# October vs cmux

Go from terminal sessions to a shared canvas for the wider team.

Checked 2026-10-29.

cmux is a native macOS terminal built on Ghostty, with vertical tabs, split panes, attention notifications, an embedded browser, and a programmable control interface. October is a workspace that can hold agents, apps, browsers, and teammates on a shared canvas. They both help you manage more than one active session, but they organize attention differently. cmux is a strong choice when the terminal is where you want to live. October is a strong choice when the task needs a shared visual home beyond terminal panes.

## Choose October if
- You want teammates and their agent sessions in the same shared workspace.
- You want to arrange live apps, browser previews, and connected agents spatially.
- You want an alternative Kanban or code view when the task calls for it.

## Choose cmux if
- You want a native macOS terminal with Ghostty rendering and familiar shell workflows.
- You want clear attention signals and efficient movement between terminal workspaces.
- You want to automate terminal and browser panes through a CLI or socket API.

## Side by side

| What matters | October | cmux |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Primary surface | A shared canvas with other work views. | A native terminal with vertical tabs and split panes. ([source](https://cmux.com/docs/getting-started)) |
| Agent execution | Run independent supported agent tools in the workspace. | Run any CLI tool in a terminal; agent hooks add richer integration. ([source](https://cmux.com/)) |
| Attention | Follow the agents and people involved in shared work. | Notification rings, unread indicators, and notifications identify sessions needing attention. ([source](https://cmux.com/)) |
| Browser | Place browser work beside agent sessions and app previews. | An embedded browser can be controlled through cmux’s automation API. ([source](https://cmux.com/)) |
| Automation | Agent Intercom connections and Runs coordinate work. | A CLI and Unix socket expose workspace, terminal, and browser actions. ([source](https://cmux.com/)) |
| Session return | Continue work through the relevant agent and workspace setup. | Restores layout and metadata; supported agent sessions resume with captured tokens. ([source](https://cmux.com/docs/getting-started)) |

## Terminal-first can be the right answer

A developer already comfortable with shells and keyboard-driven panes may find that cmux solves the immediate problem very well. Its notifications and workspace sidebar reduce the need to hunt through terminal windows, while the embedded browser keeps verification nearby. October’s value is the broader arrangement of sessions, apps, and people. Try organizing a task that includes both implementation and review, and see whether terminal workspaces or a shared canvas makes the situation easier for everyone involved to understand.

## Separate restoring a layout from keeping a process alive

Session persistence deserves careful wording. cmux’s getting-started guide distinguishes restored layout and metadata from arbitrary running process state, and documents agent resumption using captured tokens. Remote execution is another separate consideration. October’s local and cloud options likewise need the appropriate host and service configuration. Before leaving a long job unattended, test your exact close, sleep, and reconnect behavior with the agent you use, rather than assuming that restoring a window means every process remained running.

## Questions

### Is cmux only a collection of terminal tabs?

No. Its official site documents agent-aware notifications, an embedded programmable browser, a control API, remote workflows, and orchestration integrations. October offers a different shared-workspace model; the comparison should account for the capabilities cmux already provides.

### Does cmux replace Claude Code or Codex?

No. cmux is a terminal environment in which those tools can run. October also works around existing agents. Your provider subscription, agent behavior, and model usage remain separate considerations from which workspace you use to organize their sessions.

### When should I choose October instead?

Try October when your task involves several agents, real apps, and people who need to work in the same visual space. Try cmux when a fast native terminal, programmable panes, and focused attention management are the main improvements you want.

## Sources
- [October product overview](https://www.october.dev/)
- [cmux product and feature overview](https://cmux.com/)
- [cmux setup and current session-restore behavior](https://cmux.com/docs/getting-started)

[All comparisons](https://www.october.dev/comparisons)