Understanding tmux commands and Command mode

You may have noticed that in prior chapters, we accessed some of our commands using different methods. For example, we showed you how to list the current key bindings. This can be done:

• By using the key combination <Prefix>, ?.

• By typing the command directly into a shell, prefacing the command with the tmux keyword, for example, tmux list-keys.

• By entering Command mode via <Prefix>, : and typing the command list-keys and then hitting Enter.

  Note

  Command mode in tmux is a lot like the mode of the same name in vi or the mode that we get by pressing Meta + x in Emacs. We touched on Command mode briefly in Chapter 4, Manipulating Text. Once you enter Command mode in tmux, you will have a prompt starting with a colon (:), and anything you type is entered into that prompt. Hitting Enter runs the tmux command you typed, like with vi.

What is going on here and why do all these three methods accomplish the same thing?

Under the hood, each tmux command...