openmux vs Shpool
openmux
github.comShpool
github.comSide by side
| Figure | openmux | Shpool |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Terminal Multiplexers | 8.2 (#5) | 7.5 (#17) |
| Installation | The project documents installation via curl, npm, Bun, source build, and GitHub release binaries. | The README documents installation through crates.io with Cargo and through Homebrew on macOS. |
| Intended users | The README presents openmux as a terminal multiplexer and compares its behavior and architecture with tmux and Zellij. | Shpool is aimed at people who want shell session persistence without terminal multiplexing features. |
| License | The repository identifies the software as MIT licensed. | The GitHub repository identifies the project as licensed under Apache-2.0. |
| Platforms | The README lists prebuilt binaries for macOS Apple Silicon and Linux x64 / arm64. | Shpool runs on Linux and macOS; Linux is the primary supported platform, and some macOS tests do not pass. |
| Security | The repository page shows zero security advisories. | The repository's Security and quality page reports zero advisories. |
Plans
In their own words
openmux
openmux is a terminal multiplexer for Linux and macOS, with vertical, horizontal, and stacked pane layouts and nine workspaces. Each workspace can keep its own pane arrangement. Vim-style hjkl navigation and a Ctrl+b prefix provide two ways to control panes. Sessions preserve workspace layouts and pane working directories; users can detach while a background shim keeps running, then reattach from another client. The project also offers an aggregate PTY browser for filtering and previewing terminals by process, directory, or Git branch. Terminal features include mouse tracking, scrollback, pane zoom, and Kitty graphics support for image rendering, pixel sizing, and SSH-aware offloading. Its CLI handles session and pane operations such as creating sessions, splitting panes, sending text, capturing output, and listing sessions as JSON. Configuration changes for layout, theme, and keybindings hot-reload while openmux is running. The MIT-licensed project is listed at free. Installation options include a curl script, npm, Bun, source build, or prebuilt binaries for macOS Apple Silicon and Linux x64 or arm64.
Shpool
Shpool is free, open-source software for keeping named shell sessions alive when connections drop. It targets users who want persistence without terminal multiplexing features such as split windows or tiled panes, preserving native terminal scrollback and copy-paste. For SSH, Shpool runs on the remote host and needs no additional client software. Users reconnect with `shpool attach`; the terminal state is redrawn after reattachment. The command line can list, detach, or kill sessions, and `--ttl` sets a session lifetime. Variables in session names and attach options can redirect terminals to newly named sessions when values change. Bash, zsh, and fish support automatic session-name prompt prefixes. The README documents SSH configuration, shell-function patterns, Cargo installation through crates.io, and Homebrew installation on macOS. Shpool supports Linux, macOS, SSH, and command-line shells. It is licensed Apache-2.0, reports zero advisories, and allows only one client per session.