tmate

tmate provides a command‑line interface that creates a temporary tmux session which can be accessed remotely over SSH. When invoked, it starts a tmux server, generates a unique connection string, and prints the command that a collaborator can run to attach to the same terminal. The session persists only for the duration of the connection, allowing users to share a live shell without configuring persistent SSH keys or VPNs.

The tool is aimed at developers, system administrators, and support engineers who need to troubleshoot, pair‑program, or demonstrate commands in real time. Because it builds on tmux, it supports multiple panes, scrollback history, and the usual tmux shortcuts, while handling the networking layer automatically. Its command‑line‑only design makes it easy to integrate into scripts or CI pipelines where quick, ad‑hoc terminal access is required.

tmate is released as a stable, core CLI package, available for installation on common Unix‑like systems. It does not require additional services beyond a standard SSH client, and the generated connection URLs can be shared through any communication channel.