Commands For Mac Os Terminal



Terminal User Guide

For advanced users, it’s also worth mentioning these aren’t the only Terminal commands you can use to change or update your Mac’s OS, and you can find plenty more to play with on the JAMF. If you’re working in Terminal on your Mac, you need to know the most important UNIX commands: those that work with directories, those that work with files, and miscellaneous but commonly used commands. Folders are called directories in UNIX. Commands that refer to filenames, as most do, assume that you’re talking about files in the.

Use these shortcuts to save time when using Terminal.

Commands For Mac Os Terminal

Work with Terminal windows and tabs

Action

Shortcut

New window

Command-N

New window with same command

Control-Command-N

New tab

Command-T

New tab with same command

Control-Command-T

Show or hide tab bar

Shift-Command-T

Show all tabs or exit tab overview

Shift-Command-Backslash ()

New command

Shift-Command-N

New remote connection

Shift-Command-K

Show or hide Inspector

Command-I

Edit title

Shift-Command-I

Edit background color

Option-Command-I

Make fonts bigger

Command-Plus (+)

Make fonts smaller

Command-Minus (–)

Next window

Command-Grave Accent (`)

Previous window

Command-Shift-Tilde (~)

Next Tab

Control-Tab

Previous Tab

Control-Shift-Tab

Split window into two panes

Command-D

Close split pane

Shift-Command-D

Close tab

Command-W

Close window

Shift-Command-W

Close other tabs

Option-Command-W

Close all

Option-Shift-Command-W

Scroll to top

Command-Home

Scroll to bottom

Command-End

Page up

Command-Page Up

Page down

Command-Page Down

Line up

Option-Command-Page Up

Line down

Option-Command-Page Down

Edit a command line

Action

Shortcut

Reposition the insertion point

Press and hold the Option key while moving the pointer to a new insertion point.

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the line

Control-A

Move the insertion point to the end of the line

Control-E

Move the insertion point forward one character

Right Arrow

Move the insertion point backward one character

Left Arrow

Move the insertion point forward one word

Option-Right Arrow

Move the insertion point backward one word

Option-Left Arrow

Delete to the beginning of the line

Control-U

Delete to the end of the line

Control-K

Delete forward to the end of the word

Option-D (available when Use Option as Meta key is selected)

Delete backward to the beginning of the word

Control-W

Delete one character

Delete

Forward-delete one character

Forward Delete (or use Fn-Delete)

Transpose two characters

Control-T

Select and find text in a Terminal window

Action

Shortcut

Select a complete file path

Press and hold the Shift and Command keys and double-click the path

Select a complete line of text

Triple-click the line

Select a word

Double-click the word

Select a URL

Press and hold the Shift and Command keys and double-click the URL

Select a rectangular block

Press and hold the Option key and drag to select text

Cut

Command-X

Copy

Command-C

Copy without background color

Control-Shift-Command-C

Copy plain text

Option-Shift-Command-C

Paste

Command-V

Paste the selection

Shift-Command-V

Paste escaped text

Control-Command-V

Paste escaped selection

Control-Shift-Command-V

Find

Command-F

Find next

Command-G

Find previous

Command-Shift-G

Find using the selected text

Command-E

Jump to the selected text

Command-J

Select all

Command-A

Open the character viewer

Control-Command-Space

Work with marks and bookmarks

Apple Terminal Commands List

Terminal

Action

Shortcut

Mark

Command-U

Mark as bookmark

Option-Command-U

Unmark

Shift-Command-U

Mark line and send return

Command-Return

Send return without marking

Shift-Command-Return

Insert bookmark

Shift-Command-M

Insert bookmark with name

Option-Shift-Command-M

Jump to previous mark

Command-Up Arrow

Jump to next mark

Command-Down Arrow

Jump to previous bookmark

Option-Command-Up Arrow

Jump to next bookmark

Option-Command-Down Arrow

Clear to previous mark

Command-L

Clear to previous bookmark

Option-Command-L

Clear to start

Command-K

Select between marks

Shift-Command-A

Other shortcuts

Action

Shortcut

Enter or exit full screen

Control-Command-F

Show or hide colors

Shift-Command-C

Open Terminal preferences

Command-Comma (,)

Break

Typing Command-Period (.) is equivalent to entering Control-C on the command line

Print

Command-P

Soft reset terminal emulator state

Option-Command-R

Hard reset terminal emulator state

Control-Option-Command-R

Open a URL

Hold down the Command key and double-click the URL

Add the complete path to a file

Drag the file from the Finder into the Terminal window

Export text as

Command-S

Export selected text as

Shift-Command-S

Reverse search command history

Control-R

Toggle “Allow Mouse Reporting” option

Command-R

Toggle “Use Option as Meta Key” option

Command-Option-O

Show alternate screen

Option-Command-Page Down

Hide alternate screen

Option-Command-Page Up

Open man page for selection

Control-Shift-Command-Question Mark (?)

Search man page index for selection

Control-Option-Command-Slash (/)

Complete directory or file name

On a command line, type one or more characters, then press Tab

Display a list of possible directory or file name completions

On a command line, type one or more characters, then press Tab twice

See alsoCreate custom function keys in Terminal on MacChange Profiles Keyboard preferences in Terminal on MacApple Support article: Mac keyboard shortcuts

Hidden behind beautiful Mac screens is the world of Terminal Command lines. Knowing how to use these commands will help you increase your work efficiency in a great way.

Below is a list of the most basic commands divided by purpose of use:

CORE COMMANDS

Key/CommandDescription
cd [folder]Change directory e.g. cd Documents
cdHome directory
cd ~Home directory
cd /Root of drive
cd –Previous directory
lsShort listing
ls -lLong listing
ls -aListing incl. hidden files
ls -lhLong listing with Human readable file sizes
ls -REntire content of folder recursively
sudo [command]Run command with the security privileges of the superuser (Super User DO)
open [file]Opens a file ( as if you double clicked it )
topDisplays active processes. Press q to quit
nano [file]Opens the file using the nano editor
vim [file]Opens the file using the vim editor
clearClears the screen
resetResets the terminal display
Commands For Mac Os Terminal

CHAINING COMMANDS

Key/CommandDescription
[command-a]; [command-b]Run command A and then B, regardless of success of A
[command-a] && [command-b]Run command B if A succeeded
[command-a] || [command-b]Run command B if A failed
[command-a] &Run command A in background

PIPING COMMANDS

Key/CommandDescription
[command-a] | [command-b]Run command A and then pass the result to command B e.g ps auxwww | grep google

COMMAND HISTORY

Key/CommandDescription
history nShows the stuff typed – add a number to limit the last n items
Ctrl + rInteractively search through previously typed commands
![value]Execute the last command typed that starts with ‘value’
![value]:pPrint to the console the last command typed that starts with ‘value’
!!Execute the last command typed
!!:pPrint to the console the last command typed

FILE MANAGEMENT

Key/CommandDescription
touch [file]Create a new file
pwdFull path to working directory
.Current folder, e.g. ls .
..Parent/enclosing directory, e.g. ls ..
ls -l ..Long listing of parent directory
cd ../../Move 2 levels up
catConcatenate to screen
rm [file]Remove a file, e.g. rm data.tmp
rm -i [file]Remove with confirmation
rm -r [dir]Remove a directory and contents
rm -f [file]Force removal without confirmation
cp [file] [newfile]Copy file to file
cp [file] [dir]Copy file to directory
mv [file] [new filename]Move/Rename, e.g. mv file1.ad /tmp
pbcopy < [file]Copies file contents to clipboard
pbpastePaste clipboard contents
pbpaste > [file]Paste clipboard contents into file, pbpaste > paste-test.txt

DIRECTORY MANAGEMENT

Key/CommandDescription
mkdir [dir]Create new directory
mkdir -p [dir]/[dir]Create nested directories
rmdir [dir]Remove directory ( only operates on empty directories )
rm -R [dir]Remove directory and contents
less [file]Output file content delivered in screensize chunks
[command] > [file]Push output to file, keep in mind it will get overwritten
[command] >> [file]Append output to existing file
[command] < [file]Tell command to read content from a file

SEARCH

Zsh Terminal Commands For Mac Os Catalina

Commands For Mac Os Terminal
Key/CommandDescription
find [dir] -name [search_pattern]Search for files, e.g. find /Users -name 'file.txt'
grep [search_pattern] [file]Search for all lines that contain the pattern, e.g. grep 'Tom' file.txt
grep -r [search_pattern] [dir]Recursively search in all files in specified directory for all lines that contain the pattern
grep -v [search_pattern] [file]Search for all lines that do NOT contain the pattern
grep -i [search_pattern] [file]Search for all lines that contain the case-insensitive pattern
mdfind [search_pattern]Spotlight search for files (names, content, other metadata), e.g. mdfind skateboard
mdfind -onlyin [dir] -name [pattern]Spotlight search for files named like pattern in the given directory

HELP

Commands For Mac Os Terminal Prompt

Key/CommandDescription
[command] -hOffers help
[command] –helpOffers help
info [command]Offers help
man [command]Show the help manual for [command]
whatis [command]Gives a one-line description of [command]
apropos [search-pattern]Searches for command with keywords in description