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unix/os x command reference

a

  • alias Create an alias
  • alloc List used and free memory
  • apropos Search the whatis database for strings
  • awkFind 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 Display readline key and function bindings
  • bless Set volume bootability and startup disk options.
  • break Exit from a For, While, Until or Select loop
  • builtin Execute a shell builtin
  • bzip Compress or decompress files

c

  • cal Display a calendar
  • caller Return the context of a subroutine call
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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 Dump - Convert and copy a file
  • 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
  • dsconfigad command line version for Active Directory plug in tool.
  • dseditgroup Edit, create, manipulate, or delete groups
  • dsenableroot Enable root access
  • dsmemberutil View user and groups rights
  • dscl Directory Service command line utility
  • du Estimate file space usage

e

  • echo Display message on screen
  • ed A line-oriented text editor (edlin)
  • enable Enable and disable builtin shell commands
  • env Set environment and run a utility
  • eval Evaluate several commands/arguments
  • exec Execute a command
  • exit Exit the shell
  • expand Convert tabs to spaces
  • expect Programmed dialogue with interactive programs
  • Also see AppleScript
  • export Set an environment variable
  • expr Evaluate expressions

f

  • false Do nothing, unsuccessfully
  • fc Fix command (history)
  • fdisk Partition table manipulator for Darwin UFS/HFS/DOS
  • 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
  • fsaclctl Filesystem enable/disable ACL support
  • fs_usage Filesystem usage (process/pathname)
  • ftp Internet file transfer program

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

  • 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
  • info Help info
  • install Copy files and set attributes

j

  • jobs List active jobs
  • join Join lines on a common field

k

  • kextfind List kernel extensions
  • kickstart Configure Apple Remote Desktop
  • kill Stop a process from running

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)
  • lpr Print files
  • lprm Remove jobs from the print queue
  • lpstat 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)
  • more Display output one screen at a time
  • mount Mount a file system
  • mv Move or rename files or directories

n

  • Nano Invariably preceded by sudo, a handy little text editor that cleans up the Unix experience in no small way.
  • net Manage network resources
  • netstat Show network status
  • 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

o

  • onintr Control the action of a shell interrupt
  • open Open a file/folder/URL/Application
  • opensnoop Snoop file opens as they occur
  • 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
  • pico Simple text editor
  • ping Test a network connection
  • 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 Print environment variables
  • printf Format and print data
  • ps Process status
  • pushd Save and then change the current directory
  • pwd Print Working Directory

q

  • 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
  • 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 (also RsyncX)

s

  • say Convert text to audible speech
  • screen Multiplex terminal, run remote shells via ssh
  • 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
  • select Generate a list of items
  • set Set a shell variable = value
  • setfile Set attributes of HFS+ files
  • shift Shift positional parameters
  • shopt Set shell options
  • shutdown Shutdown or restart OS X
  • 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
  • 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
  • suspend Suspend execution of this shell
  • sw_vers Print Mac OS X operating system version
  • system_profiler Report system configuration
  • systemsetup Computer and display system settings

t

  • 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 (Doc,html,rtf)
  • time Measure Program Resource Use
  • times Print shell and shell process times
  • top Display process information
  • touch Change file timestamps
  • tr Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters
  • trap Execute a command when the shell receives a signal
  • traceroute Trace Route to Host
  • true Do nothing, successfully
  • tty Print filename of terminal on stdin
  • type Describe a command

u

  • ufs.util Mount/unmount UFS file system
  • ulimit limit the use of system-wide resources
  • umask Users file creation mask
  • umount Unmount 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
  • until Loop command
  • users Print login names of users currently logged in
  • 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

  • wait Wait for a process to complete
  • wc Print byte, word, and line counts
  • whatis Search the whatis database for complete words
  • where Report all known instances of a command
  • 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
  • yes Print a string until interrupted
  • !! Run the last command again

y

  • Null set

z

  • Null set
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