Cheatsheet Mac CMD

pwd           # current folder
ls -la       # list with details
cd ~/Desktop  # go to the Desktop
cd ..        # go up one level
cd ~         # go to home
open .       # open folder in Finder

Moving around the system.

find . -name "*.pdf"   # by name
mdfind "report"        # Spotlight CLI
mdfind -name photo.png # by name
locate file           # database
which python3        # binary path

Locate quickly.

mkdir folder      # create folder
mkdir -p a/b/c   # create nested
touch file.txt    # create empty
rm file.txt       # delete
rm -rf folder    # delete folder
trash file        # move to Trash

Create and remove.

cp a.txt b.txt    # copy file
cp -r folder/ dest/ # copy folder
mv a.txt b.txt    # move/rename
ditto src/ dst/   # copy (macOS)
ln -s target link  # symbolic link

Copy, move and link.

ls -l  # long format
ls -a  # include hidden (.files)
ls -lh  # human-readable sizes
ls -t  # by date
mdls file  # Spotlight metadata
file photo.png  # file type

File details.

open .            # Finder in the folder
open file.pdf      # default app
open -a Safari url # specific app
open -e notes.txt  # TextEdit
open -R file       # reveal in Finder
open https://site.com # browser

Open with applications.

caffeinate       # prevent sleep
caffeinate -t 3600 # for 1 hour
pmset displaysleepnow # turn off display
shutdown -s now  # shut down the Mac
shutdown -r now  # restart

System control.

cat f.txt | pbcopy  # copy to clipboard
pbpaste > output.txt # paste to file
pbpaste | wc -l    # count lines
echo "Hello" | pbcopy # text → clipboard
pbpaste | grep error # filter clipboard

The clipboard.

say "Hello world"  # text to speech
say -v Joana "Hello" # Portuguese voice
say -o hello.aiff "text" # save audio

afplay sound.mp3   # play audio
afplay /System/Library/Sounds/
  Glass.aiff

Audio and speech synthesis.

screencapture photo.png  # full screen
screencapture -w f.png  # select area
screencapture -x f.png  # no sound
screencapture -T 3 f.png # 3s delay

Screenshots via terminal.

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/
  Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

brew --version # verify

Install the package manager.

brew doctor       # diagnose
brew cleanup      # clean cache
brew infthe package  # details
brew deps package  # dependencies
brew pin package   # prevent upgrade

Keep Homebrew healthy.

brew install git    # install
brew uninstall git  # remove
brew upgrade       # upgrade everything
brew update        # update formulas
brew list          # installed packages
brew search name   # search

Basic operations.

brew install --cask firefox
brew install --cask visual-studio-code
brew install --cask docker
brew uninstall --cask app
brew list --cask

Install GUI applications.

brew services list     # services
brew services start mysql # start
brew services stop mysql  # stop
brew services restart nginx

Manage background services.

sw_vers          # macOS version
system_profiler  # full info
system_profiler SPHardwareDataType
                 # hardware only
uname -m         # architecture (arm64)
hostname         # Mac name

System details.

mdutil -s /        # index status
mdutil -E /        # reindex
mdfind -onlyin ~/Docs "pdf"
                   # scoped search

Manage Spotlight.

top            # real-time processes
df -h         # disk space
vm_stat       # memory (macOS)
sysctl -n hw.memsize # total RAM
uptime        # time and load

Monitor resources.

pmset -g         # current settings
pmset -g batt    # battery status
pmset sleepnow   # put Mac to sleep
sudo pmset -a sleep 0 # never sleep

Power control.

echo $SHELL      # current shell (zsh)
echo $PATH       # paths
export VAR="value" # set variable
source ~/.zshrc  # reload config
env             # all variables

Terminal environment.

ping google.com    # test connection
ping -c 4 host     # 4 packets
ifconfig          # network interfaces
ipconfig getifaddr en0 # local IP
networksetup -listallhardwareports

Diagnose the network.

curl -O url       # download
curl -I url       # headers only
curl -X POST -d "a=1" url
                  # POST
rsync -av src/ dst/ # synchronize

Transfer data.

networksetup -getairportnetwork en0
  # current Wi-Fi network
networksetup -listpreferredwirelessnetworks en0
  # saved networks
networksetup -setairportpower en0 off
  # turn off Wi-Fi

Manage Wi-Fi via terminal.

ssh user@host       # connect remotely
ssh -p 2222 user@h  # custom port
scp f.txt user@h:/tmp # send file
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 # generate key
ssh-copy-id user@host # install key

Secure remote access.

dig domain.com     # DNS query
nslookup host     # resolve DNS
lsof -i :8080     # who uses the port
netstat -an | grep LISTEN
                  # open ports
traceroute host   # path

Ports and resolution.

diskutil list       # all disks
diskutil info disk0  # details
diskutil info /     # system disk
diskutil apfs list  # APFS volumes

List and inspect disks.

df -h            # free space
du -sh ~/Downloads # folder size
du -h -d 1 ~     # per subfolder
diskutil apfs list # APFS volumes

Analyze storage.

diskutil eject /Volumes/USB
  # eject external disk
diskutil mount disk2s1
  # mount volume
hdiutil attach image.dmg
  # mount DMG

Manage volumes.

chmod +x script.sh  # executable
xattr -l file       # view attributes
xattr -d com.apple.quarantine app
  # remove quarantine
sudo chown -R user folder/

Permissions and quarantine.

ps aux          # all processes
ps aux | grep Safari # filter
top -o cpu       # sort by CPU
pgrep -l node   # search by name
activity monitor: open -a "Activity Monitor"

List active processes.

kill 1234      # kill by PID
kill -9 1234   # force (SIGKILL)
pkill -f node  # by name
killall Safari  # all with the name
killall Finder  # restart Finder

Stop processes.

command &      # in background
Ctrl+Z        # suspend
bg            # resume in background
fg            # bring to foreground
jobs          # list jobs
nohup cmd &    # ignore hangup

Job control.

launchctl list       # active services
launchctl load ~/Library/
  LaunchAgents/my.plist
launchctl unload ~/Library/
  LaunchAgents/my.plist

Manage daemons and agents.

defaults read com.apple.dock
  # read Dock preferences
defaults write com.apple.dock
  autohide -bool true
killall Dock  # apply
defaults delete com.apple.dock
  autohide  # reset

Change system preferences.

Ctrl+C  # interrupt
Ctrl+L  # clear screen
Ctrl+A  # start of line
Ctrl+E  # end of line
Ctrl+R  # search history
Tab     # autocomplete
Cmd+K   # clear scrollback

Productivity in Terminal.app.

osascript -e 'display dialog
  "Hello!"'
osascript -e 'tell application
  "Finder" to quit'
osascript -e 'set volume 5'
osascript script.scpt

Automate with AppleScript.

tar -czvf backup.tar.gz folder/
  # create .tar.gz
tar -xzvf backup.tar.gz
  # extract
zip -r archive.zip folder/
unzip archive.zip
hdiutil create -size 100m
  -fs HFS+ -volname "USB" disk.dmg

Compress and create images.

cmd1 | cmd2    # output → input
cmd > f.txt    # overwrite
cmd >> f.txt   # append
cmd 2> errors  # stderr to file
pbpaste | sort | uniq | pbcopy

Data flow.