A Reference Of Linux Screen Commands Because I Keep Forgetting Them

In Linux screen is a command that allows you to:

• Use multiple shell windows from a single SSH session.
• Keep a shell active even through network disruptions.
• Disconnect and re-connect to a shell sessions from multiple locations.
• Run a long running process without maintaining an active shell session.

Starting Linux Screen

Screen is started from the command line just like any other command:

[root@okcomputer ~]# screen

You are now inside of a window within screen. This functions just like a normal shell except for a few special characters.

Screen uses the command Ctrl-a” as a signal to send commands to screen instead of the shell.

For example, Ctrl-a ? gives you the key bindings page.

Detaching From Screen

You can detach from the window using Ctrl-a d.

Reattach to Screen

If your connection drops or you have detached from a screen, you can re-attach by just running:

[root@okcomputer ~]# screen -r

Stopping Screen

To stop the screen session, enter exit into the shell or use Ctrl-a k.

Other Commands

To run a single command in screen and detach:

[root@okcomputer ~]# screen -dm ./myscript.sh

To run multiple commands:

[root@okcomputer ~]# screen -dm bash -c "sleep 10; myscript.sh"

To list all sessions:

[root@okcomputer ~]# screen -list

Please note that when a program terminates, screen (per default) kills the window that contained it.