Visual agent terminal workspace vs a host-side terminal multiplexer.
Official product sites
cmux and tmux both organize terminal work, but their persistence models differ. cmux is a GPL-3.0-or-later terminal and workspace tool with a native macOS app, a cross-platform TUI, SSH/Mosh workspaces, remote tmux attachment, project commands, session restore, resource views, notifications, an embedded browser, and automation APIs.
tmux is a terminal multiplexer for sessions, windows, panes, and detach/reattach on supported Unix systems. Sessions survive client and SSH disconnects while the host and tmux server remain running. The latest release reviewed is 3.7c from August 2026.
Choose cmux for a visual terminal workspace with agent-aware features. Choose tmux for host-side detachable sessions. Solo fits when you need automatic command restart and a separate project-process dashboard.
Choose cmux for a visual terminal workspace with local and remote sessions. Choose tmux for host-side detach and reattach. Choose Solo when local agents and project commands need a separate process workspace.
cmux fits best when you want tabs, panes, browser context, and agent-friendly visual workflows without dropping into a multiplexer-first mindset.
tmux fits best when you want detach and reattach workflows, pane-based layouts, and support across major Unix systems.
Solo fits when local agents, services, shells, and shared project commands need a separate desktop workspace.
| Feature | cmux | tmux | Solo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Native macOS terminal for running multiple coding agents | Terminal multiplexer with session persistence | Local process dashboard for agents and project commands |
| Runs inside another terminal | — | Yes — runs inside any terminal emulator | — |
| Terminal rendering | libghostty with GPU acceleration in the native Mac app | Text-based — renders inside host terminal | Custom retained WebGL 2 renderer with 2D canvas fallback |
| Tabs / workspaces | Vertical sidebar tabs showing git branch, directory, ports, and notification status | Windows inside sessions, switchable via prefix key | Sidebar with process status and CPU/memory stats |
| Split panes | Yes — horizontal and vertical with directional keyboard navigation | Yes — horizontal and vertical with flexible layouts | — |
| Detach and reattach | Can attach to remote tmux sessions; native workspaces restore app state rather than live process state | Yes — reattach on the same running host after a client disconnect | — |
| Remote workflows | SSH and Mosh workspaces, plus remote tmux attachment | Runs directly on supported Unix hosts | — |
| Embedded browser | Yes — scriptable web view with API for clicks, form filling, JS eval, screenshots | — | — |
| Agent notifications | Blue rings around panes, unread badges, desktop alerts, Cmd+Shift+U to jump to latest | Bell and activity alerts in status bar | Native desktop notifications, in-app toasts, OSC escape sequences |
| Automation API | Unix socket API and CLI for workspaces, splits, input, browser, and notifications | Extensive command interface and format strings | MCP, local HTTP API, and Solo CLI |
| Session restore | Layout, directories, best-effort scrollback, browser history, and supported agent resume | Live while server remains running; plugins can restore saved layouts after restart | Processes persist while app is running |
| Plugin ecosystem | Community extensions via CLI | TPM ecosystem including resurrect, continuum, yank, and themes | — |
| Session config files | .cmux/cmux.json for project commands and layouts | tmux.conf; tmuxinator or tmuxp for YAML layouts | solo.yml for project command definitions |
| Ghostty config compatibility | Yes — reads existing Ghostty config for themes, fonts, and colors | — | — |
| Agent hooks | Install supported hooks with cmux hooks setup | — | First-party agent integrations and MCP tools |
| Auto-restart on crash | Manual restart in Task Manager; no automatic policy documented | Not built in; use a supervisor or wrapper | Automatic self-exit restart for commands, with rate limiting |
| Open source | Yes — GPL-3.0-or-later | Yes — ISC license | — |
| Price | Core app free; optional Founders Edition | Free | Free (4 projects, 20 processes); Pro plan |
| Platform | Native app on macOS 14+; TUI on macOS, Linux, and Windows | OpenBSD, FreeBSD, NetBSD, Linux, macOS, and Solaris | macOS and Windows |
cmux is a terminal and workspace tool from Manaflow.
tmux is an ISC-licensed terminal multiplexer maintained since 2007.
Solo is a native desktop process dashboard for local dev environment management.
cmux supports agent-oriented terminal workflows.
tmux can run any CLI agent in a pane, but it was not designed with agents in mind.
Solo runs supported agents as first-class processes alongside generic commands.
cmux supports SSH and Mosh workspaces and can attach to remote tmux sessions. Its own session restoration restores app state and supported agent sessions, not arbitrary live process memory.
tmux runs on the remote Unix host. Sessions survive client and SSH disconnects while that host and the tmux server remain running; a client that can reach the same host can reattach.
Solo is a local desktop app for project-process management. It does not provide remote detach/reattach.
cmux already provides project commands, CPU/memory task views, and manual stop/restart. Solo adds automatic self-exit and file-watch restart for commands plus a dedicated project-process model.
If tmux is your multiplexer, Solo adds a GUI process layer for local desktop work.
Solo complements both tools. Use cmux for interactive agent sessions, tmux for remote servers, and Solo for local command restart policies, resource views, and shared configuration.
cmux and tmux are both free and open source. Choose between a visual terminal workspace and host-side detachable sessions.
cmux pricing lens
The core app is free and open source, with an optional Founders Edition.
tmux pricing lens
tmux is free and open source.
Where Solo fits
Solo adds a separate desktop workflow layer if what you need is project-level visibility rather than another terminal or multiplexer.
cmux provides a visual terminal workspace with local and remote sessions, agent notifications, project commands, task resource views, and automation. tmux provides host-side sessions, windows, panes, and detach/reattach on supported Unix systems. Solo provides a separate desktop process workspace with automatic command restart and shared startup configuration. Pick the persistence and supervision model you need; the tools can also work together.
Related comparisons
If you are evaluating cmux, tmux, Solo, these are the closest next comparisons in the matrix.
The Free plan includes every feature, so you only need Pro after you outgrow four projects.
Team seats
Buy seats under one Stripe subscription, then share a claim link in Slack or email. Each claimant signs in or registers and receives a normal Solo Pro license. Optional auto-grow adds prorated seats automatically when the pool is full, so your team never hits a license wall.
Seats 1–3
$99/seat/yr
Seats 4–10
$89/seat/yr
Seats 11–50
$79/seat/yr
Seats 51+
$69/seat/yr
Brackets apply per seat — a 10-seat team pays $99 each for seats 1–3 and $89 each for seats 4–10.
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.”
