Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

byobu VS Zellij

Compare byobu VS Zellij and see what are their differences

byobu logo byobu

Byobu is a GPLv3 open source text-based window manager and terminal multiplexer.

Zellij logo Zellij

A terminal workspace with batteries included
  • byobu Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-30
  • Zellij Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-04-23

byobu features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Byobu provides an enhanced interface for terminal multiplexers, allowing for more intuitive use and management of terminal windows and sessions.
  • Session Management
    It allows for persistent sessions that can be detached and reattached, making it easy to manage long-running processes.
  • Compatibility
    Byobu is compatible with both tmux and screen, giving users the flexibility to choose their preferred backend.
  • Customizable
    It offers a range of configuration options and customizable status displays, allowing users to tailor their environment to their needs.
  • Enhanced Features
    It includes additional widgets and information like CPU load, memory usage, and network statistics directly in the terminal interface.

Possible disadvantages of byobu

  • Learning Curve
    New users may find the initial configuration and command set intimidating if they are not familiar with terminal multiplexers.
  • Overhead
    Byobu adds an additional layer on top of the underlying terminal multiplexer which may not be necessary for users happy with tmux or screen on their own.
  • Occasional Performance Issues
    Some users have reported performance issues when using Byobu with a large number of windows or sessions.
  • Platform Specific Features
    Certain features or enhancements might be dependent on the underlying operating system, potentially leading to inconsistencies across different platforms.

Zellij features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Zellij offers an intuitive and customizable interface which simplifies navigation and enhances user productivity.
  • Plugin System
    The terminal has a powerful plugin system that allows users to extend its functionalities and tailor it to their needs.
  • Modern Tiling
    Zellij provides advanced tiling capabilities, making it easier to manage multiple terminal windows and increase workspace efficiency.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, Zellij encourages community contributions, fostering community-driven improvements and transparency.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Zellij is designed to work across different operating systems, ensuring a wide range of users can benefit from its features.

Possible disadvantages of Zellij

  • Learning Curve
    New users may experience a learning curve due to its unique features and customization options when transitioning from other terminal emulators.
  • Performance Overhead
    Zellij may introduce some performance overhead compared to more minimalist terminal applications, particularly on less powerful systems.
  • Limited User Base
    As a relatively new tool, Zellij has a smaller user base which might affect the availability of community-created plugins and support.
  • Bug Maturity
    Like any new software, Zellij may have unresolved bugs and issues that could affect stability until it matures further.

byobu videos

Remote linux server admin tools: byobu, htop, nethogs, nload, iptraf

More videos:

  • Review - Hollywood Technical Melodrama -- There's an app for that on Ubuntu in Byobu!
  • Demo - Byobu Demonstration

Zellij videos

No Zellij videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to byobu and Zellij)
SSH
45 45%
55% 55
Terminal Tools
46 46%
54% 54
Uptime Monitoring
43 43%
57% 57
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Zellij seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 10 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

byobu mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of byobu yet. Tracking of byobu recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Zellij mentions (10)

  • Switching from tmux to Zellij
    Tmux is not just a terminal multiplexer though, it's a lot more than that. But this post is not about tmux. It's about me switching from tmux to Zellij. Why? Because Zellij is just better, and with a lot more batteries included. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Switching to Linux: Reclaim Your Freedom
    > has horrible window management I keep thinking I'll get used to it, but it's been years and every day I hate it a little more. My escape is to maximize a terminal on a large monitor and use https://zellij.dev/ as my "window manager". - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • TIL: Ghostty — a new and quite promising terminal emulator
    While design is an important part to some degree, there is something more that I've become observing and, therefore, liking lately: the reasonable default configs of the apps, which mean that the majority of the users will never need to mess with configs at all. Here is a great post by Arne about this trend which lists such tools like Fish (mentioned above), Helix, Lazygit, Zellij, k9s, etc. And that a very... - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Okay, I Like WezTerm
    For tmux replacement, check out zellij for a modern take. https://zellij.dev/. - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • How to Fuzzy Search: Finding File Names and Contents using Bash Scripting and Commandline Tools
    I have this hooked up with [`zellij`](https://zellij.dev/) and did a keybind with `⌥ + p`. ```nginx title="~/.config/zellij/config.kdl" showLineNumbers=false Keybinds { normal { ... bind "π" { Run "vicontrolp" { close_on_exit true; in_place true; } } } }. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing byobu and Zellij, you can also consider the following products

tmux - tmux is a terminal multiplexer: it enables a number of terminals (or windows), each running a...

mtm - Perhaps the smallest useful terminal multiplexer in the world.

wezterm - GPU-accelerated cross-platform terminal emulator and multiplexer made with Rust.

GNU Screen - Screen is a full-screen window manager that multiplexes a physical terminal between several...

tmuxinator - Manage complex tmux sessions easily. Contribute to tmuxinator/tmuxinator development by creating an account on GitHub.

iTerm2 - A terminal emulator for macOS that does amazing things.