When we consider the macOS consumer interface, we consider the graphical UI—pointing and clicking icons, with a cursor, menus, home windows, and many others. But there’s one other UI constructed into macOS: the command-line interface, which includes typing instructions like the times of previous. It could be a extra environment friendly approach of utilizing your Mac—as an alternative of pointing, clicking, dragging, and opening and shutting home windows, you possibly can sort in instructions that present extra direct entry.
The solution to entry the Mac’s command line is thru the Terminal app, which is situated within the Utilities folder inside Applications. We have a number of articles in regards to the Terminal and the command line—click on on a hyperlink beneath that can assist you discover ways to use them. We’ll add extra articles to this index as they seem on the location, so examine again for brand new content material.
Access the command guide
The key to studying about macOS’s command line is guide (or man
) pages. Here’s an introduction.
Navigate recordsdata and directories
This article covers the fundamentals capabilities of the ls
(listing) and cd
(change listing) instructions. Learn how one can see the contents of a folder (which is known as a listing in command-line communicate), and how one can use switches to get extra out of the ls
and cd
instructions.
Compare the contents of two folders
Use the diff
command to shortly evaluate the contents of two folders. Learn how.
Delete recordsdata and directories
Find out how the rm
command lets you delete recordsdata and the rmdir
command is used to delete directories (folders).
Copy and transfer recordsdata and folders
Learn how one can use the cp
(copy) and mv
(transfer) instructions for the next duties:
- How to repeat or transfer a file to a special listing
- How to repeat or transfer a listing
- How to repeat or transfer a number of recordsdata or directories
- How to rename a file
- How to create a listing
Fix Terminal typos
It’s certain to occur: you make a mistake typing in a command within the Terminal. Fortunately, there’s a solution to repair the error with out having to sort the entire command over once more. Learn how.
Type much less by utilizing Terminal shortcuts
Save a lot of time and kind much less by utilizing the command historical past capabilities.
Look at your command historical past listing
You can examine to see what instructions are in your historical past at any time by working the historical past command. Here’s how.
Change the window background coloration and picture
Learn how one can make Terminal use a user-defined background picture every time you open a brand new window.
Activate key repetition
You can use the Terminal to disable macOS’s character palette and restore key repeating.
Securely erase free house on a tough drive
Learn how one can use Terminal to securely erase free onerous drive house (not for SSDs).
See what Mac processes are accessing the web
If you’ve ever puzzled about which applications are utilizing your web connection at any cut-off date, right here’s one solution to discover out utilizing Terminal.
Play audio recordsdata
Learn how one can play, convert, and get information on audio recordsdata utilizing some macOS Terminal instructions.
Use Quick Look
Quick Look—choose an merchandise within the Finder and press the Space Bar to preview it—is offered while you’re utilizing the Terminal. Here’s how one can use it.
Make the macOS Dock tremendous small
If the Size slider within the Dock preferences pane doesn’t go sufficiently small for you, right here’s a trick that can.
Check your Intel and M1 Mac’s SSD well being utilizing Terminal
Follow our step-by-step information to get necessary stats on the viability of your Mac’s SSD utilizing Terminal and smartmontools.
Source: www.macworld.com”