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Working with Terminals (Foundations)

Introduction to the terminal (also called the command line or shell).

Terminals are a professional tool used across operating systems to run commands, navigate folders, and launch programs.

These basics apply to Windows, macOS, and Linux.

What Is a Terminal?

A terminal is a text-based interface where you type commands and see results.

Common terminals by platform:

  • Windows: PowerShell
  • macOS: Terminal (zsh)
  • Linux: Terminal (bash or similar)

We differentiate:

  • a machine terminal (opened directly on the computer)
  • a VS Code terminal (opened inside the VS Code editor)

Both behave the same for the commands shown here.

How to Open a Terminal

On Your Machine

  • Windows: Start Menu → PowerShell
  • macOS: Applications → Utilities → Terminal
  • Linux: Applications → Terminal

In VS Code

  • Use the menu: Terminal → New Terminal

The Current Folder Matters

Terminal commands always run in a current folder (also called the working directory). Many errors happen when commands are run in the wrong folder.

Know where you are before running commands.

Essential Cross-Platform Commands

The following commands work the same on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

pwd - Where am I?

Prints the full path of the current folder.

pwd

Use this to confirm you are in the expected directory.

ls - List Contents

Lists files and folders in the current directory.

ls

Use this to check for files like README.md or project folders.

cd - Change directory

Moves into another folder.

cd folder_name

Use ls first to see available folder names.

code . - Open VS Code Here

Opens VS Code in the current folder.

code .

This is the recommended way to open projects. It ensures VS Code, the terminal, and the project are aligned.

clear - Clear the screen

Clears previous output from the terminal.

clear

This does not delete files or undo commands. It only makes the terminal easier to read.

Suggestions

  1. Use pwd to confirm where you are
  2. Use ls to see folder contents
  3. Use code . to open the project
  4. Use clear to keep the terminal readable

Terminal commands are reliable and often save time and help prevent mistakes.