What is the terminal?
The Terminal app (on Mac) is the native app for interacting with the command line — a text-based interface where you type instructions instead of clicking buttons. On Windows, the equivalent is PowerShell or Command Prompt. Tools like Claude Code are called CLI tools (command line interface tools) because you interact with them through the command line.
Basic terminal commands
Navigation (cd)
cd = "change directory" - think of it as double-clicking folders in Finder
cd folder-name— enter a foldercd ..— go back one level (two dots = "parent folder")cd ~— go to your home folder (tilde = /Users/yourname)cd -— go back to where you just were
Tab completion: Type the first few letters of a folder name, then press Tab to autocomplete. Press Tab twice to see all matching options.
Where am I? (pwd)
pwd = "print working directory" - shows your current location as a full path
What's in this folder? (ls)
ls = "list" - shows files and folders
ls— basic listls -la— detailed view including hidden files (files starting with.)
Clearing the screen (clear)
Just tidies up the terminal - purely visual, doesn't delete anything.
Editing text in the terminal
No need to hold delete forever — these shortcuts save time:
Ctrl+U— delete everything before the cursorCtrl+K— delete everything after the cursorCtrl+W— delete the word before the cursorCtrl+A— jump to the beginning of the lineCtrl+E— jump to the end of the lineCtrl+C— abandon the line entirely, start fresh
Claude Code commands
claude— start Claude Codeclaude .— start Claude Code in the current folder (dot = "here")/help— show available commands/resume— continue a previous conversationEscape— interrupt/cancel current operationCtrl+Ctwice — exit Claude Code