tmux AlternativesTop Terminal Emulators and other similar apps like tmux

tmux is described as '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' and is a very popular terminal emulator in the os & utilities category. There are nine alternatives to tmux for Linux, Mac and Windows. The best tmux alternative is GNU Screen, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like tmux are WezTerm, byobu, Zellij and Wemux.

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tmux alternatives are mainly Terminal Emulators but may also be Window Managers or Shells.  Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of tmux.
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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...

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tmux alternatives page was last updated Mar 1, 2023
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Alternatives
  1. GNU Screen icon
     90 likes
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    Screen is a full-screen window manager that multiplexes a physical terminal between several processes, typically interactive shells.

    10 GNU Screen alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux

    GNU Screen VS tmux

     
    Comments about GNU Screen as an Alternative to tmux
    9y0xwefhpw
    Positive May 27, 2018
    0

    It has the most intuitive key bindings and the vastest range of capabilities amongst the ones I have tried. However, the first thing you should do after installation is to change command character because it is terrible choice.

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

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

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

    • GNU Screen is Free and Open Sourcetmux is also Free and Open Source
  2. WezTerm icon
     16 likes
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    A GPU-accelerated cross-platform terminal emulator and multiplexer written by @wez and implemented in Rust

    93 WezTerm alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Properties

    1.  Configurable
    2.  Support for Themes
    3.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  GPU Acceleration
    2.  Lua scripting
    3.  Hyperlinks
    4.  Font Ligature Support
    5.  WSL integreation
    6.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    7.  Support for scripting
    8.  Split tabs
    9.  Multi panel

    WezTerm VS tmux

     
    • WezTerm is the most popular Windows alternative to tmux.

    • WezTerm is Free and Open Sourcetmux is also Free and Open Source
    • WezTerm is Lightweighttmux is not according to our users
  3. byobu icon
     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.

    7 byobu alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Terminal-based
    3.  Vertical Split
    4.  Horizontal Split

    byobu VS tmux

     
    Comments about byobu as an Alternative to tmux
    Guest
    Negative Apr 13, 2019
    0

    byobu uses tmux as a back-end. It's literally just alternative keybindings and a predefined status bar. It's tmux configuration, not tmux replacement.

    tmux Icon
    byobu icon
    • Most users think byobu is a great tmux alternative.

    • byobu is Free and Open Sourcetmux is also Free and Open Source
    • byobu is Lightweighttmux is not according to our users
  4. Zellij icon
     7 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.

    9 Zellij alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Horizontal Split
    3.  Split-screen view
    4.  Vertical Split

    Zellij VS tmux

     
  5. Wemux icon
     3 likes
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    wemux - Multi-User Tmux Made Easy.

    8 Wemux alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Linux

    Wemux VS tmux

     
  6. dtach icon
     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...

    7 dtach alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux

    dtach Features

    1.  Command line interface

    dtach VS tmux

     
  7.  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.

    8 Twin alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Linux

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Floating windows

    Twin VS tmux

     
  8.  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...

    7 abduco alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux

    abduco Features

    1.  Multiple Instances
    2.  Session Management

    abduco VS tmux

     
  9. mtm icon
     1 like
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    Perhaps the smallest useful terminal multiplexer in the world.

    9 mtm alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Linux

    mtm VS tmux

     
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