Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

tmux VS Docker Compose

Compare tmux VS Docker Compose and see what are their differences

tmux logo tmux

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

Docker Compose logo Docker Compose

Define and run multi-container applications with Docker
  • tmux Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-19
  • Docker Compose Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-05-23

tmux features and specs

  • Session Management
    tmux allows users to manage multiple terminal sessions from a single window, making it easier to multitask and organize workflows.
  • Persistent Sessions
    Sessions in tmux can persist even after disconnecting from the host. You can detach from a session and reattach later without losing your work.
  • Window and Pane Splitting
    tmux supports splitting windows into multiple panes, allowing users to have different programs or terminal instances side-by-side within the same window.
  • Customization
    Highly customizable with support for configuring key bindings, status lines, color schemes, and more through a configuration file.
  • Scripting and Automation
    Provides extensive scripting capabilities which can be used to automate routine tasks and workflows.
  • Remote Use
    Particularly useful for remote work, as it can be used to manage sessions on remote servers efficiently over SSH.
  • Performance
    Relatively lightweight and performant, consuming minimal system resources.
  • Community and Documentation
    A large and active community providing extensive documentation, tutorials, and plugins to extend functionality.

Possible disadvantages of tmux

  • Learning Curve
    Can be difficult to learn and memorize all the commands and key bindings, especially for new users.
  • Configuration Complexity
    The configuration can be complex and might require significant effort to customize according to individual needs.
  • Compatibility
    Might have compatibility issues with certain terminal emulators or applications, requiring workarounds or special configurations.
  • Resource Limits
    While lightweight, extensive use with many windows and panes can still consume significant system resources, potentially impacting system performance.
  • Copy-Pasting
    Copy-pasting within tmux can be less straightforward compared to using a regular terminal, requiring specific key bindings and knowledge of tmux buffers.
  • Clipboard Integration
    Integration with the system clipboard can require additional configuration and might not work seamlessly out-of-the-box.
  • Frequent Updates
    Frequent updates and changes can sometimes introduce bugs or break existing configurations, requiring users to adapt and troubleshoot.

Docker Compose features and specs

  • Simplified Multi-Container Deployment
    Docker Compose allows users to define and manage multi-container applications with a single YAML file, making it easy to deploy complex applications.
  • Infrastructure as Code
    Compose files are version-controlled, enabling teams to use best practices in infrastructure as code, repeatable builds, and consistent development environments.
  • Portability
    Applications defined with Docker Compose can be shared easily and deployed in any environment that supports Docker, enhancing development and operational consistency.
  • Ease of Use
    With simple CLI commands, developers can start, stop, and manage containers, reducing the complexity of container orchestration.
  • Environment Variables
    Docker Compose supports the use of environment variables, making it easier to configure applications and manage different environments (e.g., development, testing, production).
  • Isolation
    Compose creates isolated environments for different applications, preventing conflicts and allowing for more straightforward dependency management.

Possible disadvantages of Docker Compose

  • Not Suitable for Large-Scale Production
    Docker Compose is not designed for managing large-scale, production-grade applications. For more robust orchestration and scaling, systems like Kubernetes are typically used.
  • Single Host Limitation
    Docker Compose is intended for single-host deployments, which limits its use in distributed and multi-host environments.
  • Networking Complexity
    Networking between containers can become complex, especially as the number of services grows, which may require additional configuration and management.
  • Learning Curve
    While Docker Compose simplifies many tasks, there is still a learning curve associated with understanding Docker concepts, Compose syntax, and best practices.
  • Limited Built-in Monitoring
    Docker Compose has limited built-in monitoring and logging capabilities, necessitating the use of additional tools for comprehensive monitoring.
  • Resource Management
    Docker Compose does not provide advanced resource management features, which can lead to suboptimal resource usage and potential inefficiencies.

tmux videos

How I Work: Tmux

More videos:

  • Tutorial - You need to know how to use TMUX
  • Review - Getting Started with tmux Part 1 - Overview and Features

Docker Compose videos

Docker Compose | Containerizing MEAN Stack Application | DevOps Tutorial | Edureka

More videos:

  • Demo - What is Docker Compose? (with demo)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to tmux and Docker Compose)
Terminal Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
22 22%
78% 78
SSH
100 100%
0% 0
DevOps Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare tmux and Docker Compose

tmux Reviews

Top 13 Best Tiling Window Managers For Linux In 2022
Tmux makes the most of the available space and is simple to use thanks to keybindings that may be used to divide windows and create extra panes. Individual shell instances can also be shared throughout various sessions and utilised for different purposes by different users.
Source: www.hubtech.org
13 Best Tiling Window Managers for Linux
tilix is a multiplexing terminal, not a tiling window manager. tmux is a terminal multiplexer, not a tiling window manager either. jwm is a lightweight STACKING window manager. I guess you could call tmux a tiling wm for a console only system (along with gnu screen and dvtm), but that’s really stretching your definition, and the other two certainly don’t qualify.
Source: www.tecmint.com

Docker Compose Reviews

We have no reviews of Docker Compose yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Docker Compose might be a bit more popular than tmux. We know about 41 links to it since March 2021 and only 29 links to tmux. 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.

tmux mentions (29)

  • Switching from tmux to Zellij
    If you've used terminal multiplexer in command line, you know tmux is cool! If you haven't, you really should use something like tmux, especially if you SSH into remote servers often! - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Switching Fully to Neovim
    Additionally, I integrate several CLI tools into my work flow, such as lazygit for streamlined Git operations, yazi as a terminal file manager, tmux for session management, and lazydocker for handling Docker containers efficiently. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Turing Pi 2 Home cluster
    This also gave me the chance to learn how to use Tmux. Best tool I've learned in a while. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Easy Access to Terminal Commands in Neovim using FTerm
    Having a common set of tools already set up in different windows or sessions in Tmux or Zellij is obviously an option, but there is a subset of us ( 👋 ) that would rather just have fingertip access to our common tools inside of our editor. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Automating the startup of a dev workflow
    Well, I now use tmux and tmuxinator. I have had many failed tmux attempts over the years, but I'm firmly bedded in now. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
View more

Docker Compose mentions (41)

  • Docker Compose and Devcontainers for Microservices Development
    This tutorial assumes familiarity with Docker, Docker Compose, Devcontainers and that your services have Dockerfile implemented. - Source: dev.to / 9 days ago
  • Building a bot to talk to my cats
    I talk a lot about using containers for local development. The container that I always used was some running LLM container that I pulled from the Docker Hub official AI image registry. I initially started dev work by just running npm start to get my app running and test connecting to a container, and then I got more savvy with my approach by leveraging Docker Compose. Docker Compose allowed me to automatically... - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • How to Keep Docker Secrets Secure
    Docker includes a secrets management solution, but it doesn't work with standalone containers. You can supply secrets to your containers when you're using either Docker Compose or Docker Swarm. There's no alternative for containers created manually with a plain docker run command. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Docker + Cypress in 2025: How I’ve Perfected My E2E Testing Setup
    Docker Compose Docs: Essential for orchestrating multi-container environments and scaling test runners. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Manticore Search vs Elasticsearch: 3x Faster Kibana Dashboard Rendering for Log Analysis
    Ensure you have Git and Docker Compose installed. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing tmux and Docker Compose, you can also consider the following products

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

Kubernetes - Kubernetes is an open source orchestration system for Docker containers

Alacritty - Alacritty is a blazing fast, GPU accelerated terminal emulator.

Docker Swarm - Native clustering for Docker. Turn a pool of Docker hosts into a single, virtual host.

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

Rancher - Open Source Platform for Running a Private Container Service