Tmux configuration setup script – tmux-pencil

This is a tool that can helps you set your tmux configuration easily. Just follow the instructions, and a kick-start .tmux.conf will be created.

tmux-pencil only modifies your .tmux.conf or creates a backup file, you can edit it afterward as needed.

Usage

1. Setup tmux session environment

Since we’re configuring tmux, it’s recommended to stay inside a tmux session so that you can see most of the effects immediately.

The command below will create a new session (tpen) with two windows (setup & demo), as some effects require multiple windows to demonstrate properly:

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tmux -f /dev/null new-session -d -s tpen -n setup \; \
	set-option -t tpen:setup remain-on-exit on \; \
	new-window -n demo \; \
	select-window -t tpen:setup \; \
	attach-session -t tpen

2. Download & Set permission

While in the tmux session, download the script to your home directory. You can delete it afterward.

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cd
curl -o tmux-pencil.sh https://raw.githubusercontent.com/penyt/tmux-pencil/refs/heads/main/tmux-pencil.sh

Of course, you can also copy and paste the script contents manually.

Then, make the script executable:

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chmod +x tmux-pencil.sh

3. Run the script

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./tmux-pencil.sh

4. Configure

Follow the on-screen instructions to configure your tmux settings.

5. Finish

You can now see your new .tmux.conf in your home directory.

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cat ~/.tmux.conf

If you no longer need the script, feel free to delete it:

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rm tmux-pencil.sh

Support

Thanks for using tmux-pencil! Don’t forget to ⭐️ the repo if you like it.