Turn Your Terminal Into A Tiling Window Manager With Zellij 

Zellij + Helix + Lazygit has been my main set of tools since vscode stopped working some time ago. I'm not going back!

The only reason I've ever needed a terminal multiplexer is to detach and reattach terminals, so I can SSH into something, run a command, detach, exit and be done while the other machine does its thing. If you SSH into a machine the client will eventually kick you off after some period of inactivity, and if you were running a command at that time... well, after disconnecting that command is stopped if it wasn't done running already. By running through a multiplexer, at least your commands can continue running undisturbed, even if the connection gets closed unexpectedly or you shut down the physical machine you ran the SSH client from to begin with. The machine running the SSH server can continue to finish the job you started over the network. SSH connections terminating unexpectedly can range from ann annoyance when you just want to keep htop running to monitor the server machine over time, to a major pain in the ass if you want to do a very large many-gigabyte file transfer/copy/backup, and not even halfway through without you knowing it fails because SSH decided it wanted to disconnect.

Another reason to stay in my terminal, thanks DT!!

Looks nice, but since I'm already using xmonad I don't see the need for a terminal multiplexer... I did use tmux back when I used plasma, but now I just open a new terminal window.

Thanks for making the video DT. I've always had trouble working with tmux (bunch of unintuitive keybindings clashing with emacs etc). I installed Zellij this morning at work and by afternoon I'm already productive with it.

Since I discovered Zellij I use it all the time. With Alacritty it's a dream. And with my own, custom made layouts. Perfect!

How do you get the random ascii art for each new terminal session? Looks amazing

Zellij is a great program but for a lot of devs it contradicts with a lot of pre-exsisting keybindings ....

Good to know. But I'm using tmux. I don't want to remember more keybinding from another tiling terminal.

You got me into linux, tilling window manager, neovim and so many other things. Always grateful for that dt.

Love you, DT! I've been following you since I started using Linux two years ago.

"Zelliiij" with stress on the long "iii" sound is more like the correct pronuncionation in Darija. It's a transliteration so can be spelled many different ways in English too :)

I tried it recently seriously. And this is why I can't use it: The key re-mapping doesn't support shift! You can only use crtl and alt as modifiers... And since I wanted to map a byobu style F-key layout... alt+Fkeys already has system functions... Having only one modifier is simply not enough. So... sadly sadly... I have to stick with tmux and its byobu keymap. Manipulating the terminal with Fkeys is the best solution I ever used. Otherwise you have to always either un/lock or prepend everything with another binding.

DT try foot terminal emulator

Ok, but why not use tmux instead, which is the industry standard so to speak? From what I see zellij seems to be a bit easier for newbies?

Thanks Distro Tube. Your videos are very good

I love terminal multiplexers because they are environment agnostic. Gnome, Kde, Xfce, Cinnamon, Window Manager, or nothing at all and only console on the tty? As long as you have your multiplexer and your config you can call any environment your home. Additionally a multiplexer allows you to use the barebones non-bloated programs and applications, because it already offers the features those stripped down apps will be missing. It is no coincidence that the official st recommends using the terminal emulator with a multiplexer.

Zell + ij Zelle: German word for cell ij being common names for coordinate indice variables (often used in math, specifically linear algebra).

Zellij was just too good for me to ignore. It's easy layout configuration makes it a standout and its robust session resurrection and floating terminal windows makes it outstanding. I liked Tmux but I absolutely love Zellij. It's a great piece of kit for those of us who live in the terminal.

Tmux is still King IMHO.

This feels like a very nice compromise between desktop environment and tiling window manager. 90% of what I want tiling for is terminal stuff anyway. Definitely a nice find. Fedora users, it's on the COPR.

Nope! I already mix up tmux/screen hotkeys.... I don't need another set of hotkey to forget.

I have an idea as a Moroccan and it spell zleeje and thank for your video but I have a question I want to use i3 windows manager for the first time but I don't have any idea can you give me direction to start using it

if I wouldn't use a tiling window manager, Zelllij would be my first option.

Imagine this in Ghostty terminal with shaders😫 can’t wait for that to be released

Great channel, thanks for this content. I'm wondering how do you get those images when you open a shell?

greatings from Morocco

Hello! Can you please do guide how to install Alacritty? Its really problem for me.

Zellij is still missing a bunch of features. It is great to see people improving the tools though.

What window manager are you using in this video? Specifically, I'm wondering about that status bar at the very top of the screen, above the terminal.

Your wallpaper looks very similar to Shadow of the erdtree

I still wonder why people use those while they use a tiling WM. I thought of using Temux just in case I had to use something other than Linux someday, but since it's only made for terminal windows, it's not really worth it.

Zellij is a north african art not Moroccan in particular. You can find it in Algeria Tunisia and Indalusia. It means only Mosaic.

Hey DT, thanx for the video. BTW zellij is an Algerian word not morrocan, a sort of colored mosaic architectural mode. Cheers

DT never gets tired of selling emacs :D

can someone help how to open configure zellij in arco linux

zellij is an ALGERIAN name

I'm good with bspwm and wezterm.

Any issues with emacs and key binds?

Great program! The binary is quite big though... The killer feature for me is that it works in the TTY! I will add it to my toolbox. Thanks Dt!

Can Zellij do session management (as tmux can) to keep processes (e.g. a game server) running, if/when your ssh connection ends?

Can you make a video, what's the difference between zellij and hyprland? Btw im newbie

Zellij seems really cool for using android with a terminal emulator. Will give it a try! Thanks DT for the cool video!

Looks similar to kitty terminal

i gotta admit that dt use a really unique wallpapers. i hope someone or you dt could tell us about the source of these wallpapers

takes one pane in the arse !

This is the resson I keep coming back to your page. Thank you! Good info.

tiling shell manager

Ze'lliiiiiiij 🇩🇿🇩🇿🇩🇿🇩🇿🇩🇿

like the floating one, stacked visual are great

DT you wild and crazy you! You can do samething with KDEs Konsole!!

Zellij refers to Moroccan style mosaic tiles. Pronounced zil-eej

great thanks for sharing

I looks neat, but I still prefer tmux tmux and neovim work so well together

Hey DT I am a follower from Morocco for a long time, I was surprised when I saw the title of the vidéo... I am proud of this one thanks ❤ ❤

These videos are great!

Neat. Gotta get this.

🎉 😄 👍 👌

I love you DT! MAGA!

Zellij is good)

Looks pretty good, but I have konsole set up really nicely too, and windows terminal.

Saludos amigo acá new Jersey

this is not for power users. tmux is for power users

Dont see anything you can't do with it you cant in tmux

You are a retail worker, not a system administrator or developer. How are you in any way a power user? The only thing you have reason to use a computer for is to edit your videos.

written in rust, a big no no for sane people.

Terminals will come and go, We have seen from xterm, kitty, alacritty, wezterm, zellij and so on. So i dont get attched to any terminals, Instead I use tools like tmux, zsh, starship etc... They will improve but hardly will replace.