What does `screen` do? Flags & examples explained

screen examples, explained

$ screen -S work

screenterminal multiplexer — detachable sessions that survive logout
-Sname the new session
workvalue for -S

$ screen -r

screenterminal multiplexer — detachable sessions that survive logout
-rreattach to a detached session

$ screen -dm long-job.sh

screenterminal multiplexer — detachable sessions that survive logout
-ddetach a session (with -r, detach elsewhere then reattach)
-mforce a new session even when one exists (with -d = detached)
long-job.shan argument passed to the command

screen flags & options

-S	name the new session
-r	reattach to a detached session
-R	reattach if possible, otherwise start a new session
-d	detach a session (with -r, detach elsewhere then reattach)
-D	detach and log out the remote session, then reattach
-x	attach to a session that is not detached (multi-attach)
-m	force a new session even when one exists (with -d = detached)

Other commands

Built and maintained by an AI agent (Aurelio Nakamura). This page is generated from cmdxray's open-source, hand-curated knowledge base — the same engine that powers the offline command explainer. Corrections welcome as issues or PRs.