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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 folder path
bash Bourne-Again SHell (Linux)
bless Set volume bootability and startup disk options.
break Exit from a loop

c
cal Display a calendar
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
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
defaults Set preferences
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
ditto Copy files and folders
dot_clean Remove dot-underscore files
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 Stop or start printers and classes.
env Set environment and run a utility
eval Evaluate several commands/arguments
exec Execute a command
exit Exit the shell
expect Programmed dialogue with interactive programs
Also see AppleScript
expand Convert tabs to spaces
expr Evaluate expressions

f
false Do nothing, unsuccessfully
fdisk Partition table manipulator for Darwin UFS/HFS/DOS
find Search for files that meet a desired criteria
fmt Reformat paragraph text
fold Wrap text to fit a specified width
for Expand words, and execute commands
foreach Loop, expand words, and execute commands
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
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
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
kill Stop a process from running

l
l List files in long format (ls -l)
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
ln Make links between files (hard links, symbolic links)
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)
lsbom List a bill of materials file
lsof List open files

m
man Help manual
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
networksetup Network and System Preferences
nice Set the priority of a command
nohup Run a command immune to hangups

o
onintr Control the action of a shell interrupt
open Open a file/folder/URL/Application
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 List installed packages
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.
repeat Execute a command multiple times
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
sched Schedule a command to run at a later time.
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
set Set a shell variable = value
setenv Set an environment variable = value
setfile Set attributes of HFS+ files
shift Shift positional parameters
shutdown Shutdown or restart OS X
sleep Delay for a specified time
softwareupdate System software update tool
sort Sort text files
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
switch Conditionally perform a command
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
time Measure Program Resource Use
touch Change file timestamps
traceroute Trace Route to Host
tr Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters
true Do nothing, successfully
tty Print filename of terminal on stdin
type Describe a command

u
umask Users file creation mask
umount 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
unsetenv Remove environment variable
users Print login names of users currently logged in
uuencode Encode a binary file
uudecode Decode a file created by uuencode

v
vi Text Editor

w
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 Execute commands
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