The command line
The terminal is just a text box where you type a command and the computer does it. You only need a handful of moves — here they are, to look up whenever you need them.
Want to feel this in action rather than read it? Academy: Working with an AI agent →
Opening it
| System | How |
|---|---|
| macOS | Press ⌘+Space, type Terminal, hit Enter. |
| Windows | Start menu → type Terminal (or PowerShell) → open. |
| Linux | Ctrl+Alt+T, or search "Terminal". |
You'll see a prompt — a line ending in $ (or %) waiting for you to type. That's it asking "what next?".
The moves you actually need
| Do this | Type |
|---|---|
| See where you are | pwd (print working directory) |
| List what's here | ls |
| Go into a folder | cd foldername |
| Go up one folder | cd .. |
| Run a command | type it, press Enter |
| Stop something running | Ctrl+C |
| Repeat the last command | ↑ (up arrow), then Enter |
The one habit that matters
When a command prints a lot of text — or an error — you don't read it all. You copy the whole thing and paste it to your AI agent with "what does this mean / fix this". The agent reads it far faster than you.
Select the entire last result and copy it — macOS Terminal: ⌘+⇧+A then ⌘+C. Clear the screen between tries: Ctrl+L. Full list: Keyboard shortcuts.
Reading the prompt
A command has three parts: the tool, its options, and what it acts on. In brew install git — brew is the tool, install the action, git the thing. You rarely type these from memory; the agent gives them to you, you paste and run.
Something errored? Academy: Reading errors without fear →