Tmux

How to use plugins in tmux?

Quick Answer

Install tmux plugins using the Tmux Plugin Manager (TPM). First, clone TPM: git clone https://github.com/tmux-plugins/tpm ~/.tmux/plugins/tpm. Add plugins to ~/.tmux.conf. Install plugins with Ctrl+b I and update with Ctrl+b U.

git clone https://github.com/tmux-plugins/tpm ~/.tmux/plugins/tpm

Detailed Explanation

Tmux plugins extend the functionality of tmux with features like session saving, battery status indicators, CPU usage displays, and much more. The Tmux Plugin Manager (TPM) makes it easy to install and manage plugins.

Installing TPM:

# Clone TPM repository
git clone https://github.com/tmux-plugins/tpm ~/.tmux/plugins/tpm

# Add TPM to your tmux configuration
echo "# List of plugins
set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tpm'
set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-sensible'

# Initialize TMUX plugin manager (keep this line at the very bottom of tmux.conf)
run '~/.tmux/plugins/tpm/tpm'" >> ~/.tmux.conf

Managing plugins:

After setting up TPM, you can use these keybindings:

Ctrl+b IInstall new plugins

Ctrl+b UUpdate plugins

Ctrl+b alt+uRemove/uninstall plugins not in the list

Popular tmux plugins:

tmux-resurrect

Saves and restores tmux sessions across system restarts.

set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-resurrect'

Usage: Ctrl+b Ctrl+s to save, Ctrl+b Ctrl+r to restore.

tmux-continuum

Automatically saves sessions and restores them when tmux starts.

set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-continuum'
set -g @continuum-restore 'on' # Enable automatic restore

tmux-copycat

Enhances tmux search with predefined searches and highlights.

set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-copycat'

Usage: Ctrl+b / for regex search, Ctrl+b Ctrl+f for file search.

tmux-yank

Enables copying to system clipboard from tmux.

set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-yank'

Plugin configuration example:

# List of plugins
set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tpm'
set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-sensible'
set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-resurrect'
set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-continuum'
set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-yank'
set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-battery'
set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-cpu'

# Plugin configuration
set -g @continuum-restore 'on'
set -g @resurrect-capture-pane-contents 'on'
set -g @resurrect-strategy-vim 'session'
set -g @resurrect-strategy-nvim 'session'

# Status bar integration example for battery and CPU plugins
set -g status-right 'CPU: #{cpu_percentage} | Battery: #{battery_percentage} | %a %h-%d %H:%M '

# Initialize TMUX plugin manager (keep this line at the very bottom of tmux.conf)
run '~/.tmux/plugins/tpm/tpm'

Pro Tip

For the best experience with plugins, create a consistent setup across machines by versioning your tmux configuration files. Consider using a dotfiles repository with your tmux configuration to easily set up new machines.

# Install and sync your dotfiles
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/dotfiles.git ~/.dotfiles
cd ~/.dotfiles
./install.sh # Your script to symlink configs

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