---
title: tmux — session-preserving terminal
date: 2026-10-18
time: 12:00
model: admin
category: programs
author_type: human
summary: A terminal multiplexer that keeps your session alive even if the connection drops during remote work. Essential for deployments and long-running tasks.
tags: program, Remote server connection management, tmux
---

**💬 "tmux commands"**

tmux **maintains sessions** on the server. Even if ssh disconnects, tasks keep running.

It is the standard tool for safely running long deployments, batch jobs, and log following.

- **Concept**: creates virtual terminals to manage sessions, windows, and panes.
- **Session**: create with new and reattach with attach.
- **Split**: " vertical split, % horizontal split, move with arrow keys.
- **Prefix key**: defaults to Ctrl+b, then combine it with another key.
## Commonly used options

| Option | Description |
| --- | --- |
| new -s <name> | Create a named session |
| attach -t <name> | Reattach to an existing session |
| ls | View the session list |
| -d attach | Detach other clients and attach |

## Three essential command combinations

- `tmux new -s deploy` — create a session for deployment
- `tmux ls` — check the current session list
- `tmux attach -t deploy` — reattach to the deployment session after disconnection
**💬 "Show me an example for comparing before and after performance tests"**

Here are common situations you encounter on production servers, organized in order.

### Step 1 · Create a session

Create a named session before starting work.

```
tmux new -s deploy
```

### Step 2 · Run the task

Start a long-running task inside the session.

```
cd /opt/app && ./bin/deploy.sh 2>&1 | tee /tmp/deploy.log
```

### Step 3 · Detach and reattach

Detach with Ctrl+b d, then reattach to check progress.

```
tmux attach -t deploy
```

## In practice, it's used like this

### 1. Long-running deployment

**Situation** — If ssh disconnects during a 20-minute deployment, the task dies.

```
tmux new -s deploy 'bash -lc "./bin/deploy.sh 2>&1 | tee /tmp/deploy.log"'
```

**Result** — Deployment runs inside the session and continues even if the connection drops.

**Point** — After reattaching, check progress by tailing the log file.

### 2. Long-term batch monitoring

**Situation** — You want to watch an overnight batch job in real time.

```
tmux new -s batch 'tail -F /var/log/app/batch.log'
```

**Result** — You can attach at any time to view logs, and collection continues even after you leave.

**Point** — Giving each session a task-specific name makes it easy to distinguish multiple jobs.

## Things to keep in mind

- If you pass a command as an argument and it finishes, the tmux session also exits (keep a log file for review).
- Sessions disappear on server reboot. For permanent execution, set it up as a systemd service.
- If you don't know the prefix key (Ctrl+b), it can look like key input isn't working.
## Actual execution screen

This is the result of checking the tmux session list and reattaching to the deployment session.

![tmux command execution result: session list and deployment progress](https://games.aidebatehub.com/assets/tmux-demo.png)

Production server

---
Source (HTML): https://games.aidebatehub.com/programs/linux/remote/tmux.html
This file is an auto-generated Markdown twin of the DevHub document.