Terminal Multiplexers: screen vs. tmux vs. etc.

BoneKracker · Veteran Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 1499 Location: U.S.A.

Which terminal multiplexer do you use, and why?
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aidanjt · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 2:39 am Post subject:

Screen... it was the first I learnt and I didn't bother checking out any of the others.
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BoneKracker · Veteran Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 1499 Location: U.S.A.

I just started trying out tmux, but had been using screen for years for the same reason.

tmux seems to be functionally very similar, but the OpenBSD guys like it because it's more auditable (it's like screen, re-engineered, and it's not spaghetti code).

I'm still dabbling with it, trying to figure out how to detach and reattach to sessions.

A couple of differences so far:

Without any patching, it allows one to split both vertically and horizontally.
It seems to redraw better, and doesn't mangle the underlying terminal window.
It has not only sessions but "windows" (a different way of grouping clients, potentially enabling some activity of higher complexity).
The configuration file and command syntax seem much easier to understand.
I haven't tested it, but it is purported to be "lighter".

As to the other alternatives, 'dtach', which I haven't used, is apparently a simpler alternative which allows one merely to detach a remote terminal session and re-attach to it later on. It doesn't allow one to create multiple terminal sessions in a single terminal window. This ability to detach and then come back later is mostly what I have used screen for, so I imagine some people might find this useful (i.e., ssh into remote machine, start some long-running job, detach, log out of remote machine, then ssh back in later, re-attach to session and check to see how long-running job is doing).

Supposely, this (or something like it) is possible with nohup, but I've never suceeded with it, other than to create zombie processes. Supposedly one can also achieve this using the BASH built-in 'disown', but I've never attempted it. Screen worked, so I just kept using it.

I usually only have one desktop linux machine, so I've never had any use for remote graphical sessions.

I'm interested in knowing whether anybody has worked extensively enough with both screen and tmux to judge one a superior alternative to the other, if anybody is using 'dtach', and if anybody successfully uses nohup or disown as a means to run remote jobs and then reconnect to them.
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pjp · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 5:35 am Post subject:

screen because it was the first utility of its kind I learned, didn't know others existed (and didn't bother to look because it works pretty darn well).

And VNC for those times when it is required (if something like Cygwin doesn't work or isn't available).

BoneKracker · Veteran Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 1499 Location: U.S.A.

Screen comes from GNU (who are notably "Not Unix", per the acronym). Tmux comes from BSD-land, who are indeed UNIX. So I would expect there to be no problems using it on AIX, HP-UX, Solaris, etc.

So far, from my brief dabbling, it does seem to be superior, at least in terms of ease of use, configuration, and scriptability. Some basics:

The command prefix is control + b (where screen's in control +a), but this is configurable.

'Detach' is done the same way, <command prefix> followed by 'd'.

To re-attach, use 'tmux attach' (where screen uses screen -r).

The man page is good. You can also '<command prefix> list-keys' and '<command prefix> list-commands'.
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smartass · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 6:27 am Post subject:

pjp · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 6:31 am Post subject:

Solaris has (or had) GNU utilities available. I don't know if screen is among them. But it could be compiled. IIRC, I think HP-UX had a community supported package of utilities, but never encountered them installed.
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BoneKracker · Veteran Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 1499 Location: U.S.A.

eccerr0r · Advocate Joined: 01 Jul 2004 Posts: 3040 Location: USA

Also an avid gnu screen user. I was surprised also at its terminal capabilities and emulation...

I was looking for alternatives at a time (ideally, a lightweight one for a router/embedded solution) but didn't really find one, plus screen worked on many platforms (sunos, solaris, ultrix, netbsd, hpux) so it became my go-to.
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Dr.Willy · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 2:26 pm Post subject:

tmux because it's the better screen.

nomilieu · n00b Joined: 22 Nov 2011 Posts: 24

tmux.

I started using it based on hype (being supposedly better than screen) and have had no issues with it. Also, the name is cooler.
And to be honest, sometimes reading GNU code is just scary.

Basically, I have no good reason to use it over screen, but I have no good reason to change either.

woddfellow2 · n00b Joined: 01 Dec 2009 Posts: 20 Location: United States

I still use GNU Screen. I have barely bothered with tmux.
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energyman76b · Advocate Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 2022 Location: Germany

tmux

because it is not screen
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danomac · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:36 pm Post subject:

eccerr0r · Advocate Joined: 01 Jul 2004 Posts: 3040 Location: USA

Anyone use USE=nethack for their app-misc/screen? :D

I emerged tmux, seems to work. Interesting default to show a status bar at the bottom (where gnu-screen hides it as soon as it can).

One thing I hate about gnu-screen. Googling "screen" doesn't do much :D
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jonnevers · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 8:18 pm Post subject:

BoneKracker · Veteran Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 1499 Location: U.S.A.