screen: Multiplex multiple terminals

Master the Art of Terminal Multiplexing with GNU Screen

As a Linux user, you may often find yourself juggling multiple terminal sessions, which can quickly become cumbersome and unmanageable. Thankfully, there's a powerful tool that can ease this complexity: GNU Screen. Screen is a terminal multiplexer that allows you to use several separate terminal sessions within a single window or remote terminal session.

In this blog, we'll explore what GNU Screen is, why it's incredibly useful, and how to get started with installing and using it on your Linux system.

What is GNU Screen?

Screen is a versatile tool that enables users to manage multiple sessions through one single terminal. Each session within Screen can be detached and reattached, meaning you can start a session in one location (e.g., at work), detach it, and then resume the same session from another location (e.g., from home). This functionality is particularly useful for long-running processes or tasks that need to be monitored periodically.

Key Features of Screen:

Session Persistence: Sessions remain active even when Screen is detached. Processes continue to run in the background.
Multiple Windows: You can create multiple full-screen windows with running shells in one session.
Session Sharing: Screen allows multiple users to connect to and interact with the same session, which is ideal for collaborative debugging or teaching.
Customizable Configuration: Users can customise various aspects of their Screen interface through a .screenrc configuration file.

Installing GNU Screen

Screen is available in the default repositories of most Linux distributions. Below, find the installation instructions based on the package manager and distribution.

Debian/Ubuntu and derivatives (using apt):
```
sudo apt update
sudo apt install screen
```
Fedora, CentOS, and RHEL (using dnf):
```
sudo dnf install screen
```
OpenSUSE (using zypper):
```
sudo zypper install screen
```

Getting Started with GNU Screen

Once installed, launching Screen is as straightforward as entering the following command:

screen

Here's a quick guide on how to navigate within Screen:

Create a New Screen Session: Simply type screen in your terminal.
Detach from Screen: Press Ctrl-A followed by D. This will keep your session running in the background.
Reattach to a Screen Session: To resume your detached session, use:
```
screen -r
```
List Running Sessions: If you're not sure if you have sessions running or you've forgotten about them:
```
screen -ls
```
Create Named Screen Session: To create a named session for easier management, use:
```
screen -S session_name
```
Switch Between Windows: Press Ctrl-A then N for the next window, or P for the previous window.

Best Practices and Tips

Naming your sessions makes it easier to remember their purpose and reattach to them accurately.
Secure your Screen sessions especially if using shared systems, by ensuring your terminal and system itself are secure.
Learn more shortcuts and commands to enhance productivity. Screen is highly customizable through its command options and .screenrc file.

Conclusion

GNU Screen is an indispensable tool for anyone who uses the terminal extensively in their daily workflow. Whether you're a system administrator, a developer, or just a Linux enthusiast, Screen can greatly enhance your productivity and manageability of terminal sessions. It provides flexibility in your connectivity, aids in multitasking and allows collaborative sessions, making it a powerful component of your toolkit.

Install it today, and take some time to familiarize yourself with its capabilities. Happy multitasking!