Conmux
Conmux is free, Windows-native terminal multiplexer software for running command-line tools in supervised sessions.
What Conmux is
Conmux is free, Windows-native terminal multiplexer software for running command-line tools in supervised sessions. It can launch native Windows programs, PowerShell, and tools in WSL as separate panes. The Rust library supports ConPTY panes, process-tree supervision, scrollback, output capture, and pane event streams. A daemon keeps panes alive when clients detach, then replays the screen when they reconnect. Its programmable control plane uses framed requests and responses, stable pane IDs, per-pane event streams, and optional ANSI-stripped capture. Each pane runs in a Windows Job Object that ends its process tree when the object closes. Input follows one injection path with policy, audit, and rate-limit hooks that fail closed. Conmux is local-only, with no accounts or telemetry, and uses protected named-pipe access. It is early software at v0.1.x, with unstable APIs beyond the frozen wire protocol. Installation is available through Cargo or an unsigned GitHub Releases installer.
Good
- Runs native programs, PowerShell, and WSL tools
- Detachable sessions preserve panes and replay screens
- Provides pane IDs, events, and output capture
- Free and dual-licensed under MIT or Apache 2.0
- Local-only operation has no accounts or telemetry
Watch out
- Windows-only platform support
- Early v0.1.x development status
- APIs outside wire protocol are unstable
- Daemon failure terminates every pane
Who it suits
Conmux suits Windows users who want supervised CLI workflows without a full IDE, including work across native programs, PowerShell, and WSL. It is also relevant to developers needing programmable pane control.
Verdict
Conmux offers supervised, persistent terminal sessions for Windows CLI work, with Rust, CLI, and Tauri interfaces. Its early status, Windows focus, and daemon-dependent pane lifetime matter when deciding whether it fits your setup.
The facts
Each one read from Conmux's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Availability
- The Rust library and CLI can be installed with `cargo install --locked conmux`; a GUI installer is available from GitHub Releases.checked 8 Oct 2001
- CLI compatibility
- The README describes launching native programs, PowerShell, and tools in WSL as supervised panes.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Control features
- The library provides stable pane IDs, request and response control, per-pane event streams, and output capture with an ANSI-stripping option.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Control interface
- The project describes a programmable control plane with framed request/response, per-pane event streams, stable pane IDs, and output capture.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Development status
- Conmux is early development (v0.1.x), Windows-only, and APIs outside the frozen wire-protocol layer are unstable.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Download requirements
- The v0.1.1 release specifies Windows 10 1809 or later, or Windows 11, and says the GUI installer is unsigned and will trigger a SmartScreen unknown-publisher warning.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Features
- Its library supports real ConPTY panes, process-tree supervision, scrollback and capture, and pane event streams.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Input handling
- All input uses one injection path with pluggable policy, audit, and rate-limit hooks that fail closed.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Installer limitation
- The GUI installer is unsigned, so Windows SmartScreen warns that its publisher is unknown.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Integrations
- Conmux provides a Rust crate and CLI plus a Tauri GUI shell, and its README identifies Conflux as a separate multi-agent workbench built on it.checked 8 Oct 2001
- License
- The project is dual-licensed under MIT or Apache 2.0.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Operational limit
- Stopping or crashing the daemon terminates every pane because its Job Objects are dropped.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Operational limitation
- Running `kill-server` or crashing the daemon terminates every pane because the daemon drops their Job Objects.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Pane supervision
- Each pane runs in a Windows Job Object configured to terminate its process tree when the object closes.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Privacy
- The project states that it is local-only, with no accounts or telemetry and no data leaving the machine.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Process support
- It can launch native programs, PowerShell, and tools running in WSL as supervised panes.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Product
- Conmux is a standalone Windows-native terminal multiplexer that runs CLI tools in supervised sessions.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Security
- The project says it is local-only, has no accounts or telemetry, and uses named-pipe DACL and remote-client protections; it also notes these do not stop malicious code running as the same user.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Security boundary
- The local named pipe uses a DACL limited to the current user's SID, rejects remote clients, and includes first-instance squatting protection.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Session persistence
- A daemon supports detaching and reattaching clients while panes survive and the screen is replayed on reconnect.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Support
- The maker invites bug reports, issues, discussions, and pull requests, and lists an email contact.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Use case
- It is intended to bring CLI agent workflows to Windows without requiring a full IDE.checked 8 Oct 2001
The company
- Maker
- The project says it was built by a student at South China Normal University.checked 8 Oct 2001
