GitHub - marlocarlo/psmux: Terminal multiplexer for Windows - tmux alternative for PowerShell, Windows Terminal, cmd.exe. Includes psmux, pmux, and tmux commands.

6 min read Original article ↗ 
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║          Terminal Multiplexer for Windows                 ║
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psmux

A terminal multiplexer for Windows — the tmux alternative you've been waiting for.

psmux brings tmux-style terminal multiplexing to Windows natively. No WSL, no Cygwin, no compromises. Built in Rust for Windows Terminal, PowerShell, and cmd.exe.

💡 Tip: psmux includes tmux and pmux aliases, so you can use your muscle memory!

Why psmux?

If you've used tmux on Linux/macOS and wished you had something similar on Windows — this is it.

  • Windows-native — Built specifically for Windows 10/11
  • Works everywhere — Windows Terminal, PowerShell, cmd.exe, ConEmu, etc.
  • No dependencies — Single binary, just works
  • tmux-compatible — Same commands, same keybindings, zero learning curve
  • Aliases included — Use psmux, pmux, or tmux command, your choice

Features

  • Split panes horizontally and vertically
  • Multiple windows with tabs
  • Session management (attach/detach)
  • Mouse support for resizing panes
  • Copy mode with vim-like keybindings
  • Scrollback history (1000 lines per pane)
  • Synchronized input to multiple panes

Requirements

  • Windows 10 or Windows 11
  • PowerShell 7+ (recommended) or cmd.exe

Installation

Quick Install (Recommended)

irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/marlocarlo/psmux/master/scripts/install.ps1 | iex

This downloads the latest release and adds it to your PATH. After installation, psmux, pmux, and tmux commands are all available.

To uninstall:

irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/marlocarlo/psmux/master/scripts/uninstall.ps1 | iex

Using Cargo

Using Chocolatey

From GitHub Releases

Download the latest .zip from GitHub Releases and add to your PATH.

From Source

git clone https://github.com/marlocarlo/psmux.git
cd psmux
cargo install --path .

Usage

Use psmux, pmux, or tmux — they're identical:

# Start a new session
psmux
pmux
tmux

# Start a named session
psmux new-session -s work
tmux new-session -s work

# List sessions
psmux ls
tmux ls

# Attach to a session
psmux attach -t work
tmux attach -t work

# Show help
psmux --help
tmux --help

Key Bindings

Default prefix: Ctrl+b (same as tmux)

Key Action
Prefix + c Create new window
Prefix + % Split pane left/right
Prefix + " Split pane top/bottom
Prefix + x Kill current pane
Prefix + z Toggle pane zoom
Prefix + n Next window
Prefix + p Previous window
Prefix + 0-9 Select window by number
Prefix + d Detach from session
Prefix + , Rename current window
Prefix + w Window/pane chooser
Prefix + [ Enter copy/scroll mode
Prefix + { Enter copy/scroll mode (alternate)
Prefix + ] Paste from buffer
Prefix + q Display pane numbers
Prefix + Arrow Navigate between panes
Ctrl+q Quit

Copy/Scroll Mode

Enter copy mode with Prefix + [ or Prefix + { to scroll through terminal history:

Key Action
↑ / k Scroll up 1 line
↓ / j Scroll down 1 line
PageUp / b Scroll up 10 lines
PageDown / f Scroll down 10 lines
g Jump to top of scrollback
G Jump to bottom
← / h Move cursor left
→ / l Move cursor right
v Start selection
y Yank (copy) selection
Esc / q Exit copy mode

When in copy mode:

  • The pane border turns yellow
  • [copy mode] appears in the title
  • A scroll position indicator shows in the top-right corner

Scripting & Automation

psmux supports tmux-compatible commands for scripting and automation:

Window & Pane Control

# Create a new window
psmux new-window

# Split panes
psmux split-window -v          # Split vertically (top/bottom)
psmux split-window -h          # Split horizontally (side by side)

# Navigate panes
psmux select-pane -U           # Select pane above
psmux select-pane -D           # Select pane below
psmux select-pane -L           # Select pane to the left
psmux select-pane -R           # Select pane to the right

# Navigate windows
psmux select-window -t 0       # Select window by index
psmux next-window              # Go to next window
psmux previous-window          # Go to previous window
psmux last-window              # Go to last active window

# Kill panes and windows
psmux kill-pane
psmux kill-window
psmux kill-session

Sending Keys

# Send text directly
psmux send-keys "ls -la" Enter

# Send keys literally (no parsing)
psmux send-keys -l "literal text"

# Special keys supported:
# Enter, Tab, Escape, Space, Backspace
# Up, Down, Left, Right, Home, End
# PageUp, PageDown, Delete, Insert
# F1-F12, C-a through C-z (Ctrl+key)

Pane Information

# List all panes in current window
psmux list-panes

# List all windows
psmux list-windows

# Capture pane content
psmux capture-pane

# Display formatted message with variables
psmux display-message "#S:#I:#W"   # Session:Window Index:Window Name

Paste Buffers

# Set paste buffer content
psmux set-buffer "text to paste"

# Paste buffer to active pane
psmux paste-buffer

# List all buffers
psmux list-buffers

# Show buffer content
psmux show-buffer

# Delete buffer
psmux delete-buffer

Pane Layout

# Resize panes
psmux resize-pane -U 5         # Resize up by 5
psmux resize-pane -D 5         # Resize down by 5
psmux resize-pane -L 10        # Resize left by 10
psmux resize-pane -R 10        # Resize right by 10

# Swap panes
psmux swap-pane -U             # Swap with pane above
psmux swap-pane -D             # Swap with pane below

# Rotate panes in window
psmux rotate-window

# Toggle pane zoom
psmux zoom-pane

Session Management

# Check if session exists (exit code 0 = exists)
psmux has-session -t mysession

# Rename session
psmux rename-session newname

# Respawn pane (restart shell)
psmux respawn-pane

Format Variables

The display-message command supports these variables:

Variable Description
#S Session name
#I Window index
#W Window name
#P Pane ID
#T Pane title
#H Hostname

Configuration

Create ~/.psmux.conf:

# Change prefix key to Ctrl+a
set -g prefix C-a

# Enable mouse
set -g mouse on

# Customize status bar
set -g status-left "[#S]"
set -g status-right "%H:%M"

# Cursor style: block, underline, or bar
set -g cursor-style bar
set -g cursor-blink on

License

MIT

About psmux

psmux (PowerShell Multiplexer) is a terminal multiplexer built specifically for Windows. It is an alternative to tmux for Windows users who want terminal multiplexing without WSL or Cygwin.

Keywords

terminal multiplexer, tmux for windows, tmux alternative, tmux windows, windows terminal multiplexer, powershell multiplexer, split terminal windows, multiple terminals, terminal tabs, pane splitting, session management, windows terminal, powershell terminal, cmd terminal, rust terminal, console multiplexer, terminal emulator, windows console, cli tool, command line, devtools, developer tools, productivity, windows 10, windows 11, psmux, pmux

Related Projects

  • tmux — The original terminal multiplexer for Unix/Linux/macOS
  • Windows Terminal — Microsoft's modern terminal for Windows
  • PowerShell — Cross-platform PowerShell

FAQ

Q: Is psmux cross-platform?
A: No. psmux is built exclusively for Windows. For Linux/macOS, use tmux.

Q: Does psmux work with Windows Terminal?
A: Yes! psmux works great with Windows Terminal, PowerShell, cmd.exe, ConEmu, and other Windows terminal emulators.

Q: Why use psmux instead of Windows Terminal tabs?
A: psmux offers session persistence (detach/reattach), synchronized input to multiple panes, and tmux-compatible keybindings.

Q: Can I use tmux commands with psmux?
A: Yes! psmux includes tmux and pmux aliases. Commands like tmux new-session, tmux attach, tmux ls all work.