cmux Core Control

Non-browser cmux topology and routing.

• Window: top-level macOS cmux window.
• Workspace: tab-like group within a window.
• Pane: split container in a workspace.
• Surface: a tab within a pane (terminal or browser panel).

Fast start

bash
cmux identify --json                              # current caller context
cmux list-windows / list-workspaces / list-panes
cmux list-pane-surfaces --pane pane:1
cmux new-workspace
cmux new-split right --panel pane:1
cmux move-surface --surface surface:7 --pane pane:2 --focus true
cmux split-off --surface surface:7 right
cmux reorder-surface --surface surface:7 --before surface:3

# workspace context-menu actions (color, description, rename, pin, ...)
cmux workspace-action --action set-color --color Blue
cmux workspace-action --action set-description --description "Ship checklist"

# attention cue
cmux trigger-flash --surface surface:7

Handle model

Output defaults to short refs (window:N, workspace:N, pane:N, surface:N). UUIDs are accepted as input; request UUID output only when needed with --id-format uuids|both.

Settings

cmux-owned settings live in ~/.config/cmux/cmux.json. cmux docs settings prints the docs URL, schema URL, raw GitHub resources, cmux.json paths, and reload command. cmux settings, cmux settings cmux-json, and cmux settings shortcuts open the UI.

cmux reload-config reloads both cmux.json and ~/.config/ghostty/config, refreshing terminals in place with no app restart.

Terminal rendering (font, cursor style, theme, scrollback, background-opacity, background-blur) belongs in Ghostty config, not cmux settings. Everything else (app behavior, sidebar, notifications, browser behavior, automation, workspace colors, cmux-owned shortcuts) is cmux settings. Before editing, copy any existing cmux.json to a timestamped .bak next to it. Legacy ~/.config/cmux/settings.json and ~/Library/Application Support/com.cmuxterm.app/settings.json are read only as fallback for missing keys.

Deep-dive references

| Reference | When to Use | |-----------|-------------| | references/handles-and-identify.md | Handle syntax, self-identify, caller targeting | | references/windows-workspaces.md | Window/workspace lifecycle, reorder/move, and context-menu actions (color, description, rename) | | references/panes-surfaces.md | Splits, surfaces, move/reorder, focus routing | | references/trigger-flash-and-health.md | Flash cue and surface health checks | | ../cmux-workspace/SKILL.md | Current caller workspace rules and non-disruptive automation | | ../cmux-settings/SKILL.md | Safe cmux.json settings edits and validation | | ../cmux-browser/SKILL.md | Browser automation on surface-backed webviews | | ../cmux-markdown/SKILL.md | Markdown viewer panel with live file watching |