An A-Z Index of the Apple macOS command line (macOS bash) afconvert Audio File Convert afinfo Audio File Info afplay Audio File Play airport Manage Apple AirPort alias Create an alias. alloc List used and free memory apropos Search the whatis database for strings asr Apple Software Restore atsutil Font registration system utility automator Run an Automator workflow awk Find and Replace text. If you use Terminal on your Mac for taking care of tasks with commands, then using keyboard shortcuts is a great way to do things quicker. From working with the window and tabs to editing commands to selecting and finding text, here’s a big list of keyboard shortcuts to help you zip around in Terminal.

Just type this command and your Mac will stay awake until you cancel it. Caffeinate When your task is done and you’re ready for your Mac to sleep again, just type Control-C in the Terminal. 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.

Terminal is not for mere mortals, you're probably thinking. It's a kind of a sacred knowledge that only geeks and Mac geniuses possess. But if you get through your first command line you'll find it's not that terrifying. In fact, using Terminal is like applying Harry Potter wizardry to your tasks. Once you know the right spells you can break any laws of how applications behave and do some unbelievable things that even the most experienced Mac people can't. Isn't it seducing to try?

We've chosen just a few of Terminal's most impressive features. For more serious take on Mac terminal commands, check out this article. Okay, are you ready to type in your first code? To start the journey, learn how to open Terminal app on Mac: Click Launchpad and then type Terminal in the search bar.

1) Make your Mac talk to you

One of the simplest commands which can be very fun, especially when you are planning a prank on somebody. Just type any text in Terminal and your computer will speak it in your Mac's default voice. But there's about 20 voices and intonations to choose from plus the ability to convert an entire text file into speech. So here's a slick audiobook maker at your hand.

Open up Terminal, type in:
say followed by a space and any text you want to hear

2) Customize Login Message

This is what makes Mac more personal and humanized. For example, you can write an inspirational motto or helpful information for other users, if it's a public library computer. It might even be a way to retrieve your MacBook if you lose it — if you set a login message with your contact information. Once again there's much room for pranking other people, but we won't go deep into that.

Open up Terminal, type in:

sudo write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow LoginwindowText 'Custom Text Here'

3) Watch Star Wars in Terminal app

In Terminal symbols, of course. This could be the greatest trick which makes no particular sense, but even if just for the coolness alone you should try it. The Death Star, R2D2, spaceships and the rest of the Episode 4 story retold in Terminal graphics will blow your friends away at the party. And there is no sound by the way.

Open up Terminal, type in:
telnet towel.blinkenlights.nl
On macOS Sierra and higher macOS versions, you should use a different command:

nc towel.blinkenlights.nl 23

4) Show hidden files in Finder

This isn't as funny as the previous one, but searching for important files is no joke. With this command, you'll be able to see everything on your Mac, even files which were omitted from standard display.

Open up Terminal, type in:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE
killall Finder

This should summon Finder with previously hidden files shown grayed out.
To reverse this operation (be aware that you may be swamped with lots of irrelevant system files) just substitute TRUE for FALSE in the command line above:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE
killall Finder

5) Pay a visit to a psychiatrist

Funny Mac terminal commands are many. This is a classic Easter egg type of joke macOS developers are famous for. When you're feeling stressful, talking to friendly chatbot will at least make you smile. Strangely enough, this therapy may be actually working because you are asked to verbalize your emotions, by giving them a closer look. And the psychiatrists (the real ones) will confirm that sometimes it works.

Open up Terminal, type in:
emacs and then hit Return. Press Esc, then x, and finally type doctor

6) See iTunes songs notification via Terminal app

A clever addition if you normally work with the music on the background. If you fell in love with a particular track from your playlist you don't need to open iTunes to find out the artist's name. It will pop up on your Mac Dock from now on. Though a bit strange this feature isn't included by default because it's really a timesaver.

Open up Terminal, type in:

defaults write com.apple.dock itunes-notifications -bool TRUE

Close the dock using the following command:

killall Dock

7) Play simple games

This is another retro cool feature to cheer you up once in a while. You can play Tetris, Pong, Snake and a dozen of other arcade games. Once you have unlocked these nice hidden toys, you'll surely get to love your Mac more. Prepare to use your arrow keys.

Commands For Mac Terminal

Open up Terminal, type in:
emacs. Press Enter to open it up, press Esc then x. Now you have to type the name of the particular game and that's it.
Game names:

• tetris
• pong
• snake
• solitaire
• 5x5
• landmark
• doctor

What you learn from using Mac Terminal commands is that nothing is really impossible if you're on a Mac. But it's better to start your Terminal experience with these funny little tricks and then go to something serious. This program has a nearly infinite number of magic spells to choose from.

8) Make your Mac faster and more responsive

Okay, this has nothing to do with Terminal. But who wouldn’t want their MacBook as speedy and efficient as back then, on its first day? Surprisingly, this can be achieved easily, Terminal-style way — with aid of CleanMyMac X.

• Remove up to 74 GB of junk from your Mac
• Uninstall unwanted apps completely
• Speed up Mac with maintenance scripts
• Fully clean browsers and messengers

Download the app from developer’s site for free
Hope you found this article helpful, stay tuned for more!

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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 working directory. When you open the Terminal window, the working directory is set to your home directory, abbreviated ~. Bash shows you the current working directory and your username to the left of its prompt. The following table lists common directory-related commands.

As in Windows, you can redirect the output of a command to a text file. So if you want a record of the files in a folder, type cd, followed by a space, drag the folder’s icon to the Terminal window, and press Return. Type ls > mydirectorylist.txt and press Return again. A file named mydirectorylist.txt will appear in the folder you chose. You can open the file in TextEdit to see a list of the files in that directory.

This table lists commands commonly used when working with files in the Terminal window.

This last table explains other handy commands that anyone getting started in Terminal will likely want to know.

Basic Mac Terminal Commands

Mac Terminal Commands Pdf

When you’re working in Terminal, you don’t have a Trash Can to which deleted files are moved pending ultimate disposal. Delete it, and it’s gone. In general, UNIX has no Undo function.