Guide
Command Line Essentials
Understand PowerShell (Windows), Terminal for macOS (zsh), and Linux shells. Navigate, manage files, and run projects confidently.
Pick Your Shell: Windows: PowerShell; macOS: Terminal with zsh; Linux: bash or zsh. Use the default first, then customise once you’re comfortable.
Navigate: Use pwd to know where you are; ls to list files; cd to move around. Tab completion speeds up typing paths.
Manage Files: mkdir to create folders; touch/new-item to create files; mv/cp to move/copy; rm to remove (be careful with -rf). Watch for spaces in paths.
Project Basics: Run npm/yarn scripts from project root. For Python, use venv. Keep .env for secrets and add it to .gitignore.
Git on the CLI: Check status, add files, commit with a clear message, pull/push regularly. Use branches for features.
Quality of Life: Add aliases/functions to your shell config; use package managers (winget/choco, brew, apt) to install tools; optional prompts (Starship/Oh My Zsh) to show Git status.
Safety: Double-check destructive commands; consider trash utilities. Keep backups. Avoid running scripts you don’t trust. Use 2FA for package hosts and GitHub.