For aspiring coders, mastering the basics of terminal commands can significantly streamline the development process when starting a new project.
Using the Mac Terminal to set up a new coding project may seem tricky, but with a few simple steps, you’ll have a clean workspace ready for your code.
Here’s a beginner-friendly guide to get you started:
Step #1: Ensure VSCode Is Installed
Before diving into the terminal, make sure you have Visual Studio Code (VSCode) installed.
This powerful code editor will be your primary tool for writing and managing code.
You can download it from the official website and follow the installation instructions to get it up and running.
Step #2: Open The Terminal
The Terminal is your gateway to command-line operations.
Open it by searching for Terminal in Spotlight (⌘+Space) or finding it in the Applications > Utilities folder. This will bring up a command-line interface where you can execute commands to manage your projects.
Step #3: Navigate To Where You Want To Save Your Project
Use the cd command to change directories to the location where you want to create your project.
For example, typing cd Documents/Projects will navigate you to the "Projects" folder within your "Documents" directory.
To check what folders are currently available in the current directory, you can use the ls command to bring up a list.
Step #4: Make A Project Directory
Create a new directory for your project with the mkdir command.
For instance, mkdir MyNewProject will make a folder named "MyNewProject" in your current directory. This directory will house all the files related to your coding project.
Step #5: Enter The Project Directory And Load VSCode
Switch to your new project directory using cd MyNewProject, then open VSCode with code .. This command launches VSCode in the context of your new project folder, ready for you to start coding.
Starting new projects should be free and low on friction. The steps above have provided me with a fun way to start a project without requiring a click of the mouse!