The macOS Terminal is a powerhouse for system management. From opening apps to leveraging Spotlight and managing clipboard tasks, these commands can optimize your workflow. Here’s a breakdown of essential commands every macOS user should know.
Opening Applications and Files
The open command is your gateway to launching apps, files, and URLs directly from the terminal.
Application Commands
- Open an Application
open -a Calculator
- Start a New Instance of an App
open -n -a Calendar
- Launch an App Fresh Without Previous State
open -F -n -a Mail
File Commands
- Open a File in TextEdit
open -e report.docx
- Reveal File in Finder
open -R example.pdf
- Open Finder in Current Directory
open ./Projects
Spotlight Commands
Spotlight search can be controlled from the terminal using mdfind and mdutilcommands.
- Search for PDFs
mdfind -name print.pdf
- Limit Search to a Directory
mdfind -onlyin ~/Downloads -name invoice.pdf
- Enable/Disable Spotlight Indexing
mdutil -i on ~/Documents
mdutil -i off ~/Desktop
Extended File Attributes
Display and manipulate extended attributes. This can also be used to clear the quarantine from downloaded file.
- List Attributes
xattr -l ~/Documents/summary.txt
- Remove Quarantine Attribute
xattr -d com.apple.quarantine ~/Downloads/Firefox.dmg
- Clear All Attributes
xattr -c ~/Pictures/myphoto.jpg
Clipboard Management
Efficiently handle clipboard tasks, including text, command outputs, and file contents, directly from the terminal.
Copy and Paste Commands
- Copy Text to Clipboard
echo “Hello, World!” | pbcopy
- Copy Command Output to Clipboard
date | pbcopy
- Copy File Contents to Clipboard
pbcopy < ~/Documents/copy.txt
- Paste from Clipboard
pbpaste
- Save Clipboard Contents to a File
pbpaste > ~/Desktop/clipboard-content.txt
- Execute Clipboard Contents
pbpaste | bash
- Sort and Remove Duplicate Clipboard Lines
pbpaste | sort -u | pbcopy
Master these commands to streamline your macOS experience and unlock the full potential of the terminal.
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