Make it Your Own

The Config File

Start by creating a config file. The default is ~/.tmux.conf but you can create one wherever you like.

When updating your config file you have to execute while having at least one Tmux session active: tmux source-file /path/to/file/tmux.conf.

When you decided not to create a tmux file at ~/.tmux.conf, you have to start Tmux with tmux -f /path/to/file/tmux.conf (Just create an alias!).

In order to start a new session with UTF-8 support, you have to start Tmux with tmux -u.

Go Configure!

This is a very good start if you are also using Vim:

# Prefix
set-option -g prefix2 C-a

# Reload config
unbind r
bind r source-file /path/to/file/tmux.conf

# Vim Shortcuts for copy mode
setw -g mode-keys vi

# Fix esc key taking longer
set -s escape-time 0
# Increase time for repeating shortcuts (bind-key -r)
set -g repeat-time 1000
# Increase the time for which the pane indicators are shown
set -g display-panes-time 2500
# Start page index at 1
set -g base-index 1
setw -g pane-base-index 1
# Don't rename windows automatically (Rename with ,)
set-option -g allow-rename off

# Resize pane with Control-hjkl
bind-key -r 'C-k' resize-pane -U 5
bind-key -r 'C-j' resize-pane -D 5
bind-key -r 'C-h' resize-pane -L 5
bind-key -r 'C-l' resize-pane -R 5

# Enable repetitive hitting next and previous for switching windows
bind-key -r n next-window
bind-key -r p previous-window

##############################################################################
### vim-tmux-navigator - https://github.com/christoomey/vim-tmux-navigator ###
##############################################################################
is_vim="ps -o state= -o comm= -t '#{pane_tty}' \
    | grep -iqE '^[^TXZ ]+ +(\\S+\\/)?g?(view|n?vim?x?)(diff)?$'"
bind-key -n 'C-h' if-shell "$is_vim" 'send-keys C-h'  'select-pane -L'
bind-key -n 'C-j' if-shell "$is_vim" 'send-keys C-j'  'select-pane -D'
bind-key -n 'C-k' if-shell "$is_vim" 'send-keys C-k'  'select-pane -U'
bind-key -n 'C-l' if-shell "$is_vim" 'send-keys C-l'  'select-pane -R'
tmux_version='$(tmux -V | sed -En "s/^tmux ([0-9]+(.[0-9]+)?).*/\1/p")'
if-shell -b '[ "$(echo "$tmux_version < 3.0" | bc)" = 1 ]' \
    "bind-key -n 'C-\\' if-shell \"$is_vim\" 'send-keys C-\\'  'select-pane -l'"
if-shell -b '[ "$(echo "$tmux_version >= 3.0" | bc)" = 1 ]' \
    "bind-key -n 'C-\\' if-shell \"$is_vim\" 'send-keys C-\\\\' 'select-pane -l'"
bind-key -T copy-mode-vi 'C-h' select-pane -L
bind-key -T copy-mode-vi 'C-j' select-pane -D
bind-key -T copy-mode-vi 'C-k' select-pane -U
bind-key -T copy-mode-vi 'C-l' select-pane -R
bind-key -T copy-mode-vi 'C-\' select-pane -l

Here is a good article on how to customize it visually.

For more resources on Tmux take a look here.

You can also find my current config files here.