Agent Hand vs tmux vs tmuxinator

Choosing the right terminal session manager for AI coding agents depends on your workflow. Agent Hand is purpose-built for AI agents with status tracking and smart switching. tmux is the powerful base that requires manual configuration. tmuxinator excels at project-specific layouts. This guide helps you decide.

Choose Agent Hand if...

  • You run multiple AI agents (Claude, Copilot)
  • You miss prompts waiting in background
  • You want visual status indicators
  • You need priority-based switching (Ctrl+N)

Choose tmux if...

  • You want maximum control and customization
  • You're comfortable with manual configuration
  • You don't need AI-specific features
  • You prefer minimal dependencies

Choose tmuxinator if...

  • You have complex project layouts
  • You need predefined window/pane setups
  • You work with consistent project structures
  • You prefer YAML configuration

Feature Comparison

Feature Agent Hand tmux tmuxinator
AI agent status tracking ✓ Built-in — —
Priority jumping (Ctrl+N) ✓ Built-in — —
Fuzzy search (Ctrl+G) ✓ Built-in — —
TUI dashboard ✓ Yes — —
Session groups & labels ✓ Yes Basic only Via naming
Dedicated tmux server ✓ Yes (isolated) Shared Shared
Project layouts Basic Manual ✓ Advanced
YAML configuration JSON Config files ✓ Yes
Startup time < 50ms Instant ~1s
Memory usage ~8MB Minimal ~15MB
Binary size 2.7MB N/A (system) Ruby gem

Detailed Comparison

AI Agent Workflows

Agent Hand is the only tool designed specifically for AI coding agents. When you run multiple Claude instances or mix Claude with Copilot, you need to know which agent is waiting for your input. Agent Hand's status icons (!, ●, ✓, ○) make this instant.

tmux and tmuxinator are general-purpose tools. They excel at terminal multiplexing and project layouts but have no awareness of AI agent states. You would need to manually check each pane to see if an agent needs attention.

Switching & Navigation

Agent Hand:

  • Ctrl+G: Fuzzy search all sessions
  • Ctrl+N: Jump to highest-priority (waiting first)
  • Ctrl+Q: Detach to dashboard
  • Visual dashboard with status at a glance

tmux:

  • Prefix + number: Switch to window
  • Prefix + w: Interactive window list
  • Prefix + s: Session list
  • Requires memorizing window numbers

tmuxinator:

  • tmuxinator start [project]: Load project
  • Focuses on project bootstrapping
  • Navigation is standard tmux after startup

Configuration

Agent Hand: JSON config with GUI-like TUI. Keybindings, status detection patterns, and TTL settings are configurable. Focus on simplicity with smart defaults.

tmux: Full `.tmux.conf` control. Nearly unlimited customization but requires learning the configuration syntax and maintaining your setup across machines.

tmuxinator: YAML-based project definitions. Excellent for complex multi-pane, multi-window project setups. Less focus on runtime navigation.

Isolation & Safety

Agent Hand's dedicated tmux server ( tmux -L agentdeck_rs ) is unique. Your personal tmux config and sessions are completely separate. This is ideal if:

  • You use tmux for non-AI work
  • You have complex personal tmux configs
  • You don't want AI agent keybindings interfering

With tmux or tmuxinator, AI agent sessions share your main tmux server. This can lead to keybinding conflicts and cluttered session lists.

Choose Based on Your Use Case

"I run 3+ Claude Code instances daily"

Recommendation: Agent Hand — The status tracking alone will save you from missing prompts. Priority jumping (Ctrl+N) becomes essential when agents finish at different times.

"I need complex project-specific layouts"

Recommendation: tmuxinator — If your workflow involves specific pane arrangements, pre-configured commands, and multiple windows per project, tmuxinator's YAML definitions are unmatched.

"I want complete control over every aspect"

Recommendation: tmux — If you enjoy crafting the perfect terminal environment and don't mind maintaining your configuration, raw tmux gives you maximum flexibility.

"I mix AI agents with regular terminal work"

Recommendation: Agent Hand + tmux — Use Agent Hand's isolated server for AI agents while keeping your personal tmux setup untouched. This is the best of both worlds.

Common Questions

Can I use Agent Hand with tmuxinator?

Yes, though it's uncommon. You could use tmuxinator to define your AI agent project layouts, then use Agent Hand for ongoing session management. However, Agent Hand's built-in session management usually eliminates the need for tmuxinator.

Will Agent Hand conflict with my existing tmux sessions?

No. Agent Hand uses a completely separate tmux server socket. Your existing tmux sessions and configuration remain untouched.

Is Agent Hand a replacement for tmux?

No, it's a specialized tool built on tmux. Agent Hand manages the tmux sessions for you — you don't interact with tmux directly when using Agent Hand, but tmux is doing the underlying work.

Which is fastest?

tmux: Instant (native)
Agent Hand: <50ms (2.7MB Rust binary)
tmuxinator: ~1s (Ruby startup)

All are fast enough for interactive use. Agent Hand's TUI adds minimal overhead while providing significant productivity features.

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