TmuxAI

What is TmuxAI?

TmuxAI is an open-source terminal assistant that runs inside a tmux window and helps with command-line work without replacing your shell or terminal emulator. It reads what is visible in every pane of the current window, including the current command, shell type and operating system, then answers in a dedicated chat pane. When the model suggests a command, TmuxAI checks it against whitelist and blacklist patterns, asks you to approve, edit or reject it, and runs it in a separate exec pane before reading the new output and continuing. Optional prepare mode customizes the shell prompt of bash, zsh or fish so it can detect exact command completion and exit codes, and watch mode lets it monitor your work and offer suggestions toward a goal you set. A knowledge base feature and multi-model configuration are also documented. It works over SSH, nested shells and database CLIs. TmuxAI is free under the Apache 2.0 license; you bring your own API key for a provider such as OpenRouter, OpenAI or Azure, or use a local model.

Use cases

• Get command suggestions based on your terminal output
• Run Docker and database commands by describing them
• Debug errors shown in another tmux pane
• Configure servers and network gear over SSH
• Learn shell tools while you work in them
• Watch a session and receive improvement tips

Who it's for

• tmux users
• Developers
• System administrators
• Network engineers

Why use TmuxAI

• Keeps your existing tmux, shell and terminal emulator, so there is no new app or login to adopt.
• Sees every pane at once, so questions about logs, code or output on screen need no copy and paste.
• Asks before executing, and whitelist and blacklist patterns give you control over what runs.
• Free and open source under Apache 2.0, with a choice of cloud or local model providers.

TmuxAI features

• Reads the visible content of all panes in the current tmux window
• Dedicated chat pane with a REPL-style interface
• Runs commands in a separate exec pane after you approve them
• Whitelist and blacklist patterns for suggested commands
• Prepare mode for exact command completion and exit code tracking
• Watch mode that monitors activity and offers suggestions
• Knowledge bases that can be loaded automatically
• Multiple model configurations you can switch between
• Context squashing to keep long chats manageable
• Works with nested shells, SSH sessions and database CLIs

TmuxAI integrations

• tmux
• OpenRouter
• OpenAI
• Azure OpenAI
• Anthropic
• Ollama
• Homebrew

How to get started with TmuxAI

1. Install TmuxAI with the install script, Homebrew or a downloaded binary, and make sure tmux is installed.
2. Create ~/.config/tmuxai/config.yaml with a model entry that names your provider, model and API key.
3. Run tmuxai inside a tmux window to open the chat pane next to your work.
4. Describe a task; TmuxAI reads your panes, proposes a command, and runs it in the exec pane once you approve.
5. Turn on prepare mode or watch mode when you want precise command tracking or proactive suggestions.

TmuxAI limitations

• Requires tmux and a Unix-based system such as Linux or macOS
• Runs one TmuxAI instance per tmux window
• Needs a model provider API key or a local model that you set up yourself

TmuxAI pricing

TmuxAI is open source, so you can use and self-host it for free.

TmuxAI plans

• Open source

  Free

  Apache License 2.0

  • Full source on GitHub
  • Choose your own AI provider
  • No account required

Plans as listed on the official pricing page on 24 Oct 2026. Prices can change and may vary by country or exclude tax. Check the official pricing page.

TmuxAI alternatives

The main TmuxAI alternatives listed on Debuly are Warp, Aider, Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Butterfish and GoCodeo. The table compares pricing and platforms; order is A–Z.

1. Ai

   Aider

   Open-source AI pair programming tool that runs in your terminal and edits code in your local git repository using the LLM you choose.

   CodingDeveloper platforms
   Open sourceVisit Aider (official site)
2. 

   Butterfish

   Free open-source tool that adds ChatGPT-style prompts, command autosuggest and an agent mode to your bash or zsh terminal.

   CodingDeveloper platformsProductivity
   Open sourceVisit Butterfish (official site)
3. 

   Claude Code

   Anthropic's coding agent that fixes bugs, writes tests and runs migrations from your terminal, IDE, desktop app, web or Slack.

   CodingAutomation and agentsDeveloper platforms
   PaidVisit Claude Code (official site)
4. 

   Gemini CLI

   Open-source command-line agent from Google that runs Gemini models in your terminal to read, edit and automate work in local projects.

   CodingAutomation and agentsDeveloper platforms
   Open sourceVisit Gemini CLI (official site)
5. 

   GoCodeo

   AI coding agent for VS Code that builds apps, answers code questions and generates tests, with a free plan and paid tiers from $9 a month.

   CodingDeveloper platformsAutomation and agents
   FreemiumVisit GoCodeo (official site)
6. 

   Warp

   Terminal with a built-in coding agent, shared team workspace and cloud agents, plus factory-as-code for automating software work.

   CodingDeveloper platformsAutomation and agents
   FreemiumVisit Warp (official site)

TmuxAI FAQ

Sources & verification

Facts on this page come from the official sources below, each with the date we read it. Written by Debuly; the vendor did not review this page.

Image credits

• Logo: from tmuxai.dev · fetched 24 Oct 2026 · Vendor trademark, used only to identify the product; removed on request
• Cover: none collected yet, so a generated tile is shown.

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