Question
What are the Mac OS X commands that can be run via Terminal.app?
Answer
alias | Create an alias |
alloc | List used and free memory |
awk | Find and Replace text within file(s) |
basename | Convert a full pathname to just a folder path |
bash | Bourne-Again SHell (Linux) |
bless | Set volume bootability and startup disk options. |
break | Exit from a loop |
cal | Display a calendar |
case | Conditionally perform a command |
cat | Display the contents of a file |
cd | Change Directory |
chflags | Change a file or folder's flags. |
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 |
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 |
cut | Divide a file into several parts |
date | Display or change the date and time |
dc | Desk Calculator |
dd | Data Dump: Convert and copy a file |
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 |
ditto | Copy files and folders |
dscl | Directory Service command line utility |
du | Estimate file space usage |
echo | Display message on screen |
ed | A line-oriented text editor (edlin) |
enable | Stop or start printers and classes. |
env | Set environment and run a utility |
eval | Evaluate several commands/arguments |
exec | Execute a command |
exit | Exit the shell |
expect | Programmed dialogue with interactive programs Also see AppleScript |
expand | Convert tabs to spaces |
expr | Evaluate expressions |
false | Do nothing, unsuccessfully |
fdisk | Partition table manipulator for Darwin UFS/HFS/DOS |
find | Search for files that meet a desired criteria |
fmt | Reformat paragraph text |
fold | Wrap text to fit a specified width |
for | Expand words, and execute commands |
foreach | Loop, expand words, and execute commands |
fsck | Filesystem consistency check and repair |
fsaclctl | Filesystem enable/disable ACL support |
fs_usage | Filesystem usage (process/pathname) |
ftp | Internet file transfer program |
GetFileInfo | Get attributes of HFS+ files |
getopt | 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 |
head | Display the first lines of a file |
hdiutil | Manipulate iso disk images |
history | Command History |
hostname | Print or set system name |
id | Print user and group names/IDs |
if | Conditionally perform a command |
info | Help info |
install | Copy files and set attributes |
jobs | List active jobs |
join | Join lines on a common field |
kill | Stop a process from running |
l | List files in long format (ls -l) |
ll | List files in long format, showing invisible files (ls -la) |
less | Display output one screen at a time |
ln | Make links between files (hard links, symbolic links) |
locate | Find files |
logname | Print current login name |
login | log into the computer |
logout | Exit a login shell (bye) |
lpr | Print files |
lprm | Remove jobs from the print queue |
lpstat | Printer status information |
ls | List information about file(s) |
lsbom | List a bill of materials file |
lsof | List open files |
man | Help manual |
mkdir | Create new folder(s) |
mkfifo | Make FIFOs (named pipes) |
more | Display output one screen at a time |
mount | Mount a file system |
mv | Move or rename files or directories |
net | manage network resources |
nice | Set the priority of a command |
nohup | Run a command immune to hangups |
onintr | Control the action of a shell interrupt |
open | Open a file/folder/URL/Application |
osascript | Execute AppleScript |
passwd | Modify a user password |
paste | Merge lines of files |
pbcopy | Copy data to the clipboard |
pbpaste | Paste data from the Clipboard |
pico | Simple text editor |
ping | Test a network connection |
pmset | Power Management settings |
popd | Restore the previous value of the current directory |
pr | Convert text files for printing |
printenv | Print environment variables |
printf | Format and print data |
ps | Process status |
pushd | Save and then change the current directory |
pwd | Print Working Directory |
quota | Display disk usage and limits |
rcp | Copy files between computers. |
repeat | Execute a command multiple times |
rm | Remove files |
rmdir | Remove folder(s) |
rpm | Remote Package Manager |
rsync | Remote file copy - Sync file tree (also RsyncX) |
say | Convert text to audible speech |
sched | Schedule a command to run at a later time. |
screencapture | Capture screen image to file or disk |
sdiff | Merge two files interactively |
security | Administer Keychains, keys, certificates and the Security framework |
sed | Stream Editor |
set | Set a shell variable = value |
setenv | Set an environment variable = value |
setfile | Set attributes of HFS+ files |
shift | Shift positional parameters |
shutdown | Shutdown or restart OS X |
sleep | Delay for a specified time |
softwareupdate | System software update tool |
sort | Sort text files |
split | Split a file into fixed-size pieces |
stop | Stop a job or process |
su | Substitute user identity |
sudo | Execute a command as another user |
sum | Print a checksum for a file |
switch | Conditionally perform a command |
tail | Output the last part of files |
tar | Tape Archiver |
tee | Redirect output to multiple files |
test | Condition evaluation |
textutil | Manipulate text files in various formats |
time | Measure Program Resource Use |
touch | Change file timestamps |
traceroute | Trace Route to Host |
tr | Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters |
true | Do nothing, successfully |
tty | Print filename of terminal on stdin |
type | Describe a command |
umask | Users file creation mask |
umount | a device |
unalias | Remove an alias |
uname | Print system information |
unexpand | Convert spaces to tabs |
uniq | Uniquify files |
units | Convert units from one scale to another |
unset | Remove variable or function names |
unsetenv | Remove environment variable |
users | Print login names of users currently logged in |
uuencode | Encode a binary file |
uudecode | Decode a file created by uuencode |
vi | Text Editor |
wc | Print byte, word, and line counts |
where | Report all known instances of a command |
which | Locate a program file in the user's path |
while | Execute commands |
who | Print all usernames currently logged on |
whoami | Print the current user id and name (`id -un') |
xargs | Execute utility - passing arguments |
yes | Print a string until interrupted |