Tmux and Screen Guide: SSH Session Management

sudo apt update
sudo apt install tmux -y

# Check version
tmux -V

sudo dnf install tmux -y
# or on older systems
sudo yum install tmux -y

# Start a new session
tmux

# Start a named session
tmux new-session -s myproject
# or shorthand
tmux new -s myproject

# Detach from session — processes keep running
# Ctrl+b, then d

# List existing sessions
tmux list-sessions
# or shorthand
tmux ls

# Reattach to a session
tmux attach-session -t myproject
# or shorthand
tmux attach -t myproject

# Attach to the last session
tmux attach

# Kill a session
tmux kill-session -t myproject

# Kill all sessions
tmux kill-server

# Create a new window inside tmux
# Ctrl+b, then c

# List windows
# Ctrl+b, then w

# Rename window
# Ctrl+b, then ,

# Close window
# Ctrl+b, then &

# Vertical split (side by side)
# Ctrl+b, then %

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

# Navigate between panes
# Ctrl+b, then arrow keys

# Toggle pane fullscreen
# Ctrl+b, then z

# Close pane
# Ctrl+b, then x

# Resize pane
# Ctrl+b, then Ctrl+arrow keys

nano ~/.tmux.conf

# Change prefix to Ctrl+a (like Screen)
unbind C-b
set-option -g prefix C-a
bind-key C-a send-prefix

# Enable mouse support
set -g mouse on

# Start window numbering at 1
set -g base-index 1
setw -g pane-base-index 1

# Customize status bar
set -g status-bg colour235
set -g status-fg white
set -g status-left '[#S] '
set -g status-right '%H:%M %d-%b-%y'

# Increase history limit
set -g history-limit 10000

# Reload configuration
tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf
# or inside tmux:
# Ctrl+b, then :source-file ~/.tmux.conf

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install screen -y

# CentOS/AlmaLinux
sudo dnf install screen -y

# Start a new session
screen

# Start a named session
screen -S myproject

# Detach from session
# Ctrl+a, then d

# List sessions
screen -ls

# Reattach to session
screen -r myproject

# Attach by ID if multiple sessions exist
screen -r 12345.myproject

# Kill a session
# Inside screen: Ctrl+a, then k
# From outside:
screen -X -S myproject quit

# Start a new session
tmux new -s build

# Run a long command
make all

# Detach — process continues
# Ctrl+b d

# Check back later
tmux attach -t build

# Start session
tmux new -s monitoring

# Vertical split
# Ctrl+b %

# Monitor CPU in left pane
htop

# Switch to right pane (Ctrl+b right arrow)
# Monitor disk I/O
iostat -x 2

# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile
if command -v tmux &> /dev/null && [ -z "$TMUX" ]; then
  tmux attach -t default || tmux new -s default
fi