Are you tired of juggling multiple terminal windows when working on your Linux system? Do you want to learn how to manage multiple terminal sessions efficiently? Look no further than the Linux Screen command. In this article, we will show you how to use Screen to manage multiple terminal sessions with ease. From installation to customization, we will guide you through everything you need to know to use Screen effectively on your Linux system. With our step-by-step guide, you’ll be using Screen like a pro in no time.
What Is Screen Command in Linux?
In Linux, the screen
command is a versatile terminal multiplexer that allows you to create and manage multiple terminal sessions within a single terminal window. Essentially, screen
enables you to have several terminals running simultaneously, each with its own command line and output. This feature is particularly useful for users who need to run long-term processes or for those who require a terminal session to remain open even when they log out of their system.
Features and Benefits of Using Screen Command
screen
provides a variety of features and benefits, including:
- Multiple terminal sessions: Within a single terminal window, you can create and manage several terminal sessions, making it easier to keep track of multiple tasks.
- Session persistence: Even when you log out of your system,
screen
keeps your terminal sessions running. This feature is particularly helpful for long-running processes that you don’t want to interrupt. - Detaching and reattaching to sessions:
screen
makes it easy to detach from a terminal session and then reattach to it later, allowing you to switch between multiple sessions without having to close and reopen them. - Customizable keyboard shortcuts: You can assign custom keyboard shortcuts to
screen
commands, making it easier to navigate between sessions or perform other tasks. - Copy and paste functionality:
screen
allows you to copy and paste text between different terminal sessions, making it easier to move data between them. - Ability to share sessions with other users:
screen
allows you to share a terminal session with other users, making it easier to collaborate on tasks or troubleshoot issues together.
By using screen
commands, you can boost your productivity and streamline your workflow, making it easier to manage multiple terminal sessions and tasks simultaneously.
How to Install and Configure Screen
Before you can start using the screen
command, you need to install it on your Linux system. Installing screen
is easy and can be done using your package manager. On Debian- or Ubuntu-based systems, here’s how to do it
Update your apt-get with the following command
Install screen with sudo apt-get install.
Use the following command for CentOS and Fedora systems:
Install screen on sudo yum.
Once you have screen
installed, you can customize its settings to suit your needs. One of the most useful features of screen
is that it allows you to create multiple screen sessions, each with their own set of virtual terminals.
Creating a New Screen Session
To create a new screen
session, simply type the following command:
screen
You’ll then be directed to the command line of the first virtual terminal after setting up a new session. You can run commands as you would normally from this point.
Configuring Screen Settings
Screen
is highly customizable, and you can configure everything from the keyboard shortcuts to the color scheme. Here are a few useful settings you can modify:
- *.screenrc file: This file contains the configuration settings for your
screen
sessions. Any text editor can edit it because it is in your home directory. The color scheme and keyboard shortcuts are two typical settings you might want to change. - [ scrollback buffer] is available: By default,
screen
only stores a limited number of lines in its scrollback buffer. You can increase the size of the buffer by adding the following line to your.screenrc
file:
defscrollback 10000
The buffer size will rise to 10,000 lines as a result.
- Naming a screen session: You can give your
screen
sessions a name to make them easier to identify. The following command will help you accomplish this:
screen -S session's name
This will create a new screen
session with the name session_name
.
With these configuration options, you can customize screen
to meet your specific needs and improve your productivity when working with multiple terminal sessions.
How to Use Screen Command to Manage Multiple Terminal Sessions
Once you have created a new screen
session, you can start creating and managing virtual terminals within the session.
Creating and Managing Virtual Terminals
To create a new virtual terminal within a screen
session, use the following keyboard shortcut:
Ctrl A, C, and Ctrl
This will launch a brand-new virtual terminal and direct you to its command line. In this virtual terminal, you can then execute commands the same way you would in a typical terminal.
Use the keyboard shortcut listed below to switch between various virtual terminals:
Ctrl A, N
While the following keyboard shortcut will switch to the previous virtual terminal, this shortcut will change to the next one:
Ctrl A, P
You can run various commands or processes simultaneously without switching between terminal windows by building multiple virtual terminals.
Detaching and Reattaching to a Screen Session
One of the most powerful features of the screen
command is the ability to detach from a session and come back to it later. This implies that even when you log out of your system, you can maintain a long-running process.
To detach from a screen
session, use the following keyboard shortcut:
Ctrl A, D
This will take you out of the session and direct you back to the terminals prompt. The terminal window can then be closed or log out of your system.
To reattach to a screen
session, use the following command:
screen -r
This will reattach you to the last screen
session you detached from. You can also reattach to a specific screen
session by using the following command:
screen -r <session_id>
By detaching and reattaching to a screen
session, you can continue working on a process from where you left off, even after logging out or disconnecting from a remote server.
Screen Command Shortcuts for Linux Users
Managing multiple virtual terminals in a single screen session can be challenging, but the screen
command provides a range of keyboard shortcuts that can help you manage your sessions more efficiently. The most popular shortcuts are listed below:
Ctrl + A, C
: Create a new virtual terminalCtrl + A, N
: Switch to the next virtual terminalCtrl + A, P
: Switch to the previous virtual terminalCtrl + A, D
: Detach from the current sessionCtrl + A, "
: View a list of all virtual terminalsCtrl + A, S
: Split the current terminal horizontallyCtrl + A, |
: Split the current terminal verticallyCtrl + A, Q
: Quit a split screen
You can use these shortcuts to switch between various virtual terminals quickly and effectively without using your mouse. For example, if you want to create a new virtual terminal, you can press Ctrl + A, C
. Similarly, if you want to switch to the next virtual terminal, you can press Ctrl + A, N
. You can detach from the current session by pressing Ctrl + A, D
, and view a list of all virtual terminals by pressing Ctrl + A, "
. You can easily manage multiple virtual terminals with the aid of these shortcuts, which can also save you a ton of time.
In addition to these basic shortcuts, screen
provides many other shortcuts that can help you manage your sessions more efficiently. You can customize these shortcuts to meet your needs by modifying the ~/.screenrc
file. For more information on how to customize screen
shortcuts, type man screen
on your terminal.
By using screen
shortcuts, you can improve your productivity and streamline your workflow. You can effectively manage multiple virtual terminals with the aid of these shortcuts, which are simple to learn.
Advanced Features of the screen
Command
While the basic features of the screen
command are powerful enough for most users, there are several more advanced features that can take your screen
skills to the next level. Some of these features include:
Using screen
with tmux
tmux
is another popular terminal multiplexer that can be used in conjunction with screen
to create even more advanced and customizable terminal environments. By using both screen
and tmux
, you can take advantage of the unique features of each tool and customize your terminal environment to suit your needs.
Configuring a Status Bar
screen
can be configured to display a status bar that shows information about the current session, such as the number of virtual terminals and the current time. This can be especially useful when working on multiple tasks simultaneously, as it allows you to keep track of your sessions at a glance.
Controlling Access to Virtual Terminals
screen
can be used to control access to virtual terminals by assigning passwords or permissions to each terminal. This can be useful when working in a shared environment or when you need to restrict access to certain terminals.
Managing Remote Sessions
One of the most powerful features of the screen
command is its ability to manage remote sessions. With screen
, you can start a screen
session on a remote system and then detach from it, allowing the session to continue running even if you log out of the remote system. To connect to the remote screen
session later, simply use the screen -r
command followed by the name or ID of the session. This makes screen
an ideal tool for managing long-running processes or working on remote systems where a stable connection may be needed.
Insider Tips: Get the Most Out of Screen Command
To take your screen
command skills to the next level, try out these insider tips:
- Use the
screen -ls
command to list all of your activescreen
sessions and their status. This can help you keep track of your sessions and ensure that you are not accidentally running multiple sessions at once. - Customize your
screen
settings by editing the.screenrc
file in your home directory. This file allows you to configure everything from the default shell to the color scheme used inscreen
. - Share your
screen
session with other users by using thescreen -x
command. This allows multiple users to connect to the samescreen
session and collaborate in real-time.
By mastering these advanced features, you can take your screen
skills to the next level and become an even more efficient and effective Linux user.
My Experience: Multiple Terminal Sessions can be managed with Screen Command.
As a Linux user and developer, I can attest that the screen
command is an essential tool for managing multiple terminal sessions. screen
provides a simple and efficient way to run long-running processes, detach terminal sessions, and switch between multiple sessions with ease.
With screen
, I can create and manage multiple virtual terminals, each with its own shell prompt, allowing me to work on multiple tasks simultaneously. Additionally, I can detach from a screen
session and reattach later, making it possible to keep long-running processes running even when I am not connected to the server.
To get the most out of screen
, I have learned to customize my settings and use the built-in keyboard shortcuts to switch between virtual terminals quickly. For example, I use CTRL+A
followed by "
to list all available windows and CTRL+A
followed by K
to kill the current window.
Overall, screen
has helped me streamline my workflow and work more efficiently in the Linux environment. Whether working on a complex project with multiple users or simply keeping a terminal session running in the background, screen
provides a reliable and efficient solution for managing multiple terminal sessions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the screen
command in Linux is a powerful tool that enables you to manage multiple terminal sessions efficiently. You can complete a number of tasks simultaneously using virtual terminals without switching between windows. The screen
command is also useful in situations where you need to keep running a process on a remote server, and you don’t want to lose your progress when the connection is lost.
The screen
command comes with customizable keyboard shortcuts, which help to streamline your workflow and increase your productivity. Additionally, by using the screen
command with other Linux commands, you can automate your tasks and save time.
In summary, the screen
command is a must-have tool for any Linux user. It is a necessary component of your Linux toolkit because it is simple to install, configure, and use. So, go ahead and try out the screen
command for yourself, and experience the power of terminal multiplexing!
*Try out the screen
command and see how it can make your work more efficient!