Recommended option
Zellij
Zellij runs inside a terminal and provides tabs, panes, and reusable layouts. Try it if you want another multiplexer.
Best for
Terminal-based layouts and pane management.
Terminal workspaceReusable layoutsTabs and panes
Competitor Alternatives
Best tmux Alternatives
Compare terminal panes, remote sessions, and local command management.
For terminal tabs and panes, compare Zellij. For a Mac app with terminal panes and a browser, compare cmux. For agents built into a terminal, compare Warp. Solo manages local dev servers, workers, and agent sessions. Keep tmux on remote hosts where you need to detach and reconnect. Its sessions continue while the host and tmux server remain running.
Comparing against tmux Visit tmux
Why people look for a tmux alternative
You want to start and inspect local services without switching between panes.
You need a worker to restart after it exits or a watched file changes.
You prefer graphical controls to tmux keybindings.
What to look for in a tmux alternative
Whether sessions need to survive an SSH disconnect
Whether you want terminal panes or controls for individual commands
Whether commands need automatic restart or file watching
Whether you want built-in agents or to run an installed CLI
Recommended options
Start with the capability you want to replace. Each option overlaps with tmux in a different way.
Recommended option
Solo
Define dev servers and workers in solo.yml. Solo shows their output, CPU, and memory use, and can restart commands after exit or file changes. Launch installed CLI agents in the same project.
Best for
Local services that need restart settings and resource monitoring.
Auto-restart with rate limitingFile-watch restartsCPU/memory per processNative notifications
Recommended option
cmux
cmux has a native Mac interface with terminal panes, tabs, notifications, and an embedded browser. Try it if you want to arrange terminals in a graphical app.
Best for
Terminal panes in a native Mac app.
Vertical tabsSplit panesEmbedded browserNative macOS UI
Recommended option
Warp
Warp combines a terminal with coding agents. Test its remote-session behavior against the tmux sessions you currently use.
Best for
Coding agents built into a terminal.
Built-in AI agentsSession sharingMCP support
Move a dev server and worker into Solo
Try one repository first. Keep remote tmux sessions running while you test Solo for local project commands.
Add the commands to solo.yml
This example uses a Laravel project with an npm dev script and an asynchronous queue connection. If another tool already runs either service, use the existing process.
Save the file in the project root. Review and trust the imported commands in Solo, then start them from the sidebar. The Queue command restarts after it exits or a job file changes. Clicking Stop keeps it stopped.
File-watch restarts can interrupt a job. Use this setup for development jobs you can interrupt. Launch coding agents separately from the agent picker.
solo.yml
name: Storefront
processes:
Web:
command: npm run dev
auto_start: false
Queue:
command: php artisan queue:work
auto_start: false
auto_restart: true
restart_when_changed:
- app/Jobs/**/*.phpDecide whether you still need a multiplexer
If you still want tabs and panes inside a terminal, try Zellij. If you prefer a Mac app with terminal panes, try cmux. Solo gives each command its own output and controls, which may cover the local work you used tmux panes for.
For remote sessions, test disconnect and reconnect behavior before switching. A saved layout does not keep a process running.
Recommendation
Try one local project in the tool that matches your needs. Check its output, shortcuts, and restart behavior before moving more commands. Keep tmux for remote sessions you need to reconnect to.
Keep exploring the nearby options
Compare the products and workflows closest to tmux, including where Solo fits.
Common questions
What is the best tmux alternative overall?
Try Zellij for another terminal multiplexer, cmux for a Mac app with panes, or Solo for local command management. If you need remote sessions that survive SSH disconnects, keep tmux on the remote host.
What is the best tmux alternative for agent workflows?
You can run coding agents in tmux panes. Try Solo if you want each agent listed with its output and status beside local services. Command restart settings apply to servers and workers, not agents.
Try a complete workflow
Start with one project and a small task. These guides walk through the setup and what to check when the work finishes.
Run Claude Code and Codex together
Set up both tools in one project, give one agent implementation work, and ask the other to review the diff.
Read the guide →Coordinate agents through MCP
Give a lead agent a plan, shared todos, and a scratchpad so workers have clear assignments and a useful handoff.
Read the guide →Run your dev stack alongside agents
Put a Laravel server, Vite, and a queue worker in solo.yml, then manage their output and restart behavior in Solo.
Read the guide → Solo preview
See what Solo actually is
Solo is a lightweight desktop terminal workspace for local agents, project commands, interactive terminals, and long-running services. It sits beside your editor, keeps your stack visible, and gives Claude Code, Codex, and the rest of your tools one shared local control surface.
Built by
Built by Aaron Francis
Solo is built by Aaron Francis, creator of faster.dev and Database School, and VP of Marketing at Laravel. He built Solo after running Claude Code alongside his own dev stack and getting tired of juggling nine terminal tabs just to keep local agents, services, and project commands visible.
He is also a dad to two sets of twins, which tends to create a strong preference for software that reduces chaos instead of adding more of it. That is why Solo keeps showing up in these comparisons as the local workspace around your tools, not another editor or orchestrator trying to absorb the whole workflow.
Give every coding agent
the same room to work in.
Download Solo 
Free for four projects on macOS and Windows.
Start with a terminal and add the programmable meta-harness when you need to coordinate agents with your local development stack.
“I can't live without it.”