, allowing you to run a program in an environment that is protected from the controlling terminal and attach to it later. dtach does not keep track of the contents of the screen, and thus works best with programs...

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
     
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    1
    Comments about dtach as an Alternative to GNU Screen
    dess
    Positive
    0

    Light, slim, not overhauled, resource efficient and just the most handy for its main purpose.

    GNU Screen Icon
    dtach icon
    • dtach is Free and Open SourceGNU Screen is also Free and Open Source

  11. shpool

     1 like
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    shpool is a service that enables session persistence by allowing the creation of named shell sessions owned by shpool so that the session is not lost if the connection drops. shpool can be thought of as a lighter weight alternative to tmux or GNU screen.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Rust
     
  12. Get Console icon

    Get Console

     1 like
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    Get Console is the first ipad and iphone serial port terminal application providing serial terminal connectivity without jailbreaking. The app store description advises it works on network devices, but offers a standard VT100 emulation.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • iPhone
    • iPad
    get console ipad terminal app
     

    • Get Console is the most popular iPhone & iPad alternative to GNU Screen.

    • Get Console is the most popular commercial alternative to GNU Screen.

    • Get Console is Paid and ProprietaryGNU Screen is Free and Open Source
  13. Zterm icon

    Zterm

     4 likes
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    ZTerm is a terminal emulation program for the Macintosh. In its day, many people used it to connect to Bulletin Board Systems and download files. Now we have the internet. Its still a useful utility for those systems that only offer dialup connections and for connecting to...

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
     
  14. diss icon

    diss

     Like
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    A dtach-like program / crate in Rust.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Rust
     
12 of 12 GNU Screen alternatives