Selectpane

Selectpane is a command used to change the input focus among panes within a single window in terminal multiplexers. The most common reference is the tmux command select-pane, which allows users to move focus between multiple panes or to a specific pane. The feature enables simultaneous programs to run in separate panes while a single terminal session remains in control of input and output.

In tmux, select-pane can move focus in cardinal directions or target a specific pane. Directional usage employs options such as -U (up), -D (down), -L (left), and -R (right) to move to the adjacent pane in that direction. The -t option designates a target pane or pane index. For example, tmux select-pane -U moves focus upward by one pane, while tmux select-pane -t 3 selects pane number 3, and tmux select-pane -L focuses the pane to the left. These commands are frequently bound to keyboard shortcuts to provide fast, keyboard-driven navigation.

Beyond manual use, selectpane is a common building block in scripts and configuration files. It can be invoked from shell scripts or tmux configuration to implement custom navigation schemes or automate pane focus in response to events.

Related tmux capabilities include split-window to create new panes, swap-pane to reorder panes, and kill-pane to close a pane. The concept of selecting a pane is central to multi-pane terminal workflows, enabling focused interaction with different processes in a single terminal session.