mac terminal commands for working with text files

It simply means that the rest of the line is a command rather than a sentence.

The $ is a symbol commonly used to indicate the command line. Here is how to use the cd utility to navigate to the documents directory of your computer.įrom your terminal window type this command: Using the utility “cd” or “Change directory,” you can navigate to a different folder or “directory” in your computer. The terminal typically opens to the home directory of your computer. Here is an example of a command that you would type into the command line: The utility is always first in the command, with the flag and argument following depending on their rules. Aside from its development-related purposes, the command line is an excellent tool for automating actions, scripting, and a host of other things that are typically faster than doing them in Finder.Īll commands have three parts: the utility, the flags, and the arguments. The command line is the actual line in a console where you type your command. Now That You’re In, Let’s Use the Command Line The terminal is used to execute commands that allow you to complete a certain task. Keep in mind that you cannot access source code through a terminal. You can enter commands after the command prompt. “ ComputerName : CurrentDirectory Username $” Open Finder > Applications > Utilities > TerminalĪ Terminal displays a command prompt, ending with “$”, in the form of: The terminal is the actual interface to the console that allows you can type and execute text-based commands. This makes the command line much more flexible than a graphical interface, which is what makes it so handy for developers.

The command line is used to enter commands to the operating system instead of a graphical user interface (GUI). The command line can seem intimidating when you first access it, but once you start using it regularly, you’ll quickly start to learn how to utilize this powerful tool.

Prepare to add another nifty tool to your bucket today-the terminal and command line.

As a budding developer, you should constantly look for tips, tricks, and resources to make programming more efficient.

Mac terminal commands for working with text files