tmux Sessions

OpenClaw contributorsOperationsOpenClaw

Inspect terminal sessions, capture pane output and send deliberate input to interactive CLIs.

View source

Illustrative tmux Sessions workflow: Session : window . pane; example output includes Session context, Prompt state, Completion evidence.

Set up tmux Sessions

This skill ships with OpenClaw. Inspect its setup and check the required tools in the runtime where OpenClaw runs.

Inspect the bundled skill

openclaw skills info tmux

Check runtime requirements

openclaw skills check

These commands inspect skill availability; they do not install dependencies or connect accounts. Follow the source’s setup requirements in your own environment.

What this skill helps with

OpenClaw’s tmux skill describes controlling existing interactive terminal sessions. It includes listing sessions and panes, capturing output, sending keys or literal text, and monitoring prompts.

When to use it

Use it when an interactive CLI already lives inside tmux and you need to inspect or continue it. The source recommends a normal shell for one-shot commands and background execution for new non-interactive jobs.

What to bring

Provide the intended session, window and pane, and the action to perform. The runtime needs tmux on macOS or Linux and access to the existing session.

What to expect

Expect captured terminal output or a scoped interaction with the selected pane. Commands and prompts must be understood before sending input; the terminal diagram is an illustrative session.

How the skill works

Find the correct pane

List sessions, windows and panes. Use the explicit session:window.pane target to avoid sending input to the wrong process.

Inspect before input

Capture the relevant output and understand the prompt. Treat text input and Enter as separate operations where appropriate.

Check completion carefully

The source notes that scrollback and echoed input can fool text-based completion checks. Verify a real completion signal before reporting success.

Related skills and guides

tmux Sessions skill questions

Is this the default for all shell commands?

No. The source limits its purpose to interactive tmux sessions and recommends other execution modes for simpler tasks.

Can it send literal text safely?

The source documents literal input separately from special keys and Enter, to reduce unintended shell interpretation and newline surprises.

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