# cmux-ref

Parses pasted cmux workspace, pane, surface, and window IDs to route agent actions directly to the right terminal. Keeps execution locked to specific targets.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 711 installs · ★ 39
- Author: manaflow-ai
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/manaflow-ai/cmux-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/cmux-ref/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-09-08
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/cmux-ref

## What it does

The skill teaches the agent to interpret cmux multiplexer identifiers from pasted logs or configuration blocks. It captures keys like `pane_id` and `surface_id`, along with bare refs like `pane:2` or `surface:370`. When multiple layers are present, the agent targets the most granular object: surface takes precedence over pane, and pane beats workspace.

Before sending keystrokes or closing surfaces, the skill verifies that the target exists via `cmux --json --id-format both tree --all`. If short numeric refs change after layout adjustments, the agent recovers the target using its permanent UUID. Browser snapshot elements are outside its scope: DOM nodes require `cmux-browser` instead.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add manaflow-ai/cmux-skills --skill cmux-ref -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/cmux-ref/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/cmux-ref/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add manaflow-ai/cmux-skills --skill cmux-ref -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/cmux-ref/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add manaflow-ai/cmux-skills --skill cmux-ref -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/cmux-ref/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install manaflow-ai/cmux-skills cmux-ref
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/cmux-ref/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add manaflow-ai/cmux-skills --skill cmux-ref -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/manaflow-ai/cmux-skills --path skills/cmux-ref
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/cmux-ref/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add manaflow-ai/cmux-skills --skill cmux-ref -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/manaflow-ai/cmux-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/cmux-ref/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- route CLI commands to a specific cmux surface without moving focus
- recover stale terminal references after layout changes via UUID matching
- extract multiplexer topology keys from logs and assignment strings
- prevent accidental input delivery to the wrong terminal session

## Example prompts
- Target `workspace_ref=workspace:1 pane_ref=pane:2 surface_ref=surface:370` and run `npm test` there.
- Send the build command to `surface:370 (661B301A-2423-44F1-B789-7AEA1021CFCE)` with focus disabled.
- Inspect active processes in `pane:2` and fetch the last 120 screen lines.

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 17ebc476da043d9c.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 17ebc476da043d9c
````text
---
name: cmux-ref
description: "Interpret pasted cmux workspace, pane, surface, or window refs and IDs. Use for cmux-ref, cmux-id, workspace_ref, workspace_id, pane_ref, pane_id, surface_ref, surface_id, window_ref, or window_id context blocks."
---

# cmux Ref

Use this skill when the user pastes cmux topology identifiers and expects the agent to target that exact workspace, pane, surface, or window. Treat those identifiers as explicit routing context for later instructions.

## What To Recognize

Users may paste any mix of these fields, in plain text, Markdown, JSON, YAML, shell-style assignments, or logs:

```text
workspace_ref=workspace:1
workspace_id=D9C23F06-55C8-4EF6-96D2-F2531B3327A8
pane_ref=pane:2
pane_id=60495E4A-56E3-469D-A274-A7877F48B54D
surface_ref=surface:370
surface_id=661B301A-2423-44F1-B789-7AEA1021CFCE
```

Recognize these keys:

- `window_ref`, `window_id`
- `workspace_ref`, `workspace_id`
- `pane_ref`, `pane_id`
- `surface_ref`, `surface_id`

Also recognize bare refs near user intent, such as `workspace:1`, `pane:2`, or `surface:370`.

## Meaning

- `*_ref` values are short cmux refs such as `workspace:1`, `pane:2`, and `surface:370`. They are convenient for immediate CLI calls in the same cmux instance, but can be renumbered after state changes.
- `*_id` values are UUIDs for the same objects. Prefer them for identity checks and stale-ref recovery when both forms are available.
- The most specific provided object is the default target: `surface` beats `pane`, `pane` beats `workspace`, and `workspace` beats `window`.
- A complete block describes a hierarchy. Do not mix a `surface_id` from one pasted block with a `workspace_ref` from another unless the user clearly says they belong together.

## Workflow

### Step 1: Parse The Block

Extract keys case-insensitively. Accept `=` or `:` separators and ignore quotes, commas, and code fences.

Useful pattern:

```text
\b(window|workspace|pane|surface)_(ref|id)\b\s*[:=]\s*["']?([A-Za-z0-9:-]+)["']?
```

If the user provides only bare refs, bind the most specific one as the target:

```text
workspace:1 pane:2 surface:370
```

### Step 2: Announce The Target

When taking action, say the exact target briefly:

```text
I will target surface:370 in pane:2, workspace:1.
```

If a UUID is present, keep it in your internal target record and include it when useful for disambiguation:

```text
I will target surface:370 (661B301A-2423-44F1-B789-7AEA1021CFCE).
```

### Step 3: Verify Before Mutating

Before sending text, closing anything, moving surfaces, changing layout, or reading a screen for a non-current target, verify the target exists in the active cmux socket.

Use the current cmux CLI and request both refs and UUIDs:

```bash
cmux --json --id-format both tree --all
cmux --json --id-format both identify
cmux --json --id-format both list-pane-surfaces --workspace <workspace_ref_or_id>
```
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 17ebc476da043d9c

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