A tmux alternative for sharing your terminal across machines.
tmux and zellij are great for splitting one machine into panes. partyline is for the other job people reach for tmux + tmate to do — sharing one live terminal with someone on a different machine. One command, one link, end-to-end encrypted, no shared server to SSH into.
$ brew install partyline-sh/tap/partylineFree command-line tool — no account needed to start a session.
The usual way to share a terminal is tmux plus tmate: get everyone onto the same box, start a session, generate a link, hope the relay isn't reading your traffic. It only really works when you're already on one shared server. partyline drops that setup — your shell becomes a shared session in place, on whatever machine you're on, and someone on a totally different computer joins with one command.
How it works
Run ptln
Your $SHELL starts as a shared session and prints a join link — no separate server, no tmate, no SSH config. Run a shell, a REPL, vim, or an AI agent in it.
Send the link
Whoever's joining runs ptln join with the link from their own machine, macOS or Linux. They don't need an account to watch.
Grant the keyboard
Everyone starts view-only. Hand typing to whoever should drive, exactly like passing control in a tmux session — but across machines, and you decide who.
Where it shines
Remote pair programming
Two people, two laptops, one real shell — without putting both on a jump box first.
Help someone debug
Watch a teammate's terminal live and take the keyboard when you need to, instead of screen-share lag.
Share an AI agent's terminal
Run Claude Code or another agent in the session and let the whole team watch and steer it — something tmux was never built for.
Frequently asked questions
Is partyline a terminal multiplexer like tmux?
No — and it's not trying to be. tmux and zellij split one terminal into panes and windows and keep them alive on a single machine, and they're excellent at it. partyline does the part tmux is awkward at: sharing one live terminal with someone on a different computer. Many people keep using tmux locally and reach for partyline when they need to share.
How is it different from tmux + tmate?
tmate is the common way to share a tmux session, but it assumes a tmux setup and routes through a relay. partyline needs no tmux, no separate server, and no account to join — one command turns your current shell into a shared session, and the relay is end-to-end encrypted so it can't read what's on screen.
Can I still use tmux inside a partyline session?
Yes. partyline shares whatever runs in the shell, so you can run tmux (or zellij) inside a shared session and everyone sees your panes. partyline handles the across-machines sharing; tmux handles your local layout.
Does it work across different machines and operating systems?
Yes. The host and guests can be on different computers running macOS or Linux. They connect over an encrypted relay — neither side needs to be on the same server or network.
Is the shared session encrypted?
Yes — end-to-end with the Noise protocol. The relay that connects participants only forwards ciphertext it cannot read, and the encryption key lives only in the join link's URL fragment.
Share a terminal without the tmux + tmate setup.
$ brew install partyline-sh/tap/partyline