Chapter 1. Jump Right In

Welcome! In this book, you will learn about tmux, a command-line program that can help maximize your productivity. It will do this by allowing you to control many virtual windows and processes from a single window, reducing your need to use your mouse and allowing you to detach and restore sessions later in the same state you left them. For more on why tmux rocks, see the Why tmux? section in Appendix.

We will eventually go over many of the concepts mentioned in this chapter in greater detail, but the best way to start getting familiar with everything is to jump right in.

So, in this chapter, we'll do just that: go on a little tour, simulate an everyday use of tmux, and point out some key concepts along the way. Fear not, if everything is not clear after the chapter, it will be covered later; this is just meant to be the first exposure.

Tip

tmux is short for Terminal Multiplexer.