amux vs Byobu

amux is a terminal multiplexer for shared workflows in which people use keybindings and agents use CLI commands in the same panes. Users can create and arrange panes, manage windows, zoom panes, and broadcast keystrokes to multiple panes. Its CLI offers structured JSON session capture, blocking waits, and push-based events without requiring an SDK or language-specific library. Pane history stays on the server and can survive detach and reattach, server reload, and crash recovery; the default scrollback is 5,000 lines per pane. A built-in mailbox lets panes send, read, reply to, and acknowledge messages, with recipients checking an inbox instead of receiving automatic PTY input. An optional local MCP server over stdio exposes mailbox tools. Remote panes and windows can be mirrored over SSH, forwarding input and streaming remote PTY output. The repository documents Claude Code and Codex integrations, including mailbox-drain hook recipes. amux is MIT licensed and free, with installation through a shell script, Homebrew, or go install. The first server start installs a terminfo entry and requires ncurses tic. It runs on Linux and macOS, but does not implement every tmux feature, including session groups and advanced hooks.

Byobu is a free, GPLv3-licensed text-based window manager and terminal multiplexer for Linux, BSD, and macOS. It runs over tmux or GNU Screen and adds function-key controls, status notifications, profiles, and split-pane layouts. Users can create, rename, reorder, split, zoom, and synchronize windows and panes, then save layouts for restoration or define repeatable window sets in configuration files. Detaching and reattaching preserves windows, processes, and history, with up to 10,000 lines of scrollback per window. A two-line status bar can display CPU, memory, disk, network, battery, load, time, and other indicators, each independently toggleable. The interactive F9 menu changes notifications, keybinding sets, profiles, and backend selection. Byobu defaults to tmux when available but supports GNU Screen and switching through byobu-select-backend. The project requires tmux 1.5 or later and/or GNU Screen. Support is largely volunteer-led through GitHub Issues and StackExchange.