Top Related Projects
Visual Studio Code Remote Development: Open any folder in WSL, in a Docker container, or on a remote machine using SSH and take advantage of VS Code's full feature set.
A terminal workspace with batteries included
tmux source code
Cross-platform, fast, feature-rich, GPU based terminal
A cross-platform, OpenGL terminal emulator.
A GPU-accelerated cross-platform terminal emulator and multiplexer written by @wez and implemented in Rust
Quick Overview
tmate is an instant terminal sharing tool that allows users to share their terminal sessions with others in real-time. It's based on tmux and provides a secure, easy-to-use solution for remote pair programming, troubleshooting, and collaborative work.
Pros
- Easy to set up and use, with no configuration required
- Secure communication using SSH
- Works through firewalls and NATs
- Supports both read-only and read-write access modes
Cons
- Requires a stable internet connection for optimal performance
- Limited customization options compared to vanilla tmux
- Potential security risks if session links are not properly managed
- May have latency issues for users in different geographic locations
Getting Started
-
Install tmate:
# On Ubuntu/Debian sudo apt-get install tmate # On macOS with Homebrew brew install tmate
-
Start a new tmate session:
tmate
-
Share the displayed SSH connection string or web URL with collaborators.
-
To end the session, simply exit the tmate terminal:
exit
Competitor Comparisons
Visual Studio Code Remote Development: Open any folder in WSL, in a Docker container, or on a remote machine using SSH and take advantage of VS Code's full feature set.
Pros of vscode-remote-release
- Integrated with VS Code, providing a familiar and feature-rich development environment
- Supports multiple remote development scenarios (SSH, containers, WSL)
- Extensive documentation and active community support
Cons of vscode-remote-release
- Requires VS Code installation and setup
- More complex configuration compared to tmate's simplicity
- Potentially higher resource usage due to full IDE functionality
Code Comparison
tmate:
tmate
vscode-remote-release:
{
"remote.SSH.defaultExtensions": [
"ms-vscode.cpptools",
"ms-python.python"
],
"remote.SSH.remotePlatform": {
"linux": "linux",
"mac": "darwin",
"windows": "win32"
}
}
Key Differences
- tmate focuses on quick, terminal-based collaboration
- vscode-remote-release offers a full IDE experience for remote development
- tmate is lightweight and easy to set up, while vscode-remote-release provides more features but requires more configuration
Use Cases
- tmate: Quick pair programming sessions, remote terminal access
- vscode-remote-release: Long-term remote development projects, working with containers or WSL
A terminal workspace with batteries included
Pros of Zellij
- Built-in layout system for organizing panes and tabs
- Supports plugins and themes for customization
- Written in Rust, offering better performance and memory safety
Cons of Zellij
- Newer project with potentially fewer features and less stability
- Limited to local terminal multiplexing, lacking remote collaboration features
- Steeper learning curve due to unique keybindings and concepts
Code Comparison
Zellij configuration (in YAML):
keybinds:
- action: [SwitchToMode: Normal]
key: [Ctrl: 'b']
- action: [NewPane: Down]
key: [Alt: 'd']
Tmate configuration (in shell script):
set -g prefix C-b
unbind-key C-b
bind-key C-b send-prefix
bind-key | split-window -h
While both projects aim to enhance terminal experiences, Zellij focuses on local terminal multiplexing with advanced layouts and customization. Tmate, on the other hand, specializes in remote pair programming and collaboration through shared terminal sessions. Zellij offers a more modern approach with Rust implementation and plugin support, while Tmate provides a simpler, focused solution for remote terminal sharing based on tmux.
tmux source code
Pros of tmux
- More mature and widely adopted project with extensive documentation
- Greater flexibility and customization options
- Supports a wider range of platforms and use cases
Cons of tmux
- Steeper learning curve for new users
- Requires more manual configuration to achieve advanced setups
Code Comparison
tmux configuration example:
# ~/.tmux.conf
set -g mouse on
set -g status-style bg=black,fg=white
bind-key v split-window -h
bind-key s split-window -v
tmate configuration example:
# ~/.tmate.conf
set -g tmate-server-host "custom.tmate.server"
set -g tmate-server-port 22
set -g tmate-server-rsa-fingerprint "SHA256:..."
tmate is built on top of tmux, so many tmux configurations are compatible with tmate. However, tmate focuses on providing instant terminal sharing capabilities, while tmux is a more general-purpose terminal multiplexer.
tmate offers easier setup for remote pair programming and collaboration, with built-in SSH sharing functionality. tmux requires additional tools or configurations to achieve similar remote sharing capabilities.
Both projects are open-source and actively maintained, but tmux has a larger community and more frequent updates due to its broader scope and longer history in the terminal multiplexer space.
Cross-platform, fast, feature-rich, GPU based terminal
Pros of kitty
- Full-featured terminal emulator with GPU acceleration for improved performance
- Extensive customization options and configuration flexibility
- Support for ligatures, images, and advanced text rendering
Cons of kitty
- Steeper learning curve due to its extensive feature set
- Requires more system resources compared to lightweight alternatives
- Limited to graphical environments, not suitable for headless servers
Code comparison
kitty configuration example:
font_family Fira Code
font_size 12.0
cursor_shape beam
background_opacity 0.9
tmate configuration example:
set -g tmate-server-host "custom.tmate.server"
set -g tmate-server-port 22
set -g tmate-server-rsa-fingerprint "..."
Key differences
tmate is focused on terminal sharing and collaboration, while kitty is a feature-rich terminal emulator. tmate excels in remote pair programming and instant terminal sharing, whereas kitty provides a highly customizable and performant local terminal experience.
tmate is ideal for developers working on remote servers or collaborating in real-time, while kitty is better suited for users who want a powerful, customizable terminal emulator for their local development environment.
A cross-platform, OpenGL terminal emulator.
Pros of Alacritty
- Faster performance due to GPU acceleration
- Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)
- Highly customizable through YAML configuration
Cons of Alacritty
- Lacks built-in terminal sharing functionality
- Steeper learning curve for configuration
- Limited built-in features compared to full-featured terminal emulators
Code Comparison
Alacritty configuration (YAML):
window:
dimensions:
columns: 80
lines: 24
padding:
x: 2
y: 2
font:
normal:
family: Fira Code
style: Regular
size: 11.0
tmate configuration (shell script):
#!/bin/sh
tmate -F \
set -g status-left-length 32 \
set -g status-right-length 150 \
set -g status-fg white \
set -g status-bg colour234
Alacritty focuses on performance and customization through a YAML configuration file, while tmate emphasizes terminal sharing and collaboration with a simpler configuration approach. Alacritty provides more control over appearance and behavior, but tmate offers built-in sharing capabilities out of the box. The choice between the two depends on whether terminal sharing or performance is the primary concern for the user.
A GPU-accelerated cross-platform terminal emulator and multiplexer written by @wez and implemented in Rust
Pros of WezTerm
- Full-featured terminal emulator with extensive customization options
- Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)
- Built-in multiplexer for local and remote sessions
Cons of WezTerm
- Larger codebase and more complex setup compared to tmate
- May have a steeper learning curve for users new to advanced terminal emulators
Code Comparison
WezTerm configuration (Lua):
return {
font = wezterm.font("JetBrains Mono"),
color_scheme = "Dracula",
default_prog = {"zsh"},
}
tmate configuration (shell):
set -g tmate-server-host "custom.tmate.server"
set -g tmate-server-port 22
set -g tmate-server-rsa-fingerprint "RSA_FINGERPRINT"
Key Differences
- WezTerm is a standalone terminal emulator, while tmate is an extension of tmux for remote pair programming
- WezTerm offers more extensive customization and features for local use
- tmate focuses on simplifying remote collaboration and session sharing
Use Cases
- WezTerm: Daily terminal use, local development, custom workflows
- tmate: Quick remote pair programming, troubleshooting, collaborative coding sessions
Both projects serve different primary purposes, with WezTerm being more suitable for individual, feature-rich terminal usage, and tmate excelling in simple, remote collaboration scenarios.
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tmate
What is it?
Tmate is a fork of tmux. It provides an instant pairing solution.
License
tmate is built on top of tmux. tmux and tmate are BSD-licensed.
Top Related Projects
Visual Studio Code Remote Development: Open any folder in WSL, in a Docker container, or on a remote machine using SSH and take advantage of VS Code's full feature set.
A terminal workspace with batteries included
tmux source code
Cross-platform, fast, feature-rich, GPU based terminal
A cross-platform, OpenGL terminal emulator.
A GPU-accelerated cross-platform terminal emulator and multiplexer written by @wez and implemented in Rust
Convert
designs to code with AI
Introducing Visual Copilot: A new AI model to turn Figma designs to high quality code using your components.
Try Visual Copilot