The latest articles on DEV Community by Jack McGinty (@jtmcginty). https://dev.to/jtmcginty https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3810843%2Fba5a1eae-bed9-4c51-a08a-f53835e8c5e8.png https://dev.to/jtmcginty en Jack McGinty Sat, 07 Mar 2026 04:07:51 +0000 https://dev.to/jtmcginty/multiple-tmux-sessions-are-underrated-until-navigation-gets-in-the-way-1ekm https://dev.to/jtmcginty/multiple-tmux-sessions-are-underrated-until-navigation-gets-in-the-way-1ekm <p>If you're doing serious terminal work, multiple tmux sessions are one of the highest-leverage habits you can build: isolated contexts for separate tickets, experiments, or projects, each with its own window layout and state. The friction point is <em>switching</em>. <code>tmux ls</code>, squinting at session names, re-orienting yourself — it's enough cognitive overhead that most people just don't bother.</p> <p>I built <strong><a href="https://github.com/jtmcginty/tmux-session-dots" rel="noopener noreferrer">tmux-session-dots</a></strong> to remove that friction entirely.</p> <h2> What it does </h2> <p>A TPM plugin that renders a minimal dot indicator in your status bar:<br> </p> <div class="highlight js-code-highlight"> <pre class="highlight plaintext"><code>○ ● ○ </code></pre> </div> <p>One dot per session. Filled = you're here. That's it. Three sessions open, you're on the middle one — you know that at a glance, zero keystrokes.</p> <p>It wires up via tmux hooks, so the indicator updates in real time as you switch. No polling, no lag.</p> <p><a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2F0mhvg4b9yju9ba9bami8.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2F0mhvg4b9yju9ba9bami8.png" alt="tmux status bar showing three sessions; the active one highlighted with a filled dot" width="800" height="56"></a></p> <p>Default styling uses Catppuccin pink (because taste matters), but colors and symbols are fully overridable.</p> <h2> The workflow it unlocks </h2> <p><a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Ftbwryvzbb08i4iyyq8sl.gif" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Ftbwryvzbb08i4iyyq8sl.gif" alt="session dots switching" width="720" height="498"></a></p> <p>The dots alone are nice. Paired with prefix-free session switching, it clicks into something you'll actually reach for constantly:<br> </p> <div class="highlight js-code-highlight"> <pre class="highlight plaintext"><code># Cycle sessions without prefix bind-key -n M-[ switch-client -p bind-key -n M-] switch-client -n </code></pre> </div> <p><code>Option + [</code> / <code>Option + ]</code> — you jump sessions, the dots shift immediately, you're reoriented before your eyes have time to ask "wait, which session am I on?" No prefix chord, no cognitive gap.</p> <p>This is the part I've found genuinely changes behavior: when switching is this fast and readable, I actually <em>use</em> separate sessions more. One per ticket, one for experiments, one for monitoring — whatever the isolation boundary makes sense.</p> <h2> Install </h2> <p>Add to <code>~/.tmux.conf</code>:<br> </p> <div class="highlight js-code-highlight"> <pre class="highlight plaintext"><code>set -g @plugin 'jtmcginty/tmux-session-dots' </code></pre> </div> <p>Install: <code>prefix + I</code></p> <p>Drop it in your status bar:<br> </p> <div class="highlight js-code-highlight"> <pre class="highlight plaintext"><code>set -g status-right "#{session_dots} | %H:%M %d-%b" </code></pre> </div> <p>Reload: <code>tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf</code></p> <h2> Customize </h2> <div class="highlight js-code-highlight"> <pre class="highlight plaintext"><code>set -g @session-dots-active '●' set -g @session-dots-inactive '○' # Add fg/bg colors with tmux #[...] syntax </code></pre> </div> <p>Swap the symbols for anything you like — some combinations worth trying:</p> <div class="table-wrapper-paragraph"><table> <thead> <tr> <th>Active</th> <th>Inactive</th> <th>Preview</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><code>●</code></td> <td><code>○</code></td> <td>●○○ (default)</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>▶</code></td> <td><code>–</code></td> <td>▶––</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>•</code></td> <td><code>·</code></td> <td>•··</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>■</code></td> <td><code>□</code></td> <td>■□□</td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div> <p>GitHub → <a href="https://github.com/jtmcginty/tmux-session-dots" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>jtmcginty/tmux-session-dots</strong></a></p> <p>If you're already living in tmux and haven't dialed in your session workflow, this is a small thing that quietly makes the whole setup feel more intentional. </p> <p>If it's useful, a ⭐ on the repo goes a long way — and PRs/issues are always welcome!</p> tmux productivity linux cli