Zellij

A terminal workspace with batteries included — multiplexer, layouts, and a plugin system.

tui

Zellij is a terminal workspace and multiplexer aimed at both beginners and power users. Unlike tmux or screen, it comes with a discoverable UI that shows available keybindings at all times, making it approachable without sacrificing depth.

Features

Layouts — define your workspace arrangement in a simple KDL config file and restore it instantly
Plugin system — extend Zellij with WebAssembly plugins written in any language that compiles to WASM (including Rust)
Floating panes — open transient panes that float above your workspace and dismiss them when done
Session management — detach from and reattach to named sessions, similar to tmux
Built-in status bar — always-visible keybinding hints so you never have to remember obscure shortcuts

Installation

cargo install zellij

Or via your package manager:

# Debian / Ubuntu (Debian 13+)
apt install zellij

# Fedora
dnf install zellij

# Arch Linux
pacman -S zellij

# macOS
brew install zellij

Quick Start

Simply run zellij to start a new session. Press Ctrl+p to enter pane mode, Ctrl+t for tab mode, and Ctrl+o for session mode. The status bar at the bottom guides you through the available actions at every step.