macOS cheat sheet

terminalje t'aime

~/ $ every command you actually need

terminal je t'aime is a free macOS terminal command cheat sheet featuring 88 essential commands across 12 categories — navigation, file management, view content, search, permissions, processes, networking, archiving, system, Git, JavaScript/Node, and macOS-specific tools. Designed for developers who want fast, keyboard-driven access to the commands they actually use. Press / to search, click any row to copy. Last updated: May 2026.

/ press /
no results for ""
🗂

Files & Folders

8
touch [file]Create empty file
mkdir [dir]Create directory
mkdir -pCreate nested dirs
cp a bCopy file a to b
cp -rCopy directory recursively
mv a bMove or rename
rm [file]Delete file
rm -rfDelete folder — careful!
👁

View Content

7
cat [file]Print file contents
less [file]Scroll through file
head [file]First 10 lines
tail [file]Last 10 lines
tail -fFollow live output
open .Open folder in Finder
open [file]Open with default app
🔍

Search

6
grep "x" fileSearch text in file
grep -rSearch recursively
grep -iCase-insensitive search
find . -nameFind files by name
find . -type fFind only files
which [cmd]Find command location
🔐

Permissions

5
chmod 755 [file]Set permissions
chmod +x [file]Make executable
chown user [file]Change owner
sudo [cmd]Run as superuser
sudo !!Re-run last cmd as sudo
⚙️

Processes

7
ps auxList all processes
topLive process viewer
kill [pid]Kill by process ID
kill -9 [pid]Force kill
killall [app]Kill by name
ctrl + CStop running process
ctrl + ZSuspend process
🌐

Network

7
ping [host]Ping a host
curl [url]Fetch URL content
curl -O [url]Download file
wget [url]Download file
ifconfigNetwork interfaces
netstat -anActive connections
ssh user@hostConnect via SSH
📦

Archives

4
tar -czfCreate .tar.gz
tar -xzfExtract .tar.gz
zip -r archive folderZip folder
unzip [file]Extract zip
💻

System

8
uname -aSystem info
df -hDisk usage
du -sh *Folder sizes
free -hMemory usage
historyCommand history
clearClear terminal
echo [text]Print text
dateCurrent date & time
🌿

Git Essentials

8
git initInit new repo
git clone [url]Clone repository
git statusWorking tree status
git add .Stage all changes
git commit -m ""Commit with message
git pushPush to remote
git pullPull from remote
git log --onelineCompact history
⬢

JavaScript / Node

10
node [file]Run JavaScript file
node -vShow Node version
npm init -yCreate package.json
npm installInstall dependencies
npm install [pkg]Install a package
npm install -D [pkg]Install as dev dependency
npm run [script]Run a package script
npm outdatedList outdated dependencies
npx [pkg]Run package without installing
npx expo start --clearExpo: start dev server & clear cache
🍎

macOS

11
pbcopyCopy stdin to clipboard
pbpastePaste clipboard to stdout
open -a "App"Open app by name
mdfind "query"Spotlight search from CLI
caffeinatePrevent sleep
caffeinate -t [sec]Prevent sleep for N seconds
say "text"Text-to-speech
defaults read [domain]Read app preference
launchctl listList launch agents
softwareupdate -lCheck for macOS updates
networksetup -listallhardwareportsList Wi-Fi & network interfaces
About

A focused macOS terminal reference

terminal je t'aime is hand-curated — every command earns its place. Instead of dumping the entire man page index on you, it covers the 88 commands developers actually reach for on macOS day to day: navigation, file ops, Git, network, archives, permissions, JavaScript/Node tooling, and macOS-specific commands like pbcopy, mdfind, and caffeinate. No ads, no signup, no tracking — just a fast single-page reference with instant search and one-click copy.

88
Curated commands

Every command is picked for daily developer use, not encyclopedic completeness.

12
Categories

From navigation and Git to networking, archives, and macOS-only tools.

0
Trackers · ads · signup

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Authoritative sources

Commands and behaviors documented here are verified against the canonical sources below. Defer to these for edge cases and version-specific flags.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is terminal je t'aime?

terminal je t'aime is a free, curated macOS terminal command cheat sheet featuring 88 essential commands across 12 categories. It is designed for developers who want fast, keyboard-driven access to the commands they actually use, with instant search and one-click copy to clipboard.

How do I search for a command?

Press / anywhere on the page to focus the search box, then type a command name or description in plain English. Results filter live as you type. Press Esc to clear and unfocus.

How do I copy a command?

Click anywhere on a command row — a green flash confirms the copy. You can also click the dedicated copy button on the right. The command is placed on your system clipboard, ready to paste into your terminal.

Is terminal je t'aime free?

Yes. terminal je t'aime is completely free, has no ads, requires no signup, and uses no tracking scripts. It is served from a lightweight Node.js / Express backend deployed on Railway.

How do I copy text to the macOS clipboard from the terminal?

Pipe any output into pbcopy. For example: echo "hello" | pbcopy places the string on your clipboard. To go the other direction, pbpaste prints the current clipboard contents to stdout.

How do I prevent my Mac from sleeping from the terminal?

Run caffeinate to keep your Mac awake until you press Ctrl+C. To prevent sleep for a specific duration, use caffeinate -t [seconds], e.g. caffeinate -t 3600 for an hour.

How do I search file contents from the terminal on macOS?

Use grep "pattern" file for a single file, grep -r "pattern" . to recurse through a directory, and grep -i for case-insensitive matching. For Spotlight-style search across the whole disk, use mdfind "query".

What's the difference between grep -r and find?

grep -r searches inside file contents for matching text. find searches for files themselves by name, type, or attribute — e.g. find . -name "*.js". Use grep when you want to find text; use find when you want to locate files.