# Tmux Panes

**Panes** are splits within a [[tmux-windows|window]]. You can split a window vertically (top/bottom) or horizontally (left/right), and nest splits arbitrarily. Each pane runs independently, though they share the same window and layout.

Split and navigate panes with these key bindings (prefix = `Ctrl+B`):

```
prefix "            split vertically (top/bottom)
prefix %            split horizontally (left/right)
prefix o            next pane
prefix ;            last pane (toggle)
prefix arrow keys   navigate panes
prefix x            kill current pane
prefix z            toggle zoom (fullscreen pane)
prefix q            show pane numbers (numbered 0-9)
prefix {            swap with previous pane
prefix }            swap with next pane
prefix !            break pane into new window
```

Resize panes while holding the prefix:

```
prefix Ctrl+arrow   resize current pane
prefix Alt+arrow    resize in 5-cell increments
```

A useful pattern: split a window, then zoom into a pane to work on it full-screen (`Ctrl+B z`), then zoom back out to see all panes again. Tmux maintains the pane layout when you zoom.

Kill all panes in a window except the current one:

```bash
$ tmux kill-pane -a -t session:window
```

Break the current pane into a new window:

```bash
$ tmux break-pane -t session:window -n new-window-name
```

Join a pane from another window into the current one:

```bash
$ tmux join-pane -t session:window -s source-session:window.pane
```