Conmux

Free plan Windows

What Conmux is

Conmux is a free, Windows-native terminal multiplexer for running command-line tools in supervised sessions. It can launch native Windows programs, PowerShell, and tools in WSL as panes. Its library supports ConPTY panes, process-tree supervision, scrollback, output capture, and pane event streams. A daemon allows clients to detach and reconnect while panes remain active, replaying the screen on reconnection. The programmable control interface includes stable pane IDs, framed request and response messages, and per-pane event streams. Input passes through a shared path with policy, audit, and rate-limit hooks that fail closed. The project describes itself as local-only, with no accounts, telemetry, or data leaving the machine. It uses a named pipe restricted to the current user's SID and rejects remote clients, though it notes these protections do not stop malicious code running as that same user. Conmux is early development at v0.1.x; APIs outside the frozen wire-protocol layer are unstable. Stopping or crashing the daemon terminates every pane. It is dual-licensed under MIT or Apache 2.0, with a Rust library, CLI, and Tauri GUI shell.

Who it suits

It suits Windows users who want supervised CLI sessions, including native programs, PowerShell, or WSL tools. The project is intended for CLI agent workflows without requiring a full IDE.

What it does well

Clients can detach and reconnect to persistent panes.
Supports native programs, PowerShell, and WSL tools.
Local-only design states no accounts or telemetry.
Dual-licensed under MIT or Apache 2.0.
Offers a Rust library, CLI, and Tauri GUI shell.

What to know first

Early development at v0.1.x.
APIs outside the wire protocol are unstable.
Daemon failure or shutdown terminates every pane.
Unsigned GUI installer triggers a SmartScreen warning.

Verdict

Conmux combines supervised Windows terminal panes with a reconnectable daemon and local control interface. Its early development status and the loss of all panes when the daemon stops are important operational limits.

Facts from Conmux's own pages

Availability: The Rust library and CLI can be installed with `cargo install --locked conmux`; a GUI installer is available from GitHub Releases. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
CLI compatibility: The README describes launching native programs, PowerShell, and tools in WSL as supervised panes. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Control features: The library provides stable pane IDs, request and response control, per-pane event streams, and output capture with an ANSI-stripping option. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Control interface: The project describes a programmable control plane with framed request/response, per-pane event streams, stable pane IDs, and output capture. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Development status: Conmux is early development (v0.1.x), Windows-only, and APIs outside the frozen wire-protocol layer are unstable. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Download requirements: The v0.1.1 release specifies Windows 10 1809 or later, or Windows 11, and says the GUI installer is unsigned and will trigger a SmartScreen unknown-publisher warning. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Features: Its library supports real ConPTY panes, process-tree supervision, scrollback and capture, and pane event streams. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Input handling: All input uses one injection path with pluggable policy, audit, and rate-limit hooks that fail closed. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Installer limitation: The GUI installer is unsigned, so Windows SmartScreen warns that its publisher is unknown. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Integrations: Conmux provides a Rust crate and CLI plus a Tauri GUI shell, and its README identifies Conflux as a separate multi-agent workbench built on it. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
License: The project is dual-licensed under MIT or Apache 2.0. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Maker: The project says it was built by a student at South China Normal University. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Operational limit: Stopping or crashing the daemon terminates every pane because its Job Objects are dropped. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Operational limitation: Running `kill-server` or crashing the daemon terminates every pane because the daemon drops their Job Objects. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Pane supervision: Each pane runs in a Windows Job Object configured to terminate its process tree when the object closes. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Privacy: The project states that it is local-only, with no accounts or telemetry and no data leaving the machine. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Process support: It can launch native programs, PowerShell, and tools running in WSL as supervised panes. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Product: Conmux is a standalone Windows-native terminal multiplexer that runs CLI tools in supervised sessions. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Security: The project says it is local-only, has no accounts or telemetry, and uses named-pipe DACL and remote-client protections; it also notes these do not stop malicious code running as the same user. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Security boundary: The local named pipe uses a DACL limited to the current user's SID, rejects remote clients, and includes first-instance squatting protection. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Session persistence: A daemon supports detaching and reattaching clients while panes survive and the screen is replayed on reconnect. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Support: The maker invites bug reports, issues, discussions, and pull requests, and lists an email contact. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Use case: It is intended to bring CLI agent workflows to Windows without requiring a full IDE. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026

Where Conmux stands on Freedom251

Terminal Multiplexers#16 of 29