macOS Utilities

Platform-specific power

macOS-specific utilities that make the platform shine. These only load on macOS systems.

Application Shortcuts

Quick access to common apps:

Alias	Application
code	Visual Studio Code
subl	Sublime Text
preview	Preview.app
xcode	Xcode
finder	Finder
chrome	Google Chrome
safari	Safari
warp	Warp terminal

Open apps from the command line. code . to open VS Code in current directory.

Finder Integration

finder — Open in Finder

Open directories in Finder:

finder .           # Open current directory
finder ~/Downloads # Open specific path

The macOS bridge between terminal and GUI.

ql — Quick Look

Preview files without opening them:

ql image.png      # Preview image
ql document.pdf   # Preview PDF
ql video.mp4      # Preview video

Works with any file type that Quick Look supports (which is most things).

Hidden Files Toggle

showfiles         # Show hidden files in Finder
hidefiles         # Hide them again

Useful when you need to see .git or .env files in Finder.

Clipboard

clip — Copy to Clipboard

Multiple input methods:

echo "text" | clip       # Pipe to clipboard
clip "direct text"       # Direct argument
cat file.txt | clip      # File contents
pwd | clip               # Current directory path

Wrapper around pbcopy that's easier to remember.

paste — Paste from Clipboard

Alias for pbpaste:

paste                    # Output clipboard
paste > file.txt         # Save clipboard to file

copy-path — Copy File Path

Copy absolute path of a file:

copy-path file.txt
# Copies: /Users/bliss/project/file.txt

Perfect for sharing file locations.

System Control

Volume

mute              # Mute audio
unmute            # Unmute
set-volume 50     # Set to 50%
set-volume 100    # Maximum volume

Control audio without touching the volume keys.

Display

toggle-dark-mode  # Switch between light and dark mode

Instant theme switching.

Network

flushdns          # Flush DNS cache
wifi-name         # Get current WiFi SSID

flushdns fixes "this site can't be reached" 90% of the time.

System Info

macversion        # Show macOS version
battery           # Battery status (see System docs for detailed version)
list-devices      # USB/Bluetooth/Thunderbolt devices

Screenshots

macOS screenshot utilities:

screenshot-area           # Select area, save to file
screenshot-area-clipboard # Select area, copy to clipboard
screenshot-screen         # Full screen to file
screenshot-window         # Select window to file
screenshot-location       # Get/set default save location

More convenient than remembering keyboard shortcuts.

Screen Recording

screen-record output.mov      # Record screen to file
gif-from-recording video.mov  # Convert to GIF (requires ffmpeg)

Record screencasts from the terminal.

Homebrew Services

brew-services — Interactive Manager

Interactive service management with fzf:

brew-services
# fzf selection of brew services
# Shows running/stopped status
# Select to toggle state

No more remembering service names.

Direct Commands

brew-services-list    # List all Homebrew services
brew-start postgres   # Start a service
brew-stop postgres    # Stop a service
brew-restart postgres # Restart a service

Manage databases, web servers, and other brew services.

App Store (mas)

Requires mas:

app-search "Xcode"    # Search Mac App Store
app-install 497799835 # Install by ID (get ID from search)
app-list              # List installed App Store apps

Install App Store apps from the terminal. Great for automation.

Developer Tools

xcode-select-install  # Install Command Line Tools
vsc                   # Open VS Code in current directory

vsc is an alias for code .—muscle memory friendly.

Security

unquarantine — Remove Quarantine Flag

Remove the "downloaded from internet" flag:

unquarantine MyApp.app
# Removes quarantine attribute
# App can now run without security prompt

Useful for apps from unofficial sources. Use responsibly.

DMG Handling

extract-dmg — Mount & Extract

Mount a DMG, copy contents, unmount:

extract-dmg installer.dmg
# Mounts the DMG
# Copies contents to current directory
# Unmounts automatically

Automates DMG extraction workflow.

Karabiner Elements

Keyboard customization config in macos/karabiner.json:

• Caps Lock → Escape (tap) / Control (hold)
• Enhanced text editing shortcuts
• Custom application-specific shortcuts

See the karabiner.json config for full mappings.

Yabai Window Management

Tiling window manager (requires SIP disable on some macOS versions):

# Start/stop yabai
yabai --start-service
yabai --stop-service

# Config in macos/yabairc

Auto-tile windows like a Linux WM. Game-changer for productivity.

skhd Hotkeys

Keyboard shortcuts for Yabai and other system control:

# Start/stop skhd
skhd --start-service
skhd --stop-service

# Config in macos/skhdrc

Common default bindings:

• alt + h/j/k/l — Focus windows (vim-style)
• shift + alt + h/j/k/l — Move windows
• alt + 1-9 — Switch to space (desktop) 1-9
• alt + f — Toggle fullscreen
• alt + r — Rotate window tree

Check macos/skhdrc for full bindings.

Pro Tips

Learn Quick Look: ql is faster than opening files. Use it for quick file inspection.

Homebrew services: Keep databases (postgres, redis) managed by brew. Easy start/stop/restart.

Clipboard fu: Pipe command output to clip, edit in your editor, paste back. Super workflow.

Dark mode toggle: Map toggle-dark-mode to a keyboard shortcut for instant theme switching.

Flush DNS regularly: After changing network settings or having connection issues. flushdns is magic.

Yabai + skhd: If you're serious about window management, learn these. Vim-style window navigation is addictive.

Use mas for automation: Script your App Store installs. Great for setting up new machines.

Karabiner for keyboard customization: Caps Lock as Escape/Control is life-changing. Never go back to normal caps lock.