Git for Everyone

Terminal Cheatsheet for Mac ( basics )

Keyboard Shortcuts

Key/Command Description
Tab Auto-complete files and folder names
Ctrl + A Go to the beginning of the line you are currently typing on
Ctrl + E Go to the end of the line you are currently typing on
Ctrl + U Clear the line before the cursor
Ctrl + K Clear the line after the cursor
Ctrl + W Delete the word before the cursor
Ctrl + T Swap the last two characters before the cursor
Esc + T Swap the last two words before the cursor
Ctrl + R Lets you search through previously used commands
Ctrl + L or Command + K Clears the Screen
Ctrl + C Kill whatever you are running
Ctrl + D Exit the current shell

Core Commands

Prompt Description
$ cd Home directory
$ cd [folder] Change directory
$ cd ~ Home directory, e.g. 'cd ~/folder/'
$ cd / Root of drive
$ ls Short listing
$ ls -l Long listing
$ ls -a Listing incl. hidden files
$ ls -lh Long listing with Human readable file sizes
$ ls -R Entire content of folder recursively
$ sudo [command] Run command with the security privileges of the superuser (Super User DO)
$ open [file] Opens a file
$ open . Opens the directory
$ top Displays active processes. Press q to quit
$ nano [file] Opens the Terminal it's editor
$ pico [file] Opens the Terminal it's editor
$ q Exit
$ clear Clear screen

Command History

Prompt Description
$ history n Shows the stuff typed - add a number to limit the last n items
$ ctrl-r Interactively search through previously typed commands
$ ![value] Execute the last command typed that starts with 'value'
$ !! Execute the last command typed

File Management

Prompt Description
$ touch [file] Create new file
$ pwd Full path to working directory
$ .. Parent/enclosing directory, e.g.
$ ls -l .. Long listing of parent directory
$ cd ../../ Move 2 levels up
$ . Current folder
$ cat Concatenate to screen
$ rm [file] Remove a file, e.g. rm [file] [file]
$ rm -i [file] Remove with confirmation
$ rm -r [dir] Remove a directory and contents
$ rm -f [file] Force removal without confirmation
$ rm -i [file] Will display prompt before
$ cp [file] [newfile] Copy file to file
$ cp [file] [dir] Copy file to directory
$ mv [file] [new filename] Move/Rename, e.g. mv -v [file] [dir]

Directory Management

Prompt Description
$ mkdir [dir] Create new directory
$ mkdir -p [dir]/[dir] Create nested directories
$ rmdir [dir] Remove directory ( only operates on empty directories )
$ rm -R [dir] Remove directory and contents

Pipes - Allows to combine multiple commands that generate output

Prompt Description
$ more Output content delivered in screen-size chunks
$ > [file] Push output to file, keep in mind it will get overwritten
$ >> [file] Append output to existing file
$ < Tell command to read content from a file

Help

Prompt Description
$ [command] -h Offers help
$ [command] --help Offers help
$ [command] help Offers help
$ reset Resets the terminal display
$ man [command] Show the help for 'command'
$ whatis [command] Gives a one-line description of 'command'