Using tmux for Interactive Commands
Quick Reference (30 seconds)
Interactive CLI tools (vim, REPLs, git rebase -i) require real terminals. Use tmux detached sessions with send-keys and capture-pane.
Essential Commands
| Task | Command |
|---|---|
| Start session | tmux new-session -d -s <name> <command> |
| Send input | tmux send-keys -t <name> 'text' Enter |
| Capture output | tmux capture-pane -t <name> -p |
| Stop session | tmux kill-session -t <name> |
| List sessions | tmux list-sessions |
Core Pattern
tmux new-session -d -s edit vim file.txt # Start detached
sleep 0.3 # Wait for init
tmux send-keys -t edit 'i' 'Hello' Escape ':wq' Enter # Interact
tmux kill-session -t edit # Cleanup
When to Use
| Use tmux | Don't use |
|---|---|
| vim, nano, editors | Simple non-interactive commands |
| Python/Node REPLs | Commands that accept stdin redirection |
| git rebase -i, git add -p | One-shot commands |
| Full-screen apps (htop) |
Implementation Guide (5 minutes)
Workflow
- Create detached session with interactive command
- Wait briefly (100-500ms) for initialization
- Send input via
send-keys - Capture output via
capture-pane -p - Repeat steps 3-4 as needed
- Terminate session when done
Special Keys
| Key | tmux name |
|---|---|
| Return | Enter |
| ESC | Escape |
| Ctrl+C | C-c |
| Ctrl+X | C-x |
| Arrows | Up, Down, Left, Right |
| Space | Space |
| Backspace | BSpace |
Working Directory
tmux new-session -d -s git -c /path/to/repo git rebase -i HEAD~3
Common Patterns
Python REPL
tmux new-session -d -s py python3 -i
tmux send-keys -t py 'import math' Enter
tmux send-keys -t py 'print(math.pi)' Enter
tmux capture-pane -t py -p
tmux kill-session -t py
Vim Editing
tmux new-session -d -s vim vim /tmp/file.txt
sleep 0.3
tmux send-keys -t vim 'i' 'New content' Escape ':wq' Enter
Interactive Git Rebase
tmux new-session -d -s rebase -c /repo git rebase -i HEAD~3
sleep 0.5
tmux capture-pane -t rebase -p
tmux send-keys -t rebase 'Down' 'Home' 'squash' Escape ':wq' Enter
Node REPL
tmux new-session -d -s node node
tmux send-keys -t node 'const x = 42' Enter
tmux send-keys -t node 'console.log(x * 2)' Enter
tmux capture-pane -t node -p
tmux kill-session -t node
Common Mistakes
Not Waiting After Start
Problem: Blank screen on immediate capture Fix:
tmux new-session -d -s sess command
sleep 0.3 # Let command initialize
tmux capture-pane -t sess -p
Forgetting Enter Key
Problem: Commands typed but not executed
Fix: Always explicitly send Enter
Wrong Session Name
Problem: Session not found
Fix: Use tmux list-sessions to verify names
Not Escaping Special Characters
Problem: Shell interprets characters
Fix: Use single quotes: tmux send-keys -t s 'echo "hello"' Enter
Advanced: Claude Code Orchestration
Start Claude Code in tmux
tmux new-session -d -s claude -c /project/path claude
sleep 2 # Claude Code takes longer to start
tmux capture-pane -t claude -p # See initial state
Send Prompts
tmux send-keys -t claude "Fix all TypeScript errors" Enter
sleep 30 # Wait for processing
tmux capture-pane -t claude -p # Check progress
Graceful Exit
tmux send-keys -t claude '/exit' Enter
sleep 1
tmux kill-session -t claude
Works Well With
Skills: bash-optimizer, git-cli-agentic Tools: tmux, vim, git