openmux

Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted

What openmux is

openmux is a free terminal multiplexer for Linux and macOS, with a command-line interface. It arranges terminals in vertical, horizontal, or stacked panes and provides nine workspaces, each with its own layout. Users can move between panes with Vim-style hjkl keys or use a Ctrl+b prefix. Sessions retain workspace layouts and pane working directories, and can be detached and reattached while a background shim continues running. A new client takes a single-client lock and disconnects the previous client. An aggregate PTY browser can filter and preview terminals across workspaces by directory, process name, or Git branch. Other features include mouse tracking, scrollback, pane zoom, and Kitty graphics support for image rendering, pixel sizing, and SSH-aware offloading. The CLI can create sessions, split panes, send text, capture output, and list sessions as JSON. Layout, theme, and keybinding changes hot-reload while the application is running. Installation options include a curl script, npm, Bun, source builds, and prebuilt releases. The project uses the MIT License.

Who it suits

It suits terminal users on Linux or macOS who want pane layouts, multiple workspaces, and detachable sessions. Its CLI also supports session and pane operations.

What it does well

Nine workspaces with separate pane layouts
Sessions retain layouts and working directories
PTY browser filters by process, directory, or Git branch
Configuration changes hot-reload while running
MIT-licensed

What to know first

A new client detaches the previous client
Release binaries listed for macOS Apple Silicon and Linux x64 or arm64

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
openmux	MIT-licensed software · macOS Apple Silicon · Linux x64 / arm64	Free

As github.com lists them, read 9 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Open the project website on GitHub.
Install with the curl script, npm, Bun, a source build, or a prebuilt release binary.
Use the CLI to create a session and split panes.
Arrange panes vertically, horizontally, or stacked, and navigate with hjkl or Ctrl+b.
Detach a session and attach from another client when needed.

Verdict

openmux combines pane and workspace management with persistent, detachable sessions and a PTY browser. Note the single-client behavior when attaching from another client.

Questions

How much does openmux cost?

The listed plan is free.

Which platforms does openmux support?

It lists Linux and macOS, with release binaries for macOS Apple Silicon and Linux x64 or arm64. It also provides a terminal CLI.

Is openmux open source?

Yes. The repository uses the MIT License.

Can sessions persist after detaching?

Sessions preserve workspace layouts and pane working directories while the background shim continues running. Attaching from a new client detaches the old client.

What can the CLI do?

It supports session and pane operations including creating sessions, splitting panes, sending text, capturing output, and listing sessions as JSON.

Facts from openmux's own pages

Available binaries: The README lists macOS Apple Silicon and Linux x64 or arm64 as release platforms. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
CLI: The headless-style CLI supports session and pane operations; pane commands require a running UI with a control socket available. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Configuration: Configuration changes for layout, theme, and keybindings hot-reload while openmux is running. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Detach and attach: Users can detach while leaving the background shim running; attaching from a new client takes the single-client lock and detaches the old client. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Installation: The project documents installation via curl, npm, Bun, source build, and GitHub release binaries. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Intended users: The README presents openmux as a terminal multiplexer and compares its behavior and architecture with tmux and Zellij. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Layout: It offers vertical, horizontal, and stacked pane layouts, with gaps and borders. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Layouts and workspaces: It offers vertical, horizontal, and stacked layouts across nine workspaces with isolated pane layouts. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
License: The repository identifies the software as MIT licensed. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Maintainer: The GitHub profile identifies the maintainer as Tom and describes him as an open source builder. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Navigation: It supports Vim-style hjkl navigation and a Tmux-style Ctrl+b prefix key. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Platforms: The README lists prebuilt binaries for macOS Apple Silicon and Linux x64 / arm64. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Product: openmux is a terminal multiplexer with a master-stack layout, described as Zellij-style. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
PTY browser: An aggregate view lets users browse, filter, and preview PTYs across workspaces, including directory, process name, and git branch information. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
PTY browsing: Its aggregate view lets users browse and filter PTYs across workspaces by process name, directory, or Git branch, with interactive previews. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Security: The repository page shows zero security advisories. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Sessions: Sessions persist workspace layouts and pane working directories, and are auto-saved under ~/.config/openmux/sessions/. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Terminal features: It includes mouse tracking, scrollback support, pane zoom, and Kitty graphics protocol support. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Terminal graphics: It supports the Kitty graphics protocol for image rendering, pixel sizing, and SSH-aware offloading. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Workspaces: It supports nine workspaces, each with its own pane layout. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026

Where openmux stands on Freedom251

Terminal Multiplexers#8 of 29