I finally found the perfect terminal for AI — cmux complete guide

When using the terminal to run AI Agents, have you ever run into these problems:

1. Low window visibility. When you have four or five terminals open, it’s hard to tell which agent is running which task.

2. Missing status feedback. When a task completes or errors out, there’s no timely notification — you have to switch back to the terminal and check one by one.

3. No built-in browser. Previewing a local service means switching to a browser, constantly toggling back and forth.

Then I started using cmux, and realized playing with AI in the terminal can actually be this smooth.

This article will give you a comprehensive introduction to the cmux terminal. After reading, you’ll master:

• What cmux is and why it’s great for running AI Agents

• Installation and core operations: window management, notifications, split screens, built-in browser

• Advanced tips: using configuration files to launch your work layout with one click

1. What is cmux?

cmux is a macOS-native terminal designed for AI Agents. It uses Ghostty’s rendering engine under the hood, retaining its high performance and low latency, while adding many AI-scenario enhancements to the interface and workflow:

1. Clear multi-tasking management: vertical workspace tab bar + freely splittable windows — you can see the status of each task at a glance.

2. Timely notification reminders: no need to keep staring at the terminal. When an agent finishes, a notification pops up telling you which task needs attention.

3. Built-in browser: after modifying code, verify it directly in the terminal without switching back and forth.

In short, cmux is an enhanced terminal that’s fast and built for AI users. With it, you can completely uninstall the native Mac terminal.

2. Basics: Installation and Common Operations

1. Install cmux

Currently, cmux only supports Mac. Go to the official website (https://cmux.com/) and download it directly.

2. Must-know operation 1: Session window management

The cmux interface is divided into two parts:

• On the left is the workspace tab bar, where one workspace corresponds to one project.

• On the right is the main work area, which can hold terminals or a built-in browser, supporting free vertical/horizontal split screens.

Open multiple windows under one workspace, name each workspace and window clearly, and you can easily track the status of each task.

3. Must-know operation 2: Enable notifications for real-time task progress

I think cmux’s notification system is really well done — it promptly informs you which workspace project and which task needs your attention.

After enabling notifications, you can run tasks while handling other work. Task progress will notify you via desktop pop-ups, and you can check the top bar anytime.

How to enable: Click cmux in the top-left corner → Settings

Enable desktop notifications (you can use “Send Test” to test it)

If the above method fails, go directly to macOS System Settings → Notifications → Find cmux and enable it.

4. Must-know operation 3: Built-in browser, edit and preview simultaneously

cmux has a built-in browser, which makes web development very convenient — similar to Codex app’s live browser preview.

How to open: Click the browser button in the top-right corner of the workspace

Open a window on the left to edit code, and the browser on the right to preview. It also supports real-time annotation and comments for direct modification. The entire frontend development chain is completed within one terminal.

5. Must-know operation 4: Split-screen settings and keyboard shortcuts to boost efficiency by 10x

Use split screens to run multiple windows in parallel — you can get the most out of Claude Code in cmux.

In the top-right corner of the workspace, you can directly split vertically/horizontally:

You can also drag a tab freely to a suitable position, with the following effect:

To go further, memorize these high-frequency shortcut keys to speed up your workflow:

1️⃣ Cmd+T: New tab

2️⃣ Cmd+W: Close tab

3️⃣ Cmd+D: New left-right split

4️⃣ Cmd+Shift+D: New top-bottom split

5️⃣ Cmd+Shift+Enter: Maximize one split (press again to restore)

If you can’t remember them, Cmd+Shift+P opens the command palette. Use it a few times and you’ll get the hang of it.

3. Advanced: Lock in Your AI Workflow

If you often open multiple fixed windows in the terminal, doing it manually every time is a hassle.

cmux supports configuring a fixed workspace layout via a .cmux/cmux.json file inside your project. After that, search for it once in the command palette to automatically open your full layout.

How to configure: Tell Claude your usual window layout, have it generate the JSON file for you, and teach you how to open it with one click.

Below is a sample prompt for my daily configuration:

(I’m used to having Claude for development on the left, Codex for review on the right, plus a Git visualization panel to view changes — feel free to adjust according to your layout)

Please help me configure a cmux one-click launch workspace for the current project.
Create `.cmux/cmux.json` in the project root directory, implementing this layout:
- On the left, open Claude Code
- On the right, open Codex at the top, taking about 70% of the right side
- On the right, open lazygit at the bottom, taking the remaining space
Use cmux's workspace layout configuration method, not Dock configuration.
After configuration, also tell me how to reload and open this workspace in cmux.

After configuration, every time you open the command palette (Cmd+Shift+P), you can directly launch your usual layout.

Note: lazygit (https://github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit) is a Git visualization tool in the terminal. It allows you to view file changes, switch branches, and see commit history in the terminal. You need to install it in advance.