Do you find yourself constantly switching between the mouse and keyboard while using your Mac? Are you looking to increase your productivity and efficiency by mastering the Command Line Interface (CLI)? If so, you have come to the right place! In this guide, we will walk you through the basics of using CLI apps on your Mac, including how to navigate the CLI, install packages, and customize your terminal.
Getting Started: Navigating the CLI
Before we dive into more advanced CLI commands, it is essential to understand how to navigate the terminal. Here are some basic commands to get you started:
Directory Navigation
cd– Change to a directoryls– List contents of a directoryls -a– List all contents, including hidden filespwd– Print current working directory
For example, to navigate to your Documents directory, you would type cd Documents in the terminal. To list all contents of that directory, you would type ls.
File Management
touch– Create a new filemkdir– Create a new directoryrm– Delete a file or directoryrm -r– Delete a directory and its contents
To create a new file called “example.txt” in your Documents directory, you would type touch Documents/example.txt. To delete that file, you would type rm Documents/example.txt.
Installing and Managing Packages with Homebrew
Homebrew is a popular package manager for macOS that allows you to easily install, update, and manage command-line tools and applications. Here is how to get started with Homebrew:
Installing Homebrew
To install Homebrew, open the terminal and enter the following command:
/usr/bin/ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"
This will download and install Homebrew onto your system.
Installing an Application with Homebrew
To install an application using Homebrew, use the following syntax:
brew install [application name]
For example, to install the popular text editor “nano,” you would enter the following command: brew install nano
Upgrading and Managing Packages with Homebrew
To upgrade all packages installed with Homebrew, you can enter the following command:
brew update && brew upgrade
To uninstall a package, simply enter brew uninstall [application name].
Customizing Your Terminal
The default terminal on macOS may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but fear not, as there are various ways to customize it to your liking. Here are a few common customizations:
Changing the Terminal Theme
To change the terminal theme, open Terminal and go to “Preferences” through the menu. From there, select “Profiles” and choose the profile you want to customize. Click on “Colors” and choose the theme you want to use.
Add a Custom Prompt
You can customize your terminal prompt to show information such as your current directory or git branch. To do this, you will need to edit the Bash profile.
Open Terminal and enter the following command to edit the profile:
nano ~/.bash_profile
From there, you can add various commands to customize your prompt. For example, to include the current directory in your prompt, add the following line:
export PS1="W$ "
Concluding Thoughts on Using CLI Apps on Mac
While using the Command Line Interface may seem intimidating at first, it can greatly increase your productivity and efficiency once you get the hang of it. By mastering the basics of CLI navigation, package management with Homebrew, and terminal customization, you will be able to take your Mac usage to the next level.
FAQs about Using CLI Apps on Mac
What are some essential CLI commands to know on a Mac?
Some essential CLI commands include: cd for navigating directories, ls for listing files and directories, and touch and mkdir for creating files and directories.
How do I open the terminal on a Mac?
To open the terminal on a Mac, go to “Finder” and then “Applications.” From there, select “Utilities” and then “Terminal.”
What is Homebrew, and why should I use it?
Homebrew is a popular package manager for macOS that allows you to easily install, update, and manage command-line tools and applications. You should use it because it simplifies the installation and management of packages, making it easy to keep your tools up-to-date.
