cmux
End-user control of cmux topology and routing (windows, workspaces, panes/surfaces, focus, moves, reorder, identify, trigger flash). Use when automation needs deterministic placement and navigation in a multi-pane cmux layout.
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/manaflow-ai/cmux /tmp/cmux && cp -r /tmp/cmux/skills/cmux ~/.claude/skills/cmuxSKILL.md
# cmux Core Control Non-browser cmux topology and routing. - **Window**: top-level macOS cmux window. - **Workspace**: tab-like group within a window. - **Pane**: split container in a workspace. - **Surface**: a tab within a pane (terminal or browser panel). ## Fast start ```bash cmux identify --json # current caller context cmux list-windows / list-workspaces / list-panes cmux list-pane-surfaces --pane pane:1 cmux new-workspace cmux new-split right --panel pane:1 cmux move-surface --surface surface:7 --pane pane:2 --focus true cmux split-off --surface surface:7 right cmux reorder-surface --surface surface:7 --before surface:3 # workspace context-menu actions (color, description, rename, pin, ...) cmux workspace-action --action set-color --color Blue cmux workspace-action --action set-description --description "Ship checklist" # attention cue cmux trigger-flash --surface surface:7 ``` ## Handle model Output defaults to short refs (`window:N`, `workspace:N`, `pane:N`, `surface:N`). UUIDs are accepted as input; request UUID output only when needed with `--id-format uuids|both`. ## Settings cmux-owned settings live in `~/.config/cmux/cmux.json`. `cmux docs settings` prints the docs URL, schema URL, raw GitHub resources, cmux.json paths, and reload command. `cmux settings`, `cmux settings cmux-json`, and `cmux settings shortcuts` open the UI. `cmux reload-config` reloads both `cmux.json` and `~/.config/ghostty/config`, refreshing terminals in place with no app restart. Terminal rendering (font, cursor style, theme, scrollback, `background-opacity`, `background-blur`) belongs in Ghostty config, not cmux settings. Everything else (app behavior, sidebar, notifications, browser behavior, automation, workspace colors, cmux-owned shortcuts) is cmux settings. Before editing, copy any existing `cmux.json` to a timestamped `.bak` next to it. Legacy `~/.config/cmux/settings.json` and `~/Library/Application Support/com.cmuxterm.app/settings.json` are read only as fallback for missing keys. ## Deep-dive references | Reference | When to Use | |-----------|-------------| | [references/handles-and-identify.md](references/handles-and-identify.md) | Handle syntax, self-identify, caller targeting | | [references/windows-workspaces.md](references/windows-workspaces.md) | Window/workspace lifecycle, reorder/move, and context-menu actions (color, description, rename) | | [references/panes-surfaces.md](references/panes-surfaces.md) | Splits, surfaces, move/reorder, focus routing | | [references/trigger-flash-and-health.md](references/trigger-flash-and-health.md) | Flash cue and surface health checks | | [../cmux-workspace/SKILL.md](../cmux-workspace/SKILL.md) | Current caller workspace rules and non-disruptive automation | | [../cmux-settings/SKILL.md](../cmux-settings/SKILL.md) | Safe cmux.json settings edits and validation | | [../cmux-browser/SKILL.md](../cmux-browser/SKILL.md) | Browser automation on surface-backed webviews | | [../cmux-markdown/SKILL.md](../cmux-markdown/SKILL.md) | Markdown viewer panel with live file watching |
cmux package architecture, refactor layering, dependency inversion, file organization, DocC documentation, package design discipline, testability, and Swift 6 concurrency rules. Use before adding or meaningfully rewriting Swift files, Swift packages, coordinators, services, repositories, or public package APIs.
Backend TypeScript and Cloud VM development rules for cmux. Use when editing web/app/api, web/services, backend scripts, Cloud VM lifecycle, provider integrations, Postgres, Stack Auth pricing gates, migrations, or provider image build scripts.
Stripe checkout, pricing, subscription, Pro plan, webhook, and entitlement runbook for cmux billing work. Use when editing or debugging billing, pricing, Stripe Checkout, subscription recording, Pro plan status, webhooks, entitlement metadata, or pricing dev/prod tooling.
End-user browser automation with cmux. Use when you need to open sites, interact with pages, wait for state changes, and extract data from cmux browser surfaces.
Route work to cmux Cloud machines (persistent cloud VMs) from the CLI — `cmux vm route`/`run`/`agent` pick a machine for you; `vm tree` / `surface ls` show the surface catalog (This Mac and every machine: terminals, VNC screens, browsers) and `vm open` / `surface open` put any of them in a pane; plus create, exec, push/pull, ports, checkpoints, forks. Use when an agent should run builds, tests, servers, desktop/browser tasks, or another agent on a cloud machine instead of the local Mac, or when the user says "cloud machine", "cloud VM", "run it in the cloud", or "cmux vm".
Drive real macOS apps from a cmux agent session via the bundled computer-use engine (accessibility tree + screenshot perception, click/type/scroll/drag, branded agent cursor). Use when an agent should see and operate GUI apps on the local Mac, when computer-use tools are missing or failing, or when explaining how to grant permissions, brand the cursor, or focus the driving session.
Build a custom cmux sidebar from a plain-language request. Use when the user asks for a custom sidebar, a sidebar that shows their workspaces/tabs/PRs/clock, a vibe-coded sidebar, or anything involving files in ~/.config/cmux/sidebars/. Covers authoring the interpreted SwiftUI-style file, enabling the beta flag, selecting it, and iterating with hot reload.