Making a Compiler to Prove Tmux Is Turing Complete
You can use features of tmux to implement a Turing-complete instruction set, allowing you to compile code that runs in tmux by moving windows. I feel like I really have to emphasise this: I’m not running a command-line program in tmux, or using tmux to launch a program. I can get tmux to run real co
Making a Compiler to Prove Tmux Is Turing Complete launched on March 15, 2024 with 88 votes, #904 of 4,270 launches that month and more than 90% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 2 years on.
In plain words
A developer created a compiler that converts code into tmux commands, demonstrating that the terminal multiplexer is theoretically Turing complete. This project is for programmers interested in esoteric computing and the unexpected capabilities of everyday tools. What stands out is the creative exploration of computational theory through a practical application, showing that tmux's scripting capabilities are more powerful than typically assumed.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
You can use features of tmux to implement a Turing-complete instruction set, allowing you to compile code that runs in tmux by moving windows. I feel like I really have to emphasise this: I’m not running a command-line program in tmux, or using tmux to launch a program. I can get tmux to run real code by switching between windows. Watch a demo of it in action below or on YouTube: This whole mess s
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