Byobu vs dvtm
Byobu
byobu.orgdvtm
brain-dump.orgSide by side
| Figure | Byobu | dvtm |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 0 |
| Spec score · Terminal Multiplexers | 8.1 (#6) | 7.4 (#18) |
| Configuration | An interactive F9 menu lets users toggle status notifications, change keybinding sets, select profiles, and switch backends. | Users customize key bindings by creating a config.h file and recompiling the source. |
| Founded | 2008 | 2007 |
| Layouts | Users can save and restore split-pane layouts, and define repeatable window sets in configuration files. | Its default layouts are vertical stack, bottom stack, grid, and fullscreen. |
| License | Byobu is GPLv3-licensed open-source software hosted on GitHub. | The project is released under the MIT/X11 license, and its terminal emulation component is under the ISC license. |
| Purpose | Byobu is a text-based window manager and terminal multiplexer that wraps tmux or GNU Screen with keybindings, status notifications, profile management, and split-pane layouts. | dvtm brings tiling window management to the console to help users work with multiple console based programs. |
| Status bar | Its two-line status bar can show CPU, memory, disk, network, battery, load, time, and other system information, with items independently toggleable. | dvtm can read and display status messages from a named pipe, and the project provides a script that displays the current time. |
| Support | Support is largely volunteer-led; users can report bugs on GitHub Issues and ask questions on StackExchange. | The project directs comments, suggestions, bug reports, and patches to the suckless developer mailing list or the maintainer. |
Plans
In their own words
Byobu
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.