Screen
is a tool found only on Linux and highly useful for server configuration and management by a team. It allows users to create, manage, and detach terminal sessions, which can continue running in the background even if the connection to the server is interrupted. Below is a guide for proper use.
On most Linux distributions, screen
comes preinstalled. If not, you can install it with:
1. Create a new screen session
2. Basic commands:
To detach a screen, use the combination keys of CTRL
+ A
+ D
To reattach it, type: screen -r name
To see all active sessions, type:screen -ls
3. Advanced Commands
Move between screens: Ctrl + A
then N
(next) or P
(previous)
Close the current screen: Type exit
Switch to a specific screen within a session: Ctrl + A
followed by the window number, e.g., Ctrl + A 0
4. Session Management
To forcefully stop a screen, use screen -X -S session_name kill
5. Forced stop commands
Get the PID of the session from the screen list, via screen -ls
Then, type:
Waning: kill -9
is a forced close, so the screen will close immediately, whatever its state (useful in case of a crash), but nothing will be saved upon closing
When to use
killall screen
: This command should be used as a last resort, as it will terminate all active and detached screen sessions for all users on the system. It’s best used when screens are unresponsive or left open by mistake, especially if you have administrative rights and need to close lingering sessions.
Warning: Use forced shutdown commands with caution. Terminating screen sessions abruptly may cause data loss, interrupt applications, or corrupt files, especially if critical processes are running. Always try quit
first to allow programs to exit gracefully, and reserve forced termination for unresponsive sessions only.
Screen
is a tool found only on Linux and highly useful for server configuration and management by a team. It allows users to create, manage, and detach terminal sessions, which can continue running in the background even if the connection to the server is interrupted. Below is a guide for proper use.
On most Linux distributions, screen
comes preinstalled. If not, you can install it with:
1. Create a new screen session
2. Basic commands:
To detach a screen, use the combination keys of CTRL
+ A
+ D
To reattach it, type: screen -r name
To see all active sessions, type:screen -ls
3. Advanced Commands
Move between screens: Ctrl + A
then N
(next) or P
(previous)
Close the current screen: Type exit
Switch to a specific screen within a session: Ctrl + A
followed by the window number, e.g., Ctrl + A 0
4. Session Management
To forcefully stop a screen, use screen -X -S session_name kill
5. Forced stop commands
Get the PID of the session from the screen list, via screen -ls
Then, type:
Waning: kill -9
is a forced close, so the screen will close immediately, whatever its state (useful in case of a crash), but nothing will be saved upon closing
When to use
killall screen
: This command should be used as a last resort, as it will terminate all active and detached screen sessions for all users on the system. It’s best used when screens are unresponsive or left open by mistake, especially if you have administrative rights and need to close lingering sessions.
Warning: Use forced shutdown commands with caution. Terminating screen sessions abruptly may cause data loss, interrupt applications, or corrupt files, especially if critical processes are running. Always try quit
first to allow programs to exit gracefully, and reserve forced termination for unresponsive sessions only.