Mac Terminal Shortcuts

February 6th, 2008

Here are some useful shortcuts for getting around the mac terminal. The first table applies to the Leopard terminal.

Key Description
⌘ + N Create a new shell window
⌘ + T Create a new shell tab
⌘ + ` Next Terminal window
⌘ + ~ Previous Terminal window
⌘ + } Next Terminal tab
⌘ + { Previous Terminal tab
⌘ + W Close window or tab

Most consoles should support these shortcuts:

Key Description
Ctrl-A Move the cursor to the beginning of the command line.
Ctrl-B Move the cursor back one character.
Ctrl-C Break out of the command without any change to the settings.
Ctrl-D Delete the character at the cursor.
Ctrl-E Move the cursor to the end of the command line.
Ctrl-F Move the cursor forward one character.
Ctrl-I Recall a complete command name; same as the Tab key operation.
Ctrl-K Delete all characters from the cursor to the end of the command line
Ctrl-L Redisplay the current command line, same as the Ctrl-R key.
Ctrl-N Recall the most recent command in the command history relative to the current pointer in the history list.
Ctrl-P Recall the oldest command in the command history, beginning with the most recent command.
Ctrl-R Redisplay the current command line; same as Ctrl-L key.
Ctrl-T Transpose the characters to the left of the cursor with the character located at the cursor.
Ctrl-U Delete all characters from the cursor to the beginning of the command line.
Ctrl-V Insert a code to indicate that the immediately following value is a command entry.
Ctrl-W Delete the word to the left of the cursor.
Ctrl-X Delete all characters from the cursor to the beginning of the command line.
Ctrl-Y Recall the most recent entry in the buffer (which contains the last ten items you deleted).
Esc-B Move the cursor back one word.
Esc-C Capitalize the word at the cursor.
Esc-D Delete from the cursor to the end of the word.
Esc-F Move the cursor forward one word.
Esc-L Change the word at the cursor to lowercase.
Esc-Q Insert a code to indicate that the immediately following value is a command entry.
Esc-U Capitalize letters from the cursor to the end of the word.
Esc-Y Recall the next deleted buffer. (Effective after using Ctrl-Y.)

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