@hybridlabor-api/bdb-antigravity-skills 1.0.0

package/skills/global_legacy/tmux/SKILL.md

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+---
+name: tmux
+description: "Expert tmux session, window, and pane management for terminal multiplexing, persistent remote workflows, and shell scripting automation."
+category: development
+risk: safe
+source: community
+date_added: "2026-03-28"
+author: kostakost2
+tags: [tmux, terminal, multiplexer, sessions, shell, remote, automation]
+tools: [claude, cursor, gemini]
+---
+
+# tmux — Terminal Multiplexer
+
+## Overview
+
+`tmux` keeps terminal sessions alive across SSH disconnects, splits work across multiple panes, and enables fully scriptable terminal automation. This skill covers session management, window/pane layout, keybinding patterns, and using `tmux` non-interactively from shell scripts — essential for remote servers, long-running jobs, and automated workflows.
+
+## When to Use This Skill
+
+- Use when setting up or managing persistent terminal sessions on remote servers
+- Use when the user needs to run long-running processes that survive SSH disconnects
+- Use when scripting multi-pane terminal layouts (e.g., logs + shell + editor)
+- Use when automating `tmux` commands from bash scripts without user interaction
+
+## How It Works
+
+`tmux` has three hierarchy levels: **sessions** (top level, survives disconnects), **windows** (tabs within a session), and **panes** (splits within a window). Everything is controllable from outside via `tmux <command>` or from inside via the prefix key (`Ctrl-b` by default).
+
+### Session Management
+
+```bash
+# Create a new named session
+tmux new-session -s work
+
+# Create detached (background) session
+tmux new-session -d -s work
+
+# Create detached session and start a command
+tmux new-session -d -s build -x 220 -y 50 "make all"
+
+# Attach to a session
+tmux attach -t work
+tmux attach          # attaches to most recent session
+
+# List all sessions
+tmux list-sessions
+tmux ls
+
+# Detach from inside tmux
+# Prefix + d   (Ctrl-b d)
+
+# Kill a session
+tmux kill-session -t work
+
+# Kill all sessions except the current one
+tmux kill-session -a
+
+# Rename a session from outside
+tmux rename-session -t old-name new-name
+
+# Switch to another session from outside
+tmux switch-client -t other-session
+
+# Check if a session exists (useful in scripts)
+tmux has-session -t work 2>/dev/null && echo "exists"
+```
+
+### Window Management
+
+```bash
+# Create a new window in the current session
+tmux new-window -t work -n "logs"
+
+# Create a window running a specific command
+tmux new-window -t work:3 -n "server" "python -m http.server 8080"
+
+# List windows
+tmux list-windows -t work
+
+# Select (switch to) a window
+tmux select-window -t work:logs
+tmux select-window -t work:2       # by index
+
+# Rename a window
+tmux rename-window -t work:2 "editor"
+
+# Kill a window
+tmux kill-window -t work:logs
+
+# Move window to a new index
+tmux move-window -s work:3 -t work:1
+
+# From inside tmux:
+# Prefix + c     — new window
+# Prefix + ,     — rename window
+# Prefix + &     — kill window
+# Prefix + n/p   — next/previous window
+# Prefix + 0-9   — switch to window by number
+```
+
+### Pane Management
+
+```bash
+# Split pane vertically (left/right)
+tmux split-window -h -t work:1
+
+# Split pane horizontally (top/bottom)
+tmux split-window -v -t work:1
+
+# Split and run a command
+tmux split-window -h -t work:1 "tail -f /var/log/syslog"
+
+# Select a pane by index
+tmux select-pane -t work:1.0
+
+# Resize panes
+tmux resize-pane -t work:1.0 -R 20   # expand right by 20 cols
+tmux resize-pane -t work:1.0 -D 10   # shrink down by 10 rows
+tmux resize-pane -Z                   # toggle zoom (fullscreen)
+
+# Swap panes
+tmux swap-pane -s work:1.0 -t work:1.1
+
+# Kill a pane
+tmux kill-pane -t work:1.1
+
+# From inside tmux:
+# Prefix + %     — split vertical
+# Prefix + "     — split horizontal
+# Prefix + arrow — navigate panes
+# Prefix + z     — zoom/unzoom current pane
+# Prefix + x     — kill pane
+# Prefix + {/}   — swap pane with previous/next
+```
+
+### Sending Commands to Panes Without Being Attached
+
+```bash
+# Send a command to a specific pane and press Enter
+tmux send-keys -t work:1.0 "ls -la" Enter
+
+# Run a command in a background pane without attaching
+tmux send-keys -t work:editor "vim src/main.py" Enter
+
+# Send Ctrl+C to stop a running process
+tmux send-keys -t work:1.0 C-c
+
+# Send text without pressing Enter (useful for pre-filling prompts)
+tmux send-keys -t work:1.0 "git commit -m '"
+
+# Clear a pane
+tmux send-keys -t work:1.0 "clear" Enter
+
+# Check what's in a pane (capture its output)
+tmux capture-pane -t work:1.0 -p
+tmux capture-pane -t work:1.0 -p | grep "ERROR"
+```
+
+### Scripting a Full Workspace Layout
+
+This is the most powerful pattern: create a fully configured multi-pane workspace from a single script.
+
+```bash
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+SESSION="dev"
+
+# Bail if session already exists
+tmux has-session -t "$SESSION" 2>/dev/null && {
+  echo "Session $SESSION already exists. Attaching..."
+  tmux attach -t "$SESSION"
+  exit 0
+}
+
+# Create session with first window
+tmux new-session -d -s "$SESSION" -n "editor" -x 220 -y 50
+
+# Window 1: editor + test runner side by side
+tmux send-keys -t "$SESSION:editor" "vim ." Enter
+tmux split-window -h -t "$SESSION:editor"
+tmux send-keys -t "$SESSION:editor.1" "npm test -- --watch" Enter
+tmux select-pane -t "$SESSION:editor.0"
+
+# Window 2: server logs
+tmux new-window -t "$SESSION" -n "server"
+tmux send-keys -t "$SESSION:server" "docker compose up" Enter
+tmux split-window -v -t "$SESSION:server"
+tmux send-keys -t "$SESSION:server.1" "tail -f logs/app.log" Enter
+
+# Window 3: general shell
+tmux new-window -t "$SESSION" -n "shell"
+
+# Focus first window
+tmux select-window -t "$SESSION:editor"
+
+# Attach
+tmux attach -t "$SESSION"
+```
+
+### Configuration (`~/.tmux.conf`)
+
+```bash
+# Change prefix to Ctrl-a (screen-style)
+unbind C-b
+set -g prefix C-a
+bind C-a send-prefix
+
+# Enable mouse support
+set -g mouse on
+
+# Start window/pane numbering at 1
+set -g base-index 1
+setw -g pane-base-index 1
+
+# Renumber windows when one is closed
+set -g renumber-windows on
+
+# Increase scrollback buffer
+set -g history-limit 50000
+
+# Use vi keys in copy mode
+setw -g mode-keys vi
+
+# Faster key repetition
+set -s escape-time 0
+
+# Reload config without restarting
+bind r source-file ~/.tmux.conf \; display "Config reloaded"
+
+# Intuitive splits: | and -
+bind | split-window -h -c "#{pane_current_path}"
+bind - split-window -v -c "#{pane_current_path}"
+
+# New windows open in current directory
+bind c new-window -c "#{pane_current_path}"
+
+# Status bar
+set -g status-right "#{session_name} | %H:%M %d-%b"
+set -g status-interval 5
+```
+
+### Copy Mode and Scrollback
+
+```bash
+# Enter copy mode (scroll up through output)
+# Prefix + [
+
+# In vi mode:
+# / to search forward, ? to search backward
+# Space to start selection, Enter to copy
+# q to exit copy mode
+
+# Paste the most recent buffer
+# Prefix + ]
+
+# List paste buffers
+tmux list-buffers
+
+# Show the most recent buffer
+tmux show-buffer
+
+# Save buffer to a file
+tmux save-buffer /tmp/tmux-output.txt
+
+# Load a file into a buffer
+tmux load-buffer /tmp/data.txt
+
+# Pipe pane output to a command
+tmux pipe-pane -t work:1.0 "cat >> ~/session.log"
+```
+
+### Practical Automation Patterns
+
+```bash
+# Idempotent session: create or attach
+ensure_session() {
+  local name="$1"
+  tmux has-session -t "$name" 2>/dev/null \
+    || tmux new-session -d -s "$name"
+  tmux attach -t "$name"
+}
+
+# Run a command in a new background window and tail its output
+run_bg() {
+  local session="${1:-main}" cmd="${*:2}"
+  tmux new-window -t "$session" -n "bg-$$"
+  tmux send-keys -t "$session:bg-$$" "$cmd" Enter
+}
+
+# Wait for a pane to produce specific output (polling)
+wait_for_output() {
+  local target="$1" pattern="$2" timeout="${3:-30}"
+  local elapsed=0
+  while (( elapsed < timeout )); do
+    tmux capture-pane -t "$target" -p | grep -q "$pattern" && return 0
+    sleep 1
+    (( elapsed++ ))
+  done
+  return 1
+}
+
+# Kill all background windows matching a name prefix
+kill_bg_windows() {
+  local session="$1" prefix="${2:-bg-}"
+  tmux list-windows -t "$session" -F "#W" \
+    | grep "^${prefix}" \
+    | while read -r win; do
+        tmux kill-window -t "${session}:${win}"
+      done
+}
+```
+
+### Remote and SSH Workflows
+
+```bash
+# SSH and immediately attach to an existing session
+ssh user@host -t "tmux attach -t work || tmux new-session -s work"
+
+# Run a command on remote host inside a tmux session (fire and forget)
+ssh user@host "tmux new-session -d -s deploy 'bash /opt/deploy.sh'"
+
+# Watch the remote session output from another terminal
+ssh user@host -t "tmux attach -t deploy -r"  # read-only attach
+
+# Pair programming: share a session (both users attach to the same session)
+# User 1:
+tmux new-session -s shared
+# User 2 (same server):
+tmux attach -t shared
+```
+
+## Best Practices
+
+- Always name sessions (`-s name`) in scripts — unnamed sessions are hard to target reliably
+- Use `tmux has-session -t name 2>/dev/null` before creating to make scripts idempotent
+- Set `-x` and `-y` when creating detached sessions to give panes a proper size for commands that check terminal dimensions
+- Use `send-keys ... Enter` for automation rather than piping stdin — it works even when the target pane is running an interactive program
+- Keep `~/.tmux.conf` in version control for reproducibility across machines
+- Prefer `bind -n` for bindings that don't need the prefix, but only for keys that don't conflict with application shortcuts
+
+## Security & Safety Notes
+
+- `send-keys` executes commands in a pane without confirmation — verify the target (`-t session:window.pane`) before use in scripts to avoid sending keystrokes to the wrong pane
+- Read-only attach (`-r`) is appropriate when sharing sessions with others to prevent accidental input
+- Avoid storing secrets in tmux window/pane titles or environment variables exported into sessions on shared machines
+
+## Common Pitfalls
+
+- **Problem:** `tmux` commands from a script fail with "no server running"
+  **Solution:** Start the server first with `tmux start-server`, or create a detached session before running other commands.
+
+- **Problem:** Pane size is 0x0 when creating a detached session
+  **Solution:** Pass explicit dimensions: `tmux new-session -d -s name -x 200 -y 50`.
+
+- **Problem:** `send-keys` types the text but doesn't run the command
+  **Solution:** Ensure you pass `Enter` (capital E) as a second argument: `tmux send-keys -t target "cmd" Enter`.
+
+- **Problem:** Script creates a duplicate session each run
+  **Solution:** Guard with `tmux has-session -t name 2>/dev/null || tmux new-session -d -s name`.
+
+- **Problem:** Copy-mode selection doesn't work as expected
+  **Solution:** Confirm `mode-keys vi` or `mode-keys emacs` is set to match your preference in `~/.tmux.conf`.
+
+## Related Skills
+
+- `@bash-pro` — Writing the shell scripts that orchestrate tmux sessions
+- `@bash-linux` — General Linux terminal patterns used inside tmux panes
+- `@ssh` — Combining tmux with SSH for persistent remote workflows
+
+## Limitations
+- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
+- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
+- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.