How to Use Virtual Desktops with tmux/byobu on FreeBSD

Introduction

FreeBSD, a powerful and stable Unix-like operating system, offers excellent capabilities for system administrators and power users. When working on remote servers or managing multiple tasks simultaneously, terminal multiplexers like tmux and byobu become invaluable tools. These utilities allow you to create virtual desktop environments within your terminal, enabling efficient multitasking, session persistence, and enhanced productivity.

This article provides a comprehensive guide to setting up and using virtual desktops with tmux and byobu on FreeBSD systems. We’ll cover installation, basic usage, advanced configurations, and practical workflows to help you maximize your efficiency when working with these powerful terminal multiplexers.

Understanding Terminal Multiplexers

Terminal multiplexers are applications that allow you to use multiple terminal sessions within a single window. They provide capabilities such as:

• Session Management: Create, detach from, and reattach to terminal sessions
• Window Management: Split your terminal into multiple panes and windows
• Session Persistence: Keep your sessions running even after disconnecting
• Workflow Customization: Configure keybindings and visual elements to your preferences

The two most popular terminal multiplexers we’ll focus on are:

1. tmux (Terminal Multiplexer): A modern, feature-rich multiplexer with a clean design and extensive customization options
2. byobu: A user-friendly wrapper around tmux (or screen) that adds enhanced usability features and sensible defaults

Installing tmux and byobu on FreeBSD

Installing tmux

To install tmux on FreeBSD, you can use either the package manager (pkg) or the ports collection:

Using pkg:

# As root or with sudo
pkg install tmux

Using ports:

# As root or with sudo
cd /usr/ports/sysutils/tmux
make install clean

Installing byobu

Byobu can be installed similarly:

Using pkg:

# As root or with sudo
pkg install byobu

Using ports:

# As root or with sudo
cd /usr/ports/sysutils/byobu
make install clean

Getting Started with tmux

Basic tmux Concepts

Before diving into specific commands, it’s important to understand the basic concepts in tmux:

• Session: A collection of windows that can be detached and reattached
• Window: Similar to a tab in a web browser, each window is a full-screen view
• Pane: Subdivisions within a window that allow you to see multiple terminals simultaneously

tmux Command Prefix

In tmux, commands are issued by first pressing a prefix key combination, then a command key. The default prefix is Ctrl+b. For example, to create a new window, you would press Ctrl+b followed by c.

Starting Your First tmux Session

To start a new tmux session:

tmux

You can also name your session for easier identification:

tmux new -s mysession

Basic tmux Commands

Here are some essential tmux commands (press prefix key Ctrl+b first, then the command key):

• c: Create a new window
• p: Switch to the previous window
• n: Switch to the next window
• 0-9: Switch to a window by its number
• %: Split the current pane vertically
• ": Split the current pane horizontally
• Arrow keys: Navigate between panes
• d: Detach from the current session
• x: Kill the current pane
• &: Kill the current window

Session Management

To detach from a session (leaving it running in the background):

# From within tmux, press
Ctrl+b d

To list running sessions:

tmux ls

To reattach to a session:

tmux attach -t mysession

To create a new session with a specific name:

tmux new -s mysession

To kill a session:

tmux kill-session -t mysession

Getting Started with byobu

Byobu is a more user-friendly wrapper around tmux that provides additional functionality and sensible defaults. It’s particularly useful for those new to terminal multiplexers.

Starting byobu

To start byobu:

byobu

Byobu Features and Interface

When you launch byobu, you’ll notice a status bar at the bottom of your terminal with useful information such as:

• System load
• CPU utilization
• Memory usage
• Current date and time
• List of open windows

Basic byobu Commands

Byobu uses F-keys for many common operations, making it more intuitive for beginners:

• F2: Create a new window
• F3: Move to the previous window
• F4: Move to the next window
• F6: Detach from the session
• Shift+F2: Split the window horizontally
• Ctrl+F2: Split the window vertically
• Shift+F3/F4: Move between panes
• Alt+F11: Maximize/restore the current pane
• F8: Rename the current window

Advanced tmux Configuration

To truly harness the power of tmux, you’ll want to customize it through its configuration file, .tmux.conf, which should be created in your home directory.

Sample .tmux.conf File

Here’s a starter configuration file for tmux that provides a more user-friendly experience:

# ~/.tmux.conf

# Change the prefix key to C-a (like screen)
unbind C-b
set -g prefix C-a
bind C-a send-prefix

# Improve colors
set -g default-terminal "screen-256color"

# Set scrollback buffer size
set -g history-limit 10000

# Enable mouse support
set -g mouse on

# Start window numbering at 1 instead of 0
set -g base-index 1

# Start pane numbering at 1 instead of 0
setw -g pane-base-index 1

# Easier window splitting
bind | split-window -h
bind - split-window -v

# Reload config file
bind r source-file ~/.tmux.conf \; display "Config reloaded!"

# Pane navigation with vim-like keys
bind h select-pane -L
bind j select-pane -D
bind k select-pane -U
bind l select-pane -R

# Resize panes with vim-like keys
bind -r H resize-pane -L 5
bind -r J resize-pane -D 5
bind -r K resize-pane -U 5
bind -r L resize-pane -R 5

# Status bar customization
set -g status-bg black
set -g status-fg white
set -g status-interval 60
set -g status-left-length 30
set -g status-left '#[fg=green](#S) #(whoami) '
set -g status-right '#[fg=yellow]#(cut -d " " -f 1-3 /proc/loadavg)#[default] #[fg=white]%H:%M#[default]'

After creating or modifying this file, you can reload the configuration while in tmux by pressing Ctrl+b followed by :source-file ~/.tmux.conf.

Advanced byobu Configuration

Byobu’s configuration is stored in several files in the ~/.byobu/ directory. The most commonly modified files are:

• ~/.byobu/keybindings.tmux: For customizing key bindings
• ~/.byobu/status: For customizing the status bar
• ~/.byobu/color.tmux: For customizing colors

Customizing Byobu Keybindings

To customize byobu’s keybindings, create or edit ~/.byobu/keybindings.tmux:

# ~/.byobu/keybindings.tmux

# Disable F-keys (if you prefer tmux's default bindings)
unbind-key -n F2
unbind-key -n F3
unbind-key -n F4
unbind-key -n F5
unbind-key -n F6
unbind-key -n F7
unbind-key -n F8
unbind-key -n F9

# Add custom bindings
bind-key -n M-Right next-window
bind-key -n M-Left previous-window
bind-key -n M-Up new-window
bind-key -n M-Down kill-window

Practical Workflows and Use Cases

Remote Server Administration

When managing remote FreeBSD servers, tmux/byobu offers significant advantages:

1. Connection Resilience: If your SSH connection drops, your work continues in the tmux session
2. Multiple Tasks: Run updates, monitor logs, and edit configuration files simultaneously
3. Pair Programming/Collaboration: Multiple users can connect to the same tmux session

Example workflow for server administration:

# Connect to server
ssh user@freebsd-server

# Start a named session
tmux new -s server-admin

# Create windows for different tasks:
# Window 1: System monitoring
# Press Ctrl+b c (to create a new window)
top

# Window 2: Log monitoring
# Press Ctrl+b c (to create a new window)
tail -f /var/log/messages

# Window 3: Configuration editing
# Press Ctrl+b c (to create a new window)
vi /etc/rc.conf

# Split window for reference documentation
# Press Ctrl+b % (to split vertically)
man rc.conf

Software Development

For developers working on FreeBSD, tmux/byobu provides an efficient environment:

1. Multiple Areas of Focus: Edit code, run tests, and monitor output simultaneously
2. Language-Specific Environments: Create dedicated sessions for different projects
3. Build and Test Cycles: Monitor build processes while continuing to edit code

Example development workflow:

# Start a development session
tmux new -s dev-project

# Window 1: Code editing
vim src/main.c

# Window 2: Build window
# Press Ctrl+b c (to create a new window)
make

# Window 3: Test output
# Press Ctrl+b c (to create a new window)
./runtest.sh

# Window 4: Version control
# Press Ctrl+b c (to create a new window)
git status

System Monitoring and Maintenance

Create a dedicated monitoring session:

tmux new -s monitoring

# Split the window into multiple panes
# Press Ctrl+b % (to split vertically)
# Press Ctrl+b " (to split horizontally)

# In different panes run:
top
iostat -w 1
netstat -i 1
gstat -p

tmux vs byobu: Which to Choose?

When deciding between tmux and byobu on FreeBSD, consider these factors:

• tmux is better if you:

  • Prefer minimal software with fewer dependencies
  • Want complete control over your configuration
  • Need to work on systems where byobu might not be available
  • Are already familiar with tmux keybindings

• byobu is better if you:

  • Want a more user-friendly experience out of the box
  • Prefer function keys over prefix-key combinations
  • Appreciate the additional status information
  • Need to switch frequently between tmux and screen

FreeBSD-Specific Considerations

When using tmux/byobu on FreeBSD, there are some system-specific considerations:

Resource Monitoring

FreeBSD uses different tools for system monitoring than Linux. In your status bar configurations or monitoring windows, use FreeBSD-specific commands:

• top or htop (if installed) for process monitoring
• systat for various system statistics
• gstat for disk I/O monitoring
• vmstat for memory statistics
• netstat -i for network interface statistics

UTF-8 Support

To ensure proper UTF-8 support in tmux on FreeBSD, add these lines to your .tmux.conf:

# Enable UTF-8 support
set -g status-utf8 on
setw -g utf8 on

And make sure your locale settings are correct in your .login_conf or shell startup files.

Conclusion

Virtual desktops with tmux or byobu on FreeBSD provide a powerful environment for system administration, software development, and server management. Whether you choose the minimalist approach of tmux or the user-friendly features of byobu, these tools significantly enhance your productivity by enabling session persistence, terminal multiplexing, and efficient window management.

By mastering the commands and configurations outlined in this guide, you can create a customized terminal environment that suits your specific workflow. The ability to maintain multiple terminal sessions, even across disconnections, makes these tools especially valuable for remote server administration and long-running tasks on FreeBSD systems.

Start with the basics, gradually incorporate more advanced features into your workflow, and you’ll soon find that terminal multiplexers become an indispensable part of your FreeBSD computing experience.