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| title |
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| Mac OS Terminal |
Using the Terminal in Mac OS
Most of the time users interact through a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to interact with the computer. You use the mouse to point and click to open, move, or create new files or open applications. You can also use the Terminal Application to interact with your machine through written commands. When you use the terminal, it allows you to dig deeper and customize in a way not possible through the GUI.
Opening the Terminal and Navigating Directories
Your terminal exists in the Applications directory. Open your Terminal app. You should see a prompt in the terminal window. It should have the computer's name (ABC's Macbook), followed by the User name (ABC), and then a '$'. If you are in the root directory, the last character will be a '#'.
To see what directory you are working in, just type the command:
pwd
pwd stands for "Print Working Directory". Directory is another word for folder.
If you want to list the contents of your directory, use the command:
ls
To switch to a new directory you, use the command:
cd <directory_name>
cd stands for "Change Directory". cd is then followed by the directory's name you wish to switch into.
Typing only cd will move to the home directory works same as cd ~
Here is a list of common commands:
| Command | Usage |
|---|---|
| pwd | Print Working Directory (Where Am I? ) |
| ls | List contents of current directory |
| ls -a | List contents of current directory including hidden files |
| mkdir | Create a new directory |
| touch | Create a new file |
| cp | Copy a file |
| rm | Remove a file |
| cat | concatenate and print files |
| ps | list all running processes |
| find | find files and directories |
| rm -rf | Remove a directory recursively |
| sudo | Run command with the security privileges of the superuser |
| clear | Clear the screen |
| nano [file] | Opens the file using nano editor |
| vim [file] | Opens the file using vim editor |
| reset | resets the terminal display |
Usage Examples
Some of the aforementioned commands aren't clear without examples. Below are a few usage examples to help provide you with some context.
Making a Directory
mkdir <your_new_folder_name>
Making a File
touch file_name.js
You can make a file with any extension you choose. As long as it is in a format accepted by the folder or machine.
Copying a File
Use the following syntax to copy a file from the terminal:
cp source destination
For example, if we have a file, 'test.txt' that is stored in our /Desktop directory and we want to copy it to the /Documents folder, our command would look like this:
cp ~/Desktop/test.txt ~/Documents
Deleting a File
Use the following syntax to delete a file.
rm <path_to_file>
For example, if you want to delete the test file you created above, your command line should like like this:
rm test.txt
Note: Removing files this way is permanent, deleted files will skip the trash completely, leaving you with few options for file recovery. Always be careful when using this command and back up your machine frequently!
Detect which process is using the port you want to use
lsof -i :<port>
Terminate the process which uses the port you want to use
kill <pid>
Previewing file
If you would like to preview a file, type the command cat <name of document> and you would be able to preview a text document through the terminal.
Customizing command prompt
If you'd like to you can change how your command prompt looks.
For example, many developers find it useful to view their current version control branch right in the command prompt (we will be accomplishing this).
Changing your computer hostname
In short all you need to do is run the command below, replacing <new host name> with whatever you would want to name your computer.
sudo scutil --set HostName <new host name>
Note: This can be done natively through macOS settings System Preferences -> Sharing -> Computer Name
Your bash_profile
To accomplish this you need to alter your bash profile.
This can be viewed with the following command cat ~/.bash_profile.
Altering bash_profile
Open ~/.bash_profile with you favorite editor and add the following:
git_branch() {
git branch 2> /dev/null | sed -e '/^[^*]/d' -e 's/* \(.*\)/(\1)/'
}
export PS1="[\u@\h \W]\$(git_branch)\$ "
Here git_branch() is a function to print out the name of the branch.
If you want you can add colors to the command prompt as well!
export PS1="\h \[\033[34m\]\W\[\033[32m\]\$(parse_git_branch)\[\033[00m\] $ "
Apply Changes without signing in/out of terminal
source ~/.bashrc
- Change computer hostname
- Show git branch in terminal command prompt
- Bash prompt escape sequences
- More bash configurations
Search your command history as you type
control+R
Hold down control and press R to invoke "reverse-i-search." Type a letter - like s - and you'll get a match for the most recent command in your history that starts with s. Keep typing to narrow your match. When you hit the jackpot, press Enter to execute the suggested command.
Alternative Terminals
iTerm2
iTerm2 is an alternative to the legacy terminal in Mac OS. iTerm2 brings some new features such as:
- Split Panes
- Hotkey Window
- Search
- Autocomplete
- Paste history
- Configurability
- and many more
Just download iTerm2 from the official website. Additional documentation can be found here.
iTerm2 Improvements and Customizations
This guide shows you how you can improve terminal productivity, and have a bit more customization options.
Hyper
Another alternative is Hyper, an Electron-based terminal
- Built in HTML/CSS/JS
- Fully extensible
- Download
- Documentation
- Awesome Hyper
Terminal Fun
Bandit Wargame can help you learn to use the terminal while also sharpening your white-hat hacking skills. It's a great way to get familiar with the Command Line Interface (CLI) and continually hone your skills.