cmux-orchestrate — a Claude Code skill: drive cmux terminal panes/splits/tabs and the agents running in worker panes via the cmux CLI

A developer created cmux-orchestrate, a Claude Code skill that enables driving cmux terminal panes, splits, tabs, and agents via the cmux CLI. The skill provides comprehensive control over terminal layouts, workspaces, windows, and worker panes through commands for targeting, inspecting, and manipulating surfaces.

Captured from cmux help v0.64.14 . The binary is the source of truth — when in doubt run cmux help , cmux <command --help , or cmux docs <topic . This file is the fast path so you don't have to. Targeting model refs, indexes, UUIDs https://gist.github.com/starred.atom targeting-model JSON tree shape https://gist.github.com/starred.atom json-tree-shape Inspect https://gist.github.com/starred.atom inspect Layout: panes / splits / surfaces https://gist.github.com/starred.atom layout Workspaces & windows https://gist.github.com/starred.atom workspaces--windows Naming https://gist.github.com/starred.atom naming Send / read / keys https://gist.github.com/starred.atom send--read--keys Notifications & unread https://gist.github.com/starred.atom notifications--unread Status, progress, log https://gist.github.com/starred.atom status-progress-log Sidebar Files / Find / Vault https://gist.github.com/starred.atom sidebar Agents, hooks, teams https://gist.github.com/starred.atom agents-hooks-teams Gotchas https://gist.github.com/starred.atom gotchas Manager prompt workshop copy-paste https://gist.github.com/starred.atom manager-prompt Most commands accept a target via one of: --window , --workspace , --pane , --surface tab-action also takes --tab . Accepted forms: short refs : window:1 , workspace:2 , pane:3 , surface:4 , tab:5 default output format indexes : positional integers UUIDs : full IDs; request them with the global --id-format uuids or both Defaults when you omit a target: --surface → $CMUX SURFACE ID , --workspace → $CMUX WORKSPACE ID . That means omitting --surface acts on YOUR pane — always pass --surface to touch a worker.Global options go before the subcommand: cmux --json tree , cmux --id-format both list-panes . cmux --json tree returns: caller — the surface that ran the command you : { pane ref, surface ref, tab ref, workspace ref, window ref, surface type, is browser surface } active — the truly focused path same shape windows → each { ref, index, current, selected workspace ref, workspaces } workspaces → { ref, index, title, selected, panes } panes → { ref, index, focused, selected surface ref, surface count, surface refs , surfaces } surfaces → { ref, index, title, type terminal|browser , url, tty, focused, selected, here } here:true marks your own surface; focused/active/selected mark the live path. Browser surfaces carry url . cmux tree --all --workspace <t --window <t box-drawing; markers ◀ active / ◀ here cmux --json tree --all structured cmux list-windows cmux list-workspaces --window <t cmux list-panes --workspace <t --window <t cmux list-pane-surfaces --pane <t --workspace <t cmux list-panels --workspace <t cmux current-window | current-workspace cmux top --processes --sort cpu|mem|proc --flat --format tree|tsv per-pane process/resource view cmux memory --all --groups <n cmux identify --surface <t ... what/where is this surface cmux capabilities what this cmux build supports cmux new-split <left|right|up|down --surface <t --panel <t --focus true|false cmux new-pane --type terminal|browser --direction left|right|up|down --url <url --focus ... cmux new-surface --type terminal|browser --pane <t --url <url new tab inside a pane cmux close-surface --surface <t cmux move-surface --surface <t --pane <t --before|--after <t --index <n cmux split-off --surface <t <left|right|up|down pop a surface into its own split cmux reorder-surface --surface <t --index <n | --before <t | --after <t cmux focus-pane --pane <t cmux focus-panel --panel <t cmux focus-window --window <id cmux refresh-surfaces Browser-pane helpers exist too cmux browser ... , cmux new-pane --type browser --url ... . cmux new-workspace --name <title --description <text --cwd <path --command <text --focus ... cmux select-workspace --workspace <t cmux close-workspace --workspace <t cmux move-tab-to-new-workspace --surface <t --title <text cmux reorder-workspace --workspace <t --index <n | --before <t | --after <t cmux workspace-action --action <name --workspace <t --title <text --color <name| hex cmux new-window | close-window --window <id | focus-window --window <id cmux move-workspace-to-window --workspace <t --window <t cmux rename-tab --surface <t --tab <t <title cmux rename-workspace --workspace <t <title cmux rename-window --window <t <title cmux send --surface <t -- <text types text; \n,\r=Enter \t=Tab. Append \n to submit. cmux send-key --surface <t -- <key one key event: enter, tab, up, down, left, right, ctrl+c, ctrl+d, esc, "1", "y", ... cmux send-panel --panel <t <text same but target a panel cmux send-key-panel --panel <t <key cmux read-screen --surface <t --scrollback --lines <n plain-text screen dump Read-then-respond is the safe loop for answering an agent's question in a worker see SKILL.md . read-screen is for terminal surfaces; for a browser surface read its url /use cmux browser . cmux jump-to-unread Cmd+Shift+U equivalent cmux list-notifications cmux open-notification --id <uuid cmux mark-notification-read --id <uuid | --workspace <t | --all cmux dismiss-notification --id <uuid | --all-read cmux clear-notifications --workspace <t cmux notify --title <text --subtitle <text --body <text --surface <t cmux trigger-flash --surface <t Use these to surface Manager state to the human, especially during AFK runs. cmux set-status <key <value --icon <name --color < hex --priority <n cmux clear-status <key | cmux list-status cmux set-progress <0.0-1.0 --label <text | cmux clear-progress cmux log --level <level --source <name <message | cmux list-log --limit <n | cmux clear-log cmux right-sidebar <toggle|show|hide|focus|files|find|vault|sessions|feed|dock --no-focus cmux sidebar <validate|reload|select name Vault = past conversations you can resume in a new tab workshop noted search is still rough . In the GUI: Cmd+Alt+B opens the right sidebar; 1/2/3 switch Files/Find/Vault. cmux docs agents agent hook integrations, feed approvals, notifications, session restore cmux hooks setup <agent install cmux hooks for an agent e.g. so its notifications reach cmux cmux hooks <agent <install|uninstall|event cmux claude-teams claude-args... launch Claude in a team layout cmux codex-teams codex-args... launch Codex in a team layout cmux omo|omx|omc args... opencode / omx / omc launchers cmux restore-session | cmux surface resume <set|show|get|clear --json and --id-format are global — before the subcommand. cmux send without a trailing \n only types; it won't run/submit.- Omitting --surface targets your own pane $CMUX SURFACE ID . Pass --surface for workers. - Refs/indexes shift as panes open/close — re-run cmux --json tree right before acting; use --id-format uuids for durable IDs across a long run. - Prefer panes over tab groups easy to lose track of tab groups . - Config: ~/.config/cmux/cmux.json and Ghostty at ~/.config/ghostty/config ; cmux reload-config reloads both in place. Back up cmux.json to a timestamped .bak before editing. The workshop's copy-paste Manager prompt adapt refs/roles to the current workspace : You are the Manager agent running in my focused cmux pane. I will only talk to you; you coordinate worker panes. Use the REAL cmux CLI do not invent flags . Keep upfront planning human-led — confirm the plan with me before delegating. - Build the layout: cmux new-split right , cmux new-pane ; name tabs cmux rename-tab "<role " .- Inspect live state before acting: cmux --json tree , cmux list-panes .- Delegate then read back: cmux send --surface surface:N -- "<task \n" , then cmux read-screen --surface surface:N .- You talk to me; workers do the work. Report status; don't let workers drift — re-check cmux --json tree . Guardrail: prefer panes over tab groups.