smug

smug is a command-line session manager for tmux that automates the creation and management of complex terminal workspace layouts. It reads YAML configuration files to define windows, panes, commands, and layouts, then launches fully configured tmux sessions with a single command. smug is written in Go and distributed as an open-source tool under the MIT license, making it easy to version-control your development environments alongside your projects.

• YAML-based configuration: Define tmux sessions declaratively in YAML files, specifying windows, panes, layouts, working directories, and startup commands.
• Session start/stop: Use smug start <config> and smug stop <config> to spin up or tear down entire tmux session setups instantly.
• Project-scoped configs: Store .smug.yml files in project directories so each project can have its own reproducible terminal workspace.
• Window and pane layouts: Configure split directions, sizes, and tiling layouts for panes within each window, matching tmux's native layout options.
• Command execution: Automatically run shell commands in each pane on session start, such as starting servers, watchers, or REPLs.
• Preview mode: Use smug edit to open the config file in your default editor, and smug list to see all available session configs.
• Cross-platform CLI: Runs on any Unix-like system (Linux, macOS) where tmux is installed; distributed as a single compiled binary.
• Go-based and open source: Source code is publicly available on GitHub under the MIT license, welcoming contributions and custom builds.