tmux

Original：🇺🇸 English
Translated
2 scripts

Control interactive CLIs (python, gdb, etc.) via tmux sessions - send keystrokes and scrape output

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Sourceconnorads/dotfiles
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NPX Install

npx skill4agent add connorads/dotfiles tmux

Tags

Translated version includes tags in frontmatter
tmuxcli-automationterminal-toolshell-scriptremote-execution

SKILL.md Content

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tmux Skill

Use tmux to control interactive terminal applications by sending keystrokes and capturing output.

When to Use

  • Running interactive REPLs (python, node, psql)
  • Debugging with gdb/lldb
  • Any CLI that requires TTY interaction
  • Remote execution where you need to observe output

Core Pattern

bash
# Create session
tmux new-session -d -s "$SESSION" -x 120 -y 40

# Send commands
tmux send-keys -t "$SESSION" "python3" Enter

# Capture output
tmux capture-pane -t "$SESSION" -p

# Wait for prompt (poll)
for i in {1..30}; do
  output=$(tmux capture-pane -t "$SESSION" -p)
  if echo "$output" | grep -q ">>>"; then break; fi
  sleep 0.5
done

# Cleanup
tmux kill-session -t "$SESSION"

Remote Execution (Codespaces/SSH)

For mise-installed tools, wrap in zsh:
bash
# Non-interactive (won't hang)
ssh host 'zsh -c "source ~/.zshrc; tmux new-session -d -s mysession; tmux send-keys -t mysession python Enter"'

# Interactive (for tmux attach) - needs TTY
ssh host -t 'zsh -ilc "tmux attach -t mysession"'
Critical: Use 
zsh -c "source ~/.zshrc; ..."
not 
zsh -lc
to avoid hangs.

User Notification

After starting a session, ALWAYS print:
To monitor: tmux attach -t $SESSION
To capture: tmux capture-pane -t $SESSION -p

Tips

  • Use 
    -x 120 -y 40
    for consistent pane size
  • Poll with 
    capture-pane -p
    rather than 
    wait-for
  • Send literal text with 
    -l
    flag to avoid shell expansion
  • Control keys: 
    C-c
    (interrupt), 
    C-d
    (EOF), 
    Escape
  • For Python REPL: set 
    PYTHON_BASIC_REPL=1
    to avoid fancy console interference

Helper Scripts

wait-for-text.sh

Poll tmux pane for a text pattern with timeout:
bash
scripts/wait-for-text.sh -t session:0.0 -p '^>>>' -T 15

find-sessions.sh

List tmux sessions, optionally filtered:
bash
scripts/find-sessions.sh -q claude  # filter by name
scripts/find-sessions.sh --all      # all sessions