tmux (Zellij-style)¶

tmux is a terminal multiplexer: it lets you manage multiple windows (tabs) and split panes inside a single terminal, detach and reattach sessions, and persist work across SSH disconnections.

Out of the box tmux requires a prefix key (Ctrl+b) before every command. This guide reconfigures it to work like Zellij — direct Ctrl/Alt shortcuts, no prefix, with a two-line status bar and Catppuccin Mocha colours.

Install¶

Arch Linux

pacman -S tmux

Debian / Ubuntu

apt install tmux

macOS (Homebrew)

brew install tmux

Config file¶

tmux reads ~/.config/tmux/tmux.conf (tmux ≥ 3.1) or ~/.tmux.conf.

Create the config

mkdir -p ~/.config/tmux
$EDITOR ~/.config/tmux/tmux.conf

Core philosophy¶

Two changes unlock Zellij-style direct bindings:

Disable prefix key and clear all defaults

unbind C-b
set -g prefix None

unbind-key -a   # start from a clean slate

Every binding then uses -n ("no prefix") so keystrokes fire immediately.

Tabs (windows)¶

tmux windows act as Zellij tabs. Tabs are numbered from 1 and renumbered automatically on close.

Key	Action
`Ctrl+T`	New tab (inherits current path)
`Ctrl+W`	Close tab
`Ctrl+H` / `Ctrl+L`	Previous / next tab
`Alt+,` / `Alt+.`	Previous / next tab (alternate)
`Alt+1` … `Alt+9`	Jump to tab by number
`Alt+R`	Rename current tab

Tab bindings

bind -n C-t   new-window -c "#{pane_current_path}"
bind -n C-w   kill-window
bind -n C-h   previous-window
bind -n C-l   next-window
bind -n M-,   previous-window
bind -n M-.   next-window
bind -n M-1   select-window -t :1
# … M-2 through M-9 follow the same pattern
bind -n M-r   command-prompt -p "Rename tab:" "rename-window '%%'"

Current path inheritance

new-window -c "#{pane_current_path}" opens the new tab in the same directory as the active pane — identical to Zellij's behaviour.

Panes¶

Panes split the current tab. Borders show the pane title at the top, styled with Catppuccin colours.

Key	Action
`Alt+N`	New pane (vertical split — side by side)
`Alt+D`	Horizontal split (stacked)
`Alt+Q`	Close pane
`Alt+Z` / `Alt+F`	Toggle pane fullscreen/zoom

Pane bindings

bind -n M-n   split-window -h -c "#{pane_current_path}"
bind -n M-d   split-window -v -c "#{pane_current_path}"
bind -n M-q   kill-pane
bind -n M-z   resize-pane -Z
bind -n M-f   resize-pane -Z

Move focus between panes with Alt+Arrow. Resize with Alt+h/j/k/l (vim directions).

Pane navigation and resize

bind -n M-Left    select-pane -L
bind -n M-Right   select-pane -R
bind -n M-Up      select-pane -U
bind -n M-Down    select-pane -D

bind -n M-h   resize-pane -L 3
bind -n M-l   resize-pane -R 3
bind -n M-k   resize-pane -U 2
bind -n M-j   resize-pane -D 2

escape-time must be non-zero for Alt+letter bindings

Alt+letter keys are sent by terminals as ESC + letter. With escape-time 0, tmux dispatches the ESC immediately and never assembles the Alt sequence — so every M-letter binding silently falls through to the shell. Setting escape-time 20 gives tmux a 20 ms window to collect the full sequence. Alt+Arrow keys are unaffected because they use a different multi-character xterm sequence (\e[1;3D etc.) that tmux always parses correctly.

Scroll & copy mode¶

Ctrl+S enters scroll/copy mode (like Zellij's Ctrl+S scroll lock). Navigation uses vi keys.

Key	Action
`Ctrl+S`	Enter scroll mode
`v`	Begin selection (in copy mode)
`y`	Copy selection and exit
`q` / `Escape`	Exit copy mode
`Alt+P`	Paste buffer

Copy mode bindings

set -g mode-keys vi
bind -n C-s   copy-mode
bind -T copy-mode-vi v       send -X begin-selection
bind -T copy-mode-vi y       send -X copy-selection-and-cancel
bind -T copy-mode-vi q       send -X cancel
bind -T copy-mode-vi Escape  send -X cancel

Sessions¶

Key	Action
`Alt+S`	Interactive session picker
`Alt+E`	Create new session

Session bindings

bind -n M-s   choose-session
bind -n M-e   new-session

Status bar¶

A two-line status bar sits at the top of the screen in Catppuccin Mocha colours:

Line 1 — session name (left), window tabs, clock (right)
Line 2 — condensed key-binding cheatsheet

Catppuccin Mocha palette (reference)

# bg=#1e1e2e  surface=#313244  overlay=#45475a  muted=#585b70
# text=#cdd6f4  blue=#89b4fa  green=#a6e3a1  red=#f38ba8

Status bar configuration

set -g status 2
set -g status-position top
set -g status-interval 2
set -g status-style "bg=#1e1e2e fg=#cdd6f4"

set -g status-left "#[bg=#89b4fa,fg=#1e1e2e,bold] #S #[bg=#1e1e2e,fg=#89b4fa,none]"
set -g status-left-length 40
set -g status-right "#[fg=#585b70] %H:%M %d %b "
set -g status-right-length 30

set -g window-status-separator ""
set -g window-status-format \
    "#[bg=#313244,fg=#cdd6f4] #I #W #[bg=#1e1e2e,fg=#313244]"
set -g window-status-current-format \
    "#[bg=#89b4fa,fg=#1e1e2e,bold] #I #W #[bg=#1e1e2e,fg=#89b4fa,none]"

# Hint bar (line 2)
set -g status-format[1] "#[bg=#181825,fg=#585b70] \
#[fg=#89b4fa]M-n#[fg=#585b70] pane  \
#[fg=#89b4fa]M-d#[fg=#585b70] split  \
#[fg=#89b4fa]M-q#[fg=#585b70] close  \
#[fg=#89b4fa]C-t#[fg=#585b70] tab  \
#[fg=#89b4fa]C-w#[fg=#585b70] close-tab  \
#[fg=#89b4fa]M-←→#[fg=#585b70] nav  \
#[fg=#89b4fa]M-z#[fg=#585b70] zoom  \
#[fg=#89b4fa]C-s#[fg=#585b70] scroll  \
#[fg=#89b4fa]M-s#[fg=#585b70] sessions  \
#[fg=#89b4fa]M-r#[fg=#585b70] rename"

Pane borders are labelled at the top and use the same palette:

Pane border styling

set -g pane-border-status top
set -g pane-border-format "#[fg=#45475a] #{pane_title} "
set -g pane-border-style "fg=#313244"
set -g pane-active-border-style "fg=#89b4fa"

Full config¶

~/.config/tmux/tmux.conf

# =============================================================================
# tmux.conf -- Zellij-inspired configuration
# =============================================================================

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Core settings
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
set -g default-terminal "screen-256color"
set -ga terminal-overrides ",*256col*:Tc"   # True color
set -g escape-time 20                        # 20 ms — needed for Alt+letter keys
set -g repeat-time 0
set -g history-limit 50000
set -g mouse on
set -g focus-events on
set -g base-index 1
set -g pane-base-index 1
set -g renumber-windows on
set -g automatic-rename on
set -g set-clipboard on

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Disable prefix -- use direct Ctrl/Alt bindings like Zellij
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
unbind C-b
set -g prefix None
unbind-key -a

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Tabs (windows)
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
bind -n C-t   new-window -c "#{pane_current_path}"
bind -n C-w   kill-window
bind -n C-h   previous-window
bind -n C-l   next-window
bind -n M-,   previous-window
bind -n M-.   next-window
bind -n M-1   select-window -t :1
bind -n M-2   select-window -t :2
bind -n M-3   select-window -t :3
bind -n M-4   select-window -t :4
bind -n M-5   select-window -t :5
bind -n M-6   select-window -t :6
bind -n M-7   select-window -t :7
bind -n M-8   select-window -t :8
bind -n M-9   select-window -t :9
bind -n M-r   command-prompt -p "Rename tab:" "rename-window '%%'"

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Panes
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
bind -n M-n   split-window -h -c "#{pane_current_path}"
bind -n M-d   split-window -v -c "#{pane_current_path}"
bind -n M-q   kill-pane
bind -n M-z   resize-pane -Z
bind -n M-f   resize-pane -Z

# Navigation
bind -n M-Left    select-pane -L
bind -n M-Right   select-pane -R
bind -n M-Up      select-pane -U
bind -n M-Down    select-pane -D

# Resize
bind -n M-h   resize-pane -L 3
bind -n M-l   resize-pane -R 3
bind -n M-k   resize-pane -U 2
bind -n M-j   resize-pane -D 2

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Sessions
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
bind -n M-s   choose-session
bind -n M-e   new-session

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Scroll / copy mode
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
bind -n C-s   copy-mode

set -g mode-keys vi
bind -T copy-mode-vi v       send -X begin-selection
bind -T copy-mode-vi y       send -X copy-selection-and-cancel
bind -T copy-mode-vi q       send -X cancel
bind -T copy-mode-vi Escape  send -X cancel

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Misc
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
bind -n M-p   paste-buffer
bind -n M-?   list-keys

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Colours: Catppuccin Mocha
# bg=#1e1e2e  surface=#313244  overlay=#45475a  muted=#585b70
# text=#cdd6f4  blue=#89b4fa  green=#a6e3a1  red=#f38ba8
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Status bar
set -g status 2
set -g status-position top
set -g status-interval 2
set -g status-style "bg=#1e1e2e fg=#cdd6f4"
set -g status-left "#[bg=#89b4fa,fg=#1e1e2e,bold] #S #[bg=#1e1e2e,fg=#89b4fa,none]"
set -g status-left-length 40
set -g status-right "#[fg=#585b70] %H:%M %d %b "
set -g status-right-length 30
set -g window-status-separator ""
set -g window-status-format "#[bg=#313244,fg=#cdd6f4] #I #W #[bg=#1e1e2e,fg=#313244]"
set -g window-status-current-format "#[bg=#89b4fa,fg=#1e1e2e,bold] #I #W #[bg=#1e1e2e,fg=#89b4fa,none]"

# Hint bar
set -g status-format[1] "#[bg=#181825,fg=#585b70] #[fg=#89b4fa]M-n#[fg=#585b70] pane  #[fg=#89b4fa]M-d#[fg=#585b70] split  #[fg=#89b4fa]M-q#[fg=#585b70] close  #[fg=#89b4fa]C-t#[fg=#585b70] tab  #[fg=#89b4fa]C-w#[fg=#585b70] close-tab  #[fg=#89b4fa]M-←→#[fg=#585b70] nav  #[fg=#89b4fa]M-z#[fg=#585b70] zoom  #[fg=#89b4fa]C-s#[fg=#585b70] scroll  #[fg=#89b4fa]M-s#[fg=#585b70] sessions  #[fg=#89b4fa]M-r#[fg=#585b70] rename"

# Pane borders
set -g pane-border-status top
set -g pane-border-format "#[fg=#45475a] #{pane_title} "
set -g pane-border-style "fg=#313244"
set -g pane-active-border-style "fg=#89b4fa"

set -g display-panes-colour "#45475a"
set -g display-panes-active-colour "#89b4fa"

# Message / prompt
set -g message-style "bg=#313244 fg=#cdd6f4"
set -g message-command-style "bg=#313244 fg=#cdd6f4"

# Copy mode highlight
set -g mode-style "bg=#45475a fg=#cdd6f4"

Reload config without restarting

If you still have the default prefix available in another session, run:

tmux source-file ~/.config/tmux/tmux.conf

Or start a fresh tmux session — the config is read at startup.

Terminal compatibility

Some terminals intercept Ctrl+H/Ctrl+L or Alt+Arrow before tmux sees them. If a binding does not fire, check your terminal's key settings (e.g. kitty, WezTerm, Alacritty all pass these through correctly).