tmux-learn

An interactive terminal-based tutorial for learning tmux, from basics to advanced.

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Features

• 21 interactive lessons across 5 progressive modules
• Real exercises that verify actual tmux state (pane counts, session names, window names, etc.)
• Progressive unlocking — modules unlock as you complete the previous one
• Persistent progress — pick up where you left off
• Quizzes to reinforce key concepts
• Hint system — get help when you're stuck, or skip exercises
• Zero dependencies — pure bash + tmux

Modules

#	Module	Lessons	Topics
1	Basics	5	What is tmux, sessions, windows, panes, navigation
2	Navigation	4	Pane movement, window switching, session switching, copy mode
3	Customization	4	tmux.conf, keybindings, status bar, colors & themes
4	Scripting	4	tmux commands, send-keys, scripted layouts, session scripts
5	Advanced	4	Hooks, plugins/TPM, pair programming, real-world workflows

Requirements

• bash 4.0+
• tmux 2.6+ (3.0+ recommended)
• Linux or macOS

Quick Start

git clone https://github.com/mikecubed/tmux-learn.git
cd tmux-learn
./tmux-learn

The tutorial will automatically launch inside a tmux session if you're not already in one.

How It Works

Each lesson teaches concepts with explanations, keybinding references, and ASCII diagrams, then presents hands-on exercises. The tutorial creates sandbox tmux sessions for you to practice in, and verifies your work by inspecting real tmux state.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  EXERCISE: Create a 4-Pane Layout                   │
│                                                     │
│  In the sandbox session, create 4 panes:            │
│  ┌──────┬──────┐                                    │
│  │  P0  │  P1  │                                    │
│  ├──────┼──────┤                                    │
│  │  P2  │  P3  │                                    │
│  └──────┴──────┘                                    │
│                                                     │
│  Commands: 'check' | 'hint' | 'skip' | 'quit'      │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Progress

Progress is saved to ~/.tmux-learn/progress. To reset:

# From the main menu, select "Reset progress"
# Or manually:
rm ~/.tmux-learn/progress

License

MIT