How to start a long-running process in screen and detach from it

Date: 2012-10-26 | Tags: linux | 3 Comments

How to start a long-running process in screen, detach from it, and reattach to it later.

Ssh to the remote host, myremote:
```
eliot@mylocal:~$ ssh myremote 
```
Start a new screen session
```
eliot@myremote:~$ screen 
```
Start a long running process, "sleep 3600":
```
eliot@myremote:~$ sleep 3600 
```
Detach from the screen session:
```
eliot@myremote:~$ CTRL-A : detach ENTER 
```
(Hit [CTRL-A], then type a colon character, then type "detach", then hit [ENTER])
Exit your remote SSH session:
```
eliot@myremote:~$ exit 
```

List your active screen sessions:

eliot@myremote:~$ screen -ls 
There is a screen on:
	11518.pts-1.myremote	(Detached)
1 Socket in /var/run/screen/S-eliot.

Reattach to your screen session:
```
eliot@myremote:~$ screen -RD 
```
Note: you don't actually have to use the -RD option. You could use -rD or -r. But I just use -RD all the time. If there is more than one screen session active you will have to say: screen -RD 11518.pts-1.myremote or whichever screen session you want to attach to.
It will show you the "sleep 3600" command running. To exit, CTRL-C the sleep process, type "exit" to exit the screen session, and "exit" again to exit the SSH session.

#1 jnns commented on 2013-05-11:

screen was somehow deprecated if I remember correctly. tmux seems to be a more up to date alternative.

#2 Eliot commented on 2013-05-11:

jnns: I guess I am behind the times. tmux looks really good-- I will have to give it a try.

#3 levi v commented on 2013-07-02:

Instead of hitting : and typing "detach" you can also just do ctrl+a d. That will detach you instantly.

Also when reaching, checkout -X option, Then you can view/type in it from multiple terminals.

Also, if you like tmux, checkout byobu.