This is an updated blog post to reflect changes over the last five years (especially GitHub issue #1688) as I am still tmux terminal multiplexer on daily basis.

Brief description

Set default terminal type.

set -g default-terminal "screen-256color"

Disable mouse support.

set -g mouse off

Set default shell.

set -g default-shell /bin/zsh

Unbind the default C-b prefix.

unbind-key C-b

Define ` (backtick) as new prefix.

set -g prefix ` 

Send ` backtick to the application after typing it twice.

bind-key ` send-prefix

Use prefix r to read and process configuration.

# use prefix r to reload configuration
bind-key r source-file ~/.tmux.conf \; display "Configuration reloaded"

Start counting windows from 1.

set -g base-index 1

Always renumber windows, so indexes remain sequential.

set-option -g renumber-windows on

Start counting panes from 1.

set-window-option -g pane-base-index 1

Define the left part of the status bar as an empty character for better readability.

set -g status-left " "

Define the right part of the status bar as session hostname time.

set -g status-right-length 100
set -g status-right '#[fg=#eee8d5]#S #[fg=#268bd2]#h #[fg=#839496]%d.%m.%y #[fg=#eee8d5]%H:%M '

Do not allow programs to rename windows.

set-option -g allow-rename off

Do not monitor for activity and silence by default.

set-window-option -g monitor-activity off
set-window-option -g monitor-silence 0

Do not display messages about silence, bell, and activity.

set -g visual-activity off
set -g visual-bell off
set -g visual-silence off

Use blink style for activity and bold for bell.

set-window-option -g window-status-activity-style blink
set-window-option -g window-status-bell-style bold

Define key bindings for easy activity/silence window monitoring.

bind-key M-a set-window-option monitor-activity on  \; display "Monitoring window for activity"
bind-key M-A set-window-option monitor-activity off \; display "NOT monitoring window for activity"
bind-key M-s set-window-option monitor-silence 15   \; display "Monitoring window for silence"
bind-key M-S set-window-option monitor-silence 0    \; display "NOT monitoring window for silence"

Switch panes using alt arrow ommitting prefix.

bind -n M-Left select-pane -L
bind -n M-Right select-pane -R
bind -n M-Up select-pane -U
bind -n M-Down select-pane -D

Set window background.

set-window-option -g window-style 'bg=#073642'
set-window-option -g window-active-style 'bg=#073642'

Set message style.

set -g message-style fg="#dc322f"

Set status bar colors.

set -g status-style bg='#002b36',fg='#eee8d5'

Set panel border colors.

set -g pane-active-border-style fg="#268bd2",bg='#073642'
set -g pane-border-style fg="#93a1a1",bg='#073642'

Use vi key bindings in copy mode.

set-window-option -g mode-keys vi

Configure clock.

set-window-option -g clock-mode-colour "#268bd2"
set-window-option -g clock-mode-style 24

Define colors for the window list in the status bar.

set -g window-status-current-format "#[fg=#268bd2]#[bg=#002b36][#I] #W"
set -g window-status-format         "#[fg=#93a1a1]#[bg=#002b36][#I] #W"

Use prewif W to toggle output save.

bind W pipe-pane -o "tee -a  ~/#W.log" \; display "Toggled logging to ~/#W.log"

Use prefix S, prefix alt-S to capture the buffer.

bind-key S capture-pane -b temp-capture-buffer -S - \; save-buffer -b temp-capture-buffer ~/tmux.buffer \; delete-buffer -b capture-buffer
bind-key M-S command-prompt -I "~/tmux.buffer" -p "Store current pane contents to file:" "capture-pane -b temp-capture-buffer -S -; save-buffer -b temp-capture-buffer %1; delete-buffer -b capture-buffer"

Use prefix C to create a new window with provided name.

bind-key C command-prompt -p "Create window with name:" "new-window; rename-window '%%'"

Configuration file

My personal ~/.tmux.conf configuration file.

# default terminal type
set -g default-terminal "screen-256color"

# disable mouse support
set -g mouse off

# set default shell
set -g default-shell /bin/zsh

# unbind the default prefix
unbind-key C-b

# set backtick as prefix
set -g prefix ` 

# type backtick twice to send it to the application
bind-key ` send-prefix

# use prefix r to reload configuration
bind-key r source-file ~/.tmux.conf \; display "Configuration reloaded"

# start counting windows from 1
set -g base-index 1

# renumber windows, so indexes remain sequential
set-option -g renumber-windows on

# start counting panes from 1
set-window-option -g pane-base-index 1

# define left part of the status bar as one empty character for better readability
set -g status-left " "

# define right part of the status bar as session, hostname and time
set -g status-right-length 100
set -g status-right '#[fg=#eee8d5]#S #[fg=#268bd2]#h #[fg=#839496]%d.%m.%y #[fg=#eee8d5]%H:%M '

# do not rename windows
set-option -g allow-rename off

# do not monitor for activity and silence by default
set-window-option -g monitor-activity off
set-window-option -g monitor-silence 0

# messages about silence, bell and activity
set -g visual-activity off
set -g visual-bell off
set -g visual-silence off

# define activity and bell style
set-window-option -g window-status-activity-style blink
set-window-option -g window-status-bell-style bold

# define keys for easy activity/silence monitoring
bind-key M-a set-window-option monitor-activity on  \; display "Monitoring window for activity"
bind-key M-A set-window-option monitor-activity off \; display "NOT monitoring window for activity"
bind-key M-s set-window-option monitor-silence 15   \; display "Monitoring window for silence"
bind-key M-S set-window-option monitor-silence 0    \; display "NOT monitoring window for silence"

# switch panes using Alt-arrow without prefix
bind -n M-Left select-pane -L
bind -n M-Right select-pane -R
bind -n M-Up select-pane -U
bind -n M-Down select-pane -D

# widow colors
set-window-option -g window-style 'bg=#073642'
set-window-option -g window-active-style 'bg=#073642'

# message bar 
set -g message-style fg="#dc322f"

# set status bar colors
set -g status-style bg='#002b36',fg='#eee8d5'

# set panel border colors
set -g pane-active-border-style fg="#268bd2",bg='#073642'
set -g pane-border-style fg="#93a1a1",bg='#073642'

# use vi keys in copy and choice modes
set-window-option -g mode-keys vi

# clock
set-window-option -g clock-mode-colour "#268bd2"
set-window-option -g clock-mode-style 24

# set status bar window list colors
set -g window-status-current-format "#[fg=#268bd2]#[bg=#002b36][#I] #W"
set -g window-status-format         "#[fg=#93a1a1]#[bg=#002b36][#I] #W"

# save output (toggle)
bind W pipe-pane -o "tee -a  ~/#W.log" \; display "Toggled logging to ~/#W.log"

# capture buffer
bind-key S capture-pane -b temp-capture-buffer -S - \; save-buffer -b temp-capture-buffer ~/tmux.buffer \; delete-buffer -b capture-buffer
bind-key M-S command-prompt -I "~/tmux.buffer" -p "Store current pane contents to file:" "capture-pane -b temp-capture-buffer -S -; save-buffer -b temp-capture-buffer %1; delete-buffer -b capture-buffer"

# create new window and change name
bind-key C command-prompt -p "Create window with name:" "new-window; rename-window '%%'"

This is splendid!

ko-fi