5 Beautiful Themes to Make Your Tmux Sessions More Fun

Tmux is a powerful and versatile program. Although the developers have designed it to be as simple as possible, it still has a lot of beautiful theme plugins. This article will introduce some beautiful themes that you can install on Tmux today.

Table of Contents

• 1. tmux-gruvbox
• 2. tmux-nord
• 3. tmux-dracula
• 4. tmux-tokyo-night
• 5. tmux-kanagawa

1. tmux-gruvbox

Tmux-gruvbox is a port of the popular Gruvbox Dark and Gruvbox Light themes for Tmux. It has a warm look that makes your terminal sessions easy on the eyes. You can use tmux-gruvbox when working in low-light environments or even outdoors.

In addition to its warm interface, tmux-gruvbox also comes with a bunch of handy options that let you tweak how Tmux displays certain elements in the multiplexer interface. This makes tmux-gruvbox a good choice for those who want a “classic style” terminal session.

To install tmux-gruvbox, open the tmux.conf file with your favorite text editor:

nano ~/.tmux.conf

Add the following lines of code to your configuration file:

set -g @plugin 'egel/tmux-gruvbox'
set -g @tmux-gruvbox 'light'

Save the configuration file, then restart your current Tmux session.

Press Ctrl + B , then press Shift + I to install and apply tmux-gruvbox on the system.

2. tmux-nord

Tmux-nord is the official port of the Nord theme for Tmux. Like its predecessor, it introduces a variety of “Arctic-inspired” colors to the terminal, giving it a nice, clean look. This makes it a great choice if you’re looking for a simple yet readable theme for your Tmux installation.

Similar to tmux-gruvbox, the designers of tmux-nord have also tuned the theme to work with almost every Tmux plugin and TUI program. This allows for a more consistent and cohesive look, especially if you're already using Nord for your desktop environment.

To install tmux-nord, open the Tmux configuration file, then add the following line of code just below the entry for your TPM:

set -g @plugin 'nordtheme/nord-tmux'

Reopen the Tmux session, then press Ctrl + B , then Shift + I to apply the new theme to the terminal.

3. tmux-dracula

Tmux-dracula is a vibrant theme that provides a high-contrast, dark mode-focused interface for Tmux. It prioritizes readability while also providing a comfortable color scheme using multiple shades of purple. Use tmux-dracula when you want a theme that stands out visually while still maintaining clarity.

Additionally, tmux-dracula is also a fully customizable color scheme. By default, the plugin comes with built-in flags that can change the look of certain theme elements. Therefore, tmux-dracula is a great choice if you are looking for a theme that offers some visual variation.

Installing tmux-dracula is as simple as adding a single line of code to your tmux.conf file:

set -g @plugin 'dracula/tmux'

Restart your Tmux session, then press Ctrl + B , then Shift + I to fully apply the new theme.

4. tmux-tokyo-night

Tmux-tokyo-night is a beautiful theme that combines the readability of tmux-dracula with the soft colors of tmux-gruvbox. It comes with a dark and light color scheme, making it great for both indoor and outdoor use.

One unique feature that people really like about tmux-tokyo-night is that it comes with built-in theme plugins. These are little applets that add details to the current Tmux session. For example, tmux-tokyo-night comes with a weather plugin that displays the current weather conditions directly in the Tmux status bar.

To install tmux-tokyo-night, add the following lines of code to your Tmux configuration file:

set -g @plugin 'fabioluciano/tmux-tokyo-night'
set -g @theme_variation 'night'

Save your configuration file, then press Ctrl + B , then Shift + I to add the new theme to Tmux.

5. tmux-kanagawa

Tmux-kanagawa is a direct fork of tmux-dracula with the goal of providing a vibrant yet WCAG-compliant theme for Tmux. Inspired by Katsushika Hokusai's famous woodblock print, tmux-kanagawa combines Dracula's predominantly purple theme with warm reddish-brown tones, giving the theme a "rustic" feel.

A direct fork of tmux-dracula, tmux-kanagawa inherits all the features of its predecessor. It includes all the built-in flags, allowing you to customize and tweak the theme to your liking. This, along with the theme's additional color palettes, makes tmux-kanagawa a great choice for those who want a warm, configurable theme for Tmux.

To install tmux-kanagawa, add the following lines of code to your Tmux configuration:

set -g @plugin 'Nybkox/tmux-kanagawa'
set -g @kanagawa-theme 'wave'

Reload the Tmux version, then press Ctrl + B , then Shift + I to apply the new theme.

Learning and installing some of the best themes for Tmux is just a small part of what you can do with this amazing terminal multiplexer. Expand the functionality of Tmux today by checking out some of the best productivity-focused plugins for Tmux available today.