Digital Projects

today we dive into the macOS terminal window  and discover the available commands we can run. so grab your coffee, sit down in the commanders seat, open that terminal window annnnnnnnddddddd……………type:

{ a }

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

atsuil :// font registration system utility

awk :// find and replace text within file [s]

{ b }

basename :// convert a full pathname to just a filename

bash :// bourne-again SHell

bg :// send to background

bind :// set or display readline key and function bindings

bless :// set volume bootility and startup disk options

break :// exit from a For, While, Unitl or Select loop

builtin :// execute a shell builtin

bzip2 :// compress or decompress files

{ c }

caffeinatce :// prevent the system from sleeping

cal :// display a calendar

calendar :// reminder service

caller :// return the context of a subroutine call

cancel :// cancel print jobs

case :// conditionally perform a command

cat :// concatenate and print the content of files – [display file]

cd :// change directory

chflags :// change a file or folder’s flag

chgrp ://change group ownership

chmod ://change access permissions

chown ://change file owner and group

chroot ://run a command with a different root directory

cksum ://print CRC checksum and byte counts

clear ://clear terminal screen

cmp ://compare two files

comm :// compare two sorted files line by line

command :// run a command [not a function]

complete :// edit a command completion [word/pattern/list]

continue :// resume the next iteration of a loop

cp :// copy one or more files to another location

cron :// daemon to execute scheduled commands

crontab :// schedule a command to run at a later date/time

csplit :// split a file into context-determined pieces

csrutil :// configure System Integrity Protection [SIP]

cupsfilter :// convert a file to another format using cups filters

curl :// transfer data  from or to a server

cut :// divide a file into several parts

{ d }

date :// display or change the date & time

dc :// desk calculator

dd :// data duplicator – convert and copy a file, clone disks

declare :// declare variable & set attributes

defaults :// set preferences, show hidden files

df :// display free disk space

diff :// display the differences between two files

diff3 :// show differences among three files

dig :// DNS lookup

dirname :// convert a full pathname to just a path

dirs :// display list of remembered directories

diskutil :// disk utilities – format, verify, repair

disown :// unbind a job from the current login session

ditto :// copy files and folders

dot_clean :// remove dot-underscore files

drutil :// interact with CD/DVD burners

dscacheutil :// query or flush the Directory Service/DNS cache

dseditgroup :// edit, create, manipulate, or delete groups

dsenableroot :// enable root access

dsmemberutil :// view user and groups rights

dscl :// Directory Service command line utility

dtruss :// print process system call time details

du :// estimate file space usage

{ e }

echo :// display text on screen

ed :// a line-oriented text editor [edlin]

enable :// enable and disable builtin shell commands

env :// list or set environment variables

eval :// evaluate several commands/arguments

exec :// execute a command

exit :// exit the shell

execsnoop :// snoop new process execution

expand :// convert tabs to spaces

expect :// programmed dialogue with interactive programs

{ f }

fc :// fix command [history]

fdisk :// partition table manipulator for Darwin UFS/HFS/DOS

fdesetup :// FileVault configuration, list FileVault users

fg :// send job to foreground

file :// determine file type

find :// search for files that meet a desired criteria

fmt :// reformat paragraph text

fold :// wrap text to fit a specified width

for :// loop command

fsck :// Filesystem consistency check and repair

fs_usage :// Filesystem usage [process/pathname]

ftp :// internet file transfer program

function :// define function Macros

fuser :// list processes that have one or more files open

{ g }

GetFileInfo :// get attributes of HFS+ files

getopt :// parse positional parameters

getopts :// parse positional parameters

goto :// jump to label and continue execution

grep :// search file[s] for lines that match a given pattern

groups :// print group names a user is in

gzip :// compress or decompress files

{ h }

halt :// stop and restart the operating system

hash :// refresh the cached/remembered location of commands 

head :// display the first lines of a file

hdiutil :// manipulate iso disk images

history :// command history 

hostname :// print or set system name

{ i }

iconv :// convert the character set of a file

id :// print user and group names/id’s

if :// conditionally perform a command 

ifconfig :// configure network interface parameters

iostart :// report CPU and i/o statistics

ipconfig :// view and control IP configuration state

info :// help info

install :// copy files and set attributes

iosnoop :// snoop I/O events as they occur

{ j }

jobs :// list active jobs

join :// join lines on a common field

{ k }

kexktfind

kextstat

kextunload

kickstart

kill

killall

{ l }

l :// list files in long format [ls -l]

last :// indicate last logins of users and ttys

launchctl :// load or unload daemons/agents

ll :// list files in long format, showing invisible files [ls -la]

less :// display output one screen at a time

let :// evaluate expression

lipo :// convert a universal binary

ln :// make links between files [hard links, symbolic links]

local :// set a local [function] variable

locate :// find files

logname :// print current login name

login :// log into the computer

logout :// exit a login shell [bye]

look :// display lines beginning with a given string

lp :// print files

lpr :// print files

lprm :// remove jobs from the print queue

lpstart :// printer status information

ls :// list information about file[s]

lsregister :// reset the Launch Services database

lsbom :// list a bill of materials file

lsof :// list open files

{ m }

man :// help manual

mdfind :// spotlight search

mdutil :// manage Spotlight metadata store

mkdir :// create new folder[s]

mkfifo :// make FIFOs [named pipes]

mkfile :// make a file

mktemp :// make a temporary file

more :// display output one screen at a time

mv :// move or rename files or directories

{ n }

nano :// simple text editor

nc/netcat :// read and write data across networks

net :// manage network resources

networksetup :// Network and System Preferences

nice :// set the priority of a command

nohup :// run a command immune to hangups

ntfs.util :// NTFS file system utility

nvram :// manipulate  firmware variables

{ o }

onintr :// control the action of a shell interrupt

open :// open a file/folder/URL/Application

opensnoop :// snoop file opens as they occur

openssl :// OpenSSL command line

osacompile :// compile Applescript

osascript :// execute AppleScript

{ p }

passwd :// modify a user password

paste :// merge lines of files

pbcopy :// copy data to the clipboard

pbpaste :// paste data from the Clipboard

pgrep :// list processes by a full or partial name

ping :// test a network connection

pkill :// kill processes by a full or partial name

pkgbuild :// build a macOS Installer component package

pkgutil :// query and manipulate installed packages

plutil :// property list utility

pmset :// Power Management settings

popd :// restore the previous value of the current directory

pr :// convert text files for printing

printenv :// list environment variables

printf :// format and print data

ps :// process status

pushd :// save and then change the current directory

pwd :// print Working Directory

{ q }

qlmanage :// Quick Look Server debug and management tool

quota :// display disk usage and limits

{ r }

rcp :// copy files between machines

read :// read one line from standard input

readonly :// mark a variable or function as read-only

reboot :// stop and restart the system

ReportCrash :// enable/disable crash reporting

return :// exit a function

rev :// reverse lines of a file

rm :// remove files

rmdir :// remove folder[s]

rpm :// Remote Package Manager

rsync :// remote file copy – sync file tree

{ s }

say :// convert text to audible speech

screen :// multiplex terminal, run remote shells via ssh 

screencapture :// capture screen image to file or disk

scselect :// switch between network locations

scutil :// manage system configuration parameters

sdiff :// merge two files interactively

security :// Administer Keychains, keys, certificates & Security framework

sed :// Stream Editor

select :// generate a list of items

serverinfo :// server information

set :// set a shell variable = value

setfile :// set attributes of HFS + files

sharing :// create share points for afp, ftp and smb services

shasum :// print or Check SHA Checksums

shift :// shift positional parameters

shopt :// set shell options

shutdown :// shutdown or restart macOS

sips :// scriptable image processing system

sleep :// delay for a specified time

softwareupdate :// system software update tool

sort :// sort text files

source :// execute commands from a file

spctl :// security assessment policy/gatekeeper

split :// split a file into fixed-size pieces

sqlite3 :// SQL database [download history]

srm :// securely remove files or directories

stat :// display the status of a file

stop :// stop a job or process

su :// substitute user identity

sudo :// execute a command as another user

sum :// print a checksum for a file

suspend :// suspend execution of this shell

sw_vers :// print macOS operating system version

sysctl :// get or set kernel state

system_profiler :// report system configuration

systemsetup :// computer and display system settings

{ t }

tail :// output the last part of files

tar :// tape ARchiver

tccutil :// manage the privacy database

tcpdump :// dump traffic on a network

tee :// redirect output to multiple files

test :// condition evaluation

textutil :// manipulate text files in various formats [doc,html,rtf]

top :// display process information

touch :// change file timestamps

tput :// set terminal-dependent capabilities, color & position

tr :// translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters

trap :// execute a command when the shell receives a signal

traceroute ://Trace Route to Host

trimforce :// enable TRIM commands on third-party drives

tty :// print filename of terminal on stdin

type :// describe a command

{ u }

ufs.util :// mount/unmount UFS file system

umask :// users file creation mask

unmount :// unmount a device

unalias :// remove an alias

uname :// print the Darwin OS Kernel version/release/machine name

unexpand :// convert spaces to tabs

uniq :// uniquify files

units :// convert units from one scale to another

unset :// remove variable or function names

until :// loop command

uptime :// show how long system has been running

users :// print login names of users currently logged in

until :// execute commands [until error]

uuencode :// encode a binary file

uudecode :// decode a file created by uuencode

uuidgen :// generate a Unique ID [UUID/GUID]

uucp :// Unix to Unix copy

{ v }

vi :// Text Editor

{ w }

w :// show who is logged on and what they are doing

wait :// wait for a process to complete

wall :// write a message to users

wc :// print byte, word, and line counts

whatis :// search the whatis database for complete words

whereis :// locate a program

which :// locate a program file in the user’s path

while :// loop command

who :// print all usernames currently logged on

whoami :// print the current user id and name [‘id -un’]

write :// send a message to another user

{ x }

xargs :// execute utility – passing arguments

xattr :// display and manipulate extended attributes

xcode-select — install :// install the command line developer tools

{ y }

yes :// print a string until interrupted

{ z }

zip :// package and compress [archive] files.

!! :// run the last command again

happy to add more to the collection if there is anything missed! cheers. 

reference > operator handbook [netmux]