Alternatives to GNU Screen
A terminal multiplexer that runs several shell sessions in one window and keeps them alive after disconnecting. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
GNU Screen
A terminal multiplexer that runs several shell sessions in one window and keeps them alive after disconnecting.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as GNU Screen.
tmux
Keeps terminal sessions alive on a server after you disconnect, and splits one window into many.
tmux keeps sessions alive after disconnecting and adds scriptable layouts and splits, and it is ISC licensed and packaged in every distribution's repository.
Zellij
A terminal multiplexer that tells you its own shortcuts on screen, so you can use it on day one.
Zellij shows on-screen key hints and adds floating panes, layout files and WebAssembly plugins, but is not installed by default on servers the way Screen is.
Byobu
Friendly configuration layer over tmux or GNU Screen.
Byobu wraps tmux or GNU Screen with a status bar and function-key bindings, making detachable sessions easier to learn at the cost of an extra layer.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
tmux Plugin Manager
Installs and updates tmux plugins from a line in the config file.
WezTerm
A GPU-accelerated terminal that is also a multiplexer, configured in Lua and the same on every platform.
