Zellij — A Modern Terminal Multiplexer Built for Developers

Source: Dev.to

Sessions

A session is a persistent workspace that survives terminal closures, SSH disconnects, or even system reboots.

• Sessions are persistent by default.
• You can detach and reattach at will.

Typical use case
Start a backend server, a frontend dev server, and a log tail → disconnect → come back hours later to the exact same state. Sessions make Zellij extremely useful for SSH‑heavy and production‑like workflows.

Tabs

Tabs (similar to windows in tmux terminology) let you separate concerns within a session.

• Tab 1: Editor + Git
• Tab 2: Backend services
• Tab 3: Logs & monitoring

Tabs help keep your mental model clean and prevent pane overload.

Panes

Panes are splits inside a tab. You can divide your terminal vertically or horizontally to run multiple processes side‑by‑side.

Typical pane layout

• Left pane: nvim
• Right pane: test runner
• Bottom pane: application logs

Zellij makes pane management intuitive and visual, even for beginners.

Keybinding Discoverability

Zellij shows a context‑aware keybinding bar at the bottom of the screen. When you enter a mode, available actions are displayed instantly, eliminating the need to memorize cryptic shortcuts.

Modal keybindings (Vim‑style)

All of this is visible in real time via the help bar—no external documentation required.

Layout Files

Layout files let you define complex terminal setups declaratively. A layout can:

• Create multiple tabs
• Define pane splits
• Run commands automatically

Use cases

• Project bootstrapping
• Consistent dev environments
• Team‑wide workflow sharing

Example (bash)

# This command opens your editor, starts Docker containers,
# tails logs, and launches tests — every time.
zellij --layout my_project.kdl

Layouts turn your terminal into reusable infrastructure.

Plugins

Zellij ships with a plugin system that runs inside the terminal UI itself. Plugins can provide:

• Status bars
• Tab indicators
• Session managers
• Custom UI widgets

Unlike tmux, you don’t need external scripts or shell hacks—plugins are first‑class citizens that integrate cleanly with the core system.

Performance

Because Zellij is written in Rust, it is:

• Fast
• Memory‑efficient
• Crash‑resistant

This matters when you’re:

• Running dozens of panes
• SSH’ing into remote machines
• Keeping sessions alive for days

Zellij feels stable under load—an essential feature for production‑grade workflows.

Comparison with tmux

• tmux: mature, deeply customizable, widely available.
• Zellij: better UX, visual feedback, less configuration debt, faster onboarding.

Both tools have their place, but Zellij offers a modern, discoverable experience with minimal setup.

Who Might Benefit

• Backend and systems developers
• DevOps engineers and SREs
• Rust and Linux enthusiasts
• Developers tired of massive tmux configs
• Anyone who wants productivity without friction

Final Thoughts

Zellij doesn’t just modernize tmux—it rethinks how developers interact with terminal workspaces. By prioritizing discoverability, sane defaults, and performance, it removes unnecessary complexity while preserving power. If your terminal is your primary IDE, Zellij might be the upgrade you didn’t know you needed.

Install it once. Use it everywhere.