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EnglishWhat Is Tmux Cheat Sheet & Quick Reference?
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Tmux Cheat Sheet & Quick Reference (tmuxcheatsheet.com) is a browser-based reference for tmux commands, organized by the part of tmux you're working with: sessions, windows, panes, copy mode, and miscellaneous commands. It suits anyone who knows roughly what they want to do in tmux but doesn't remember the exact keystroke or command syntax — you scan the section, find the action, and copy the command or shortcut. It is a lookup tool, not a tutorial, so it won't teach you tmux concepts from scratch.
What the site covers
The reference is grouped into five sections, each pairing the default prefix shortcut with the equivalent command-line form where one exists.
| Section | Example entries |
|---|---|
| Sessions | tmux new -s mysession, tmux ls, tmux attach -t mysession, Ctrl+b d to detach, Ctrl+b $ to rename |
| Windows | Ctrl+b c to create, Ctrl+b , to rename, Ctrl+b 0…9 to switch by number, swap-window and move-window commands |
| Panes | Ctrl+b % for a vertical split, Ctrl+b " for a horizontal split, Ctrl+b ; to toggle the last active pane, join-pane to merge windows |
| Copy Mode | Navigation and selection keys for scrolling back through output |
| Misc | Remaining commands that don't fit the other categories |
A useful detail is that many rows show both forms side by side — for example, Ctrl+b $ next to : rename-session — so you can use whichever fits your workflow, whether you're at the keyboard or writing a script.
How to use it effectively
- Pick the section first. Decide whether your task is about a session (the whole tmux instance), a window (a tab-like container), or a pane (a split inside a window). The site's structure mirrors that hierarchy, so starting with the right section narrows the list quickly.
- Search rather than scroll. The site exposes a search shortcut (
Ctrl + K) for jumping to a command, which is faster than scanning a long table when you already know the verb —kill,attach,split, and so on. - Check the prefix assumption. Shortcuts are listed with the default prefix
Ctrl+b. If you've remapped your prefix, translate the shortcut accordingly; the command-line equivalents are unaffected. - Verify against your own tmux. Before relying on a command in a script or a shared environment, run
tmux -Vand test the command in a throwaway session. The site is a reference, not a version-specific manual, so behavior on older or heavily customized setups can differ.
Beyond the cheat sheet
The site also links to an installation guide and to pages on theming and customizing tmux, which help if you're setting tmux up rather than just looking up a key. The interface is available in multiple languages, including English, German, Chinese, French, Spanish, Korean, Dutch, and Russian, selectable from the header — useful if you're sharing the reference with a team that works in different languages.
When it's the right tool — and when it isn't
Use tmuxcheatsheet.com when you need a fast, no-login lookup of a specific command and prefer a compact table over a long manual page. It's also handy as a shared link in team docs, since the sections map cleanly to "how do I split a pane" or "how do I kill a session" questions.
It's less suitable if you're learning tmux for the first time and need explanation of what sessions, windows, and panes actually are, or if you need documentation for a specific tmux version's edge cases. In those situations, pair the cheat sheet with the official tmux manual (man tmux) — use the site to find the command, and the manual to confirm its exact options on your system.