
Terminal: This is the actual interface to the console. After the prompt is where you will be typing commands. It usually provides some contextual information like who you are, where you are and other useful info. Prompt: This is the beginning of the command line. This is both the command line as well as the output from previous commands.Ĭommand Line: This is the actual line in a console where you type your command. I like to launch terminal by using Spotlight search in OS X, searching for “terminal”.Ĭonsole: This is the system as a whole. On OS X, open your Applications folder, then open the Utilities folder. So what we need to do is open the terminal.
UNIX ON MAC HOW TO
How to use Terminal to open the command lineīefore you can use it, you need to be able to find it.


For the most part they may be scanning for some key words, but mostly they are just waiting for it to stop.Ĭheck out our full library of learning courses. In fact, when you see an experienced user looking at a terminal that is scrolling line after line of text faster than you can even read it, they aren’t really reading it either. When you read some instructions that tell you to open up a terminal window and type some cryptic words and phrases, it can seem like you’ve been sucked into the matrix, expected to decrypt an endless stream of indecipherable characters.įear not, it’s really not that difficult to use. The command line can be a scary place when you first encounter it. Because of OSX’s unix heritage, much of the info here is also useful in other unix inspired systems, like the Linux command line. Guhan.This is a command line tutorial primarily conducted in in the OS X command line. So maybe that is why I prefer systems where everything is ready to go. In the "olden" days it used to be a nightmare - we had to solve dependencies, edit header files, and do a lot of praying. Today, installing packages is a breeze using Linux tools such as yum, apt-get, or up2date. I like systems where I have everything already available. Depending on the language you are programming in, you will most likely find the compiler already on the Mac (like gcc, g++, javac). You also have access to editors such as Emacs and vi on the Mac, both come as part of the base install. If you become proficient at bash you can hold your own in the UNIX world. You can get to know the nuances of bash right on your Mac running OS X.
UNIX ON MAC MAC OS X
I can tell you first hand it matters little what flavor you use if you are new to the UNIX world.īoth Mac OS X and different distributions on Linux provide bash. I have used a variety of UNIX flavors including Solaris, FreeBSD, HP-UX, Linux, and OS X. Maybe someday I will be able to write code that saves you LOTS of time =). I'm sorry if you feel like you killed 5 minutes of your life, and want them back. Thank you for taking the time to read my post. Any advice regarding these questions, or good advice to have on the path and where(ish) the path should be pointed would be helpful? I don't really know what I'm talking about lol, but, I hope you know what I am trying to say.
UNIX ON MAC 64 BIT
I am using a 64 bit intel mac, should I stick with Ubuntu Linux (I have to work out a lot of driver issues), or try Solaris 10? I want it to be a challenging OS that forces me to face more code (not so much GUI, and automated everything). I am fiercely interested in programming, and am learning C++ and Python at the moment.Īnyways, everyone has been telling me if I want to really learn programming I need to switch to Unix or Linux. Basically I'm looking for advice on what OS I should learn with.

UNIX ON MAC INSTALL
I know how to install Unix or Linux on my Mac using bootcamp, I installed the Ubuntu distribution of Linux on my Mac.
