The default prefix is C-b. If you (or your muscle memory) prefer something else, you need to add this to ~/.tmux.conf:
# remap prefix to Control + a
set -g prefix C-a
# bind 'C-a C-a' to type 'C-a'
bind C-a send-prefix
unbind C-b# don't allow tmux to rename the window based on commands running
set-window-option -g allow-rename offSession is a set of windows, plus a notion of which window is current.
Window is a single screen covered with panes. (Once might compare it to a ‘virtual desktop’ or a ‘space’.)
Pane is a rectangular part of a window that runs a specific command, e.g. a shell.
Creating a session:
tmux new-session -s work
Create a new session that shares all windows with an existing session, but has its own separate notion of which window is current:
tmux new-session -s work2 -t work
Attach to a session:
tmux attach -t work
Detach from a session: prefix d.
Switch between sessions:
prefix ( previous session
prefix ) next session
prefix L ‘last’ (previously used) session
prefix s choose a session from a list
Other:
prefix $ rename the current session
Create a window:
prefix c create a new window
Switch between windows:
prefix 1, ..., 9, 0
switch to window 1, ..., 9, 0
prefix p previous window
prefix n next window
prefix l ‘last’ (previously used) window
prefix w choose window from a list
Switch between windows with a twist:
prefix M-n next window with a bell, activity or content alert prefix M-p previous such window
Other:
prefix , rename the current window
prefix & kill the current window
Creating a new pane by splitting an existing one:
prefix " split vertically (top/bottom)
prefix % split horizontally (left/right)
Switching between panes:
prefix left go to the next pane on the left
prefix right (or one of these other directions)
prefix up
prefix down
prefix o go to the next pane (cycle through all of them)
prefix ; go to the ‘last’ (previously used) pane
Moving panes around:
prefix { move the current pane to the previous position
prefix } move the current pane to the next position
prefix C-o rotate window ‘up’ (i.e. move all panes)
prefix M-o rotate window ‘down’
prefix ! move the current pane into a new separate window (‘break pane’)
prefix :move-pane -t :3.2
split window 3's pane 2 and move the current pane there
Resizing panes:
prefix M-up, prefix M-down, prefix M-left, prefix M-right
resize by 5 rows/columns
prefix C-up, prefix C-down, prefix C-left, prefix C-right
resize by 1 row/column
Resizing panes (continued):
:resize-pane -D (Resizes the current pane down)
:resize-pane -U (Resizes the current pane upward)
:resize-pane -L (Resizes the current pane left)
:resize-pane -R (Resizes the current pane right)
:resize-pane -D 10 (Resizes the current pane down by 10 cells)
:resize-pane -U 10 (Resizes the current pane upward by 10 cells)
:resize-pane -L 10 (Resizes the current pane left by 10 cells)
:resize-pane -R 10 (Resizes the current pane right by 10 cells)
Applying predefined layouts:
prefix M-1 switch to even-horizontal layout
prefix M-2 switch to even-vertical layout
prefix M-3 switch to main-horizontal layout
prefix M-4 switch to main-vertical layout
prefix M-5 switch to tiled layout
prefix space switch to the next layout
Other:
prefix x kill the current pane
prefix q display pane numbers for a short while
prefix tWhen you attach to a session with a smaller usable area, that session sets the window's usable area and the other window is going to be resized. This solution "goes around" the problem by detaching other sessions when attaching, maybe should set this in alias:
tmux attach -d
More approaches here