byobu
Manage persistent terminal sessions
TLDR
Start a new session
Configuration and help
Select tmux (default) or screen backend
Enable automatic startup after login into text console
Disable automatic startup after login into text console
Detach from byobu
Kill a window
SYNOPSIS
byobu [options] [command ...]
PARAMETERS
-h, --help
Display help summary and exit
-v, --version
Print version information
-c DIR, --config-dir DIR
Specify custom configuration directory
-s UTIL, --screen-util UTIL
Force backend: screen or tmux
-S DIR, --socket DIR
Set socket directory for sessions
-L, --log
Enable session logging to disk
DESCRIPTION
Byobu is a feature-rich terminal window manager, profiler, and multiplexer built as an enhancement over screen(1) and tmux(1). It provides a modern, customizable status bar displaying system information like CPU load, memory usage, battery status, network activity, and session details. Users can create unlimited nested windows and panes, detach/reattach sessions seamlessly, and use mouse support for scrolling, resizing, and switching. Key features include intelligent scrollback search (F3), copy-paste mode (Shift+Space), activity monitoring with visual bells, and extensive keyboard shortcuts configurable via byobu-config(1).
Byobu auto-detects and prefers tmux(1) backend for better Unicode and 256-color support, falling back to screen(1). It's ideal for remote SSH sessions, persisting work across disconnects. Launch with byobu to start a new session or reattach existing ones. Customize themes, keybindings, and status indicators easily.
CAVEATS
Backend-dependent features: full mouse/UTF-8 best with tmux. Sessions shared via sockets; use unique -S for multi-user. Config changes require restart.
KEY SHORTCUTS
New session: byobu
New window: F2
Split horiz: Shift+F2
Split vert: Ctrl+Shift+F2
Detach: F6
Config: F4
STATUS BAR
Customizable via ~/.byobu/status. Shows loadavg, uptime, date, user@host. Edit with byobu-config.
HISTORY
Created by Dustin Kirkland in 2009 as 'screen profiles' for Ubuntu. Renamed Byobu in 2010, gained tmux support in 2012. Default multiplexer in Ubuntu 16.04+; actively maintained with Debian packaging.
