How to Use Screen Sessions on Linux

Screen is a console application that allows the use of multiple terminal sessions within one server. The program operates within a shell session and acts as a container and manager for other terminal sessions. This of it as having multiple command prompt windows running in the background on Windows.

Installation

Many distributions of Linux come with Screen already installed. However, to install it if needed run the below commands.

Update the package repository

sudo apt-get update

Install Screen

sudo apt-get install screen

Usage

Although running the screen command will create a new screen session, this only creates the session with minimal data to identify the session later on in an easy way. The below commands show great ways to have screen names and other usage methods.

Create a screen with a name

screen -S NAME

List all created screens

screen -ls

Reconnect to a screen

screen -r -d NAME

Leave a screen

CTRL + A + D

Terminate a screen

CTRL + D