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Terminal Multiplexer and the Terminal Fetish
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HowTo Geek ☛ This Terminal Multiplexer Is So Much Better for Beginners Than Tmux
Managing lots of terminal windows can be a chore, and terminal multiplexers are often the go-to solution. However, you've probably found tmux difficult to configure, especially as a beginner. There is an easier alternative: Zellij, which works out of the box with zero configuration.
Terminal Multiplexers Are Like Window Managers for the Terminal
For those that don't know, a terminal multiplexer is a software program that turns a single terminal window into multiple virtual terminals and provides session management features. Originally, they ran over remote login sessions to facilitate complex remote workflows; today, people also use them to manage local terminal workflows.
A complex workflow might involve running several tasks concurrently, e.g., compiling software, searching for files, etc. When running such tasks without a terminal multiplexer, you cannot disconnect the terminal without stopping the processes. What if your task takes hours to complete, and a flaky connection interrupts it halfway through? This was a common issue back in the heyday of dial-up modems, and it still happens.
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HowTo Geek ☛ Why Do Linux Fans Like the Terminal So Much?
The command-line terminal is still one of the most popular features of Linux, even though graphical interfaces have been common in desktop computers for decades. There are a few reasons for the terminal to stick around, but if you’re new to the platform, you don’t need to worry about it.
The Linux operating system was created in the 1990s as a free alternative to Unix, and just like most other Unix-based platforms, the primary user interface was a command-line shell. A basic graphical desktop was available through the X Window System, and full-blown desktop environments eventually appeared (like KDE 1.0 in 1998), but the terminal was still required for getting the most out of a Linux system.
These days, a terminal is rarely required when using desktop Linux. You can usually install software, change settings, manage files, and upgrade your operating system without ever typing a command. So, why is it still a popular way to use Linux, and why do so many online guides still ask you to use it?