Alternatives to Tmuxinator
A command-line tool that creates and manages tmux sessions from YAML project configuration files. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Tmuxinator
A command-line tool that creates and manages tmux sessions from YAML project configuration files.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Tmuxinator.
sesh
A command-line session manager that finds, creates and switches between tmux sessions.
sesh also manages tmux sessions but focuses on finding, creating and switching between them, and it works best paired with a fuzzy finder instead of YAML project files.
Zellij
A terminal multiplexer that tells you its own shortcuts on screen, so you can use it on day one.
Zellij replaces both tmux and Tmuxinator, since its layouts are files that rebuild a working setup, and it needs no Ruby installation.
WezTerm
A GPU-accelerated terminal that is also a multiplexer, configured in Lua and the same on every platform.
WezTerm has built-in multiplexing configured in Lua, so project layouts live in one config file instead of Tmuxinator's YAML files driving tmux.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
tmux
Keeps terminal sessions alive on a server after you disconnect, and splits one window into many.
tmux Plugin Manager
Installs and updates tmux plugins from a line in the config file.
Oh my tmux!
A self-contained tmux configuration with a feature-rich status line and sensible defaults.
Byobu
Friendly configuration layer over tmux or GNU Screen.
GNU Screen
A terminal multiplexer that runs several shell sessions in one window and keeps them alive after disconnecting.
