An A-Z Index of the Apple OS X command lines

From Tony Su's Wiki

a

 alias     Create an alias •
 alloc     List used and free memory
 awk       Find 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
 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
 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

 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

 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
 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
 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 & shell process times •
 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
 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