The flag always appears after the command.

For example, the -R flag applies a command recursively so that it applies to a directory, all files and folders within that particular directory, all files and folders inside those folders, and so on. Most commands can be appended with a flag in the form of a hyphen and a letter to access different functions. When we’re done, you might want to learn how to lock your Mac from the Terminal, or even how to shut it down with a simple command. These will be familiar to you if you’ve ever used the Linux command line, too. We’ll cover some of the most basic Mac terminal commands here. Cut, copy, and paste all work as expected, and you can drag any file or folder into the Terminal window to immediately skip to that directory. You can open multiple tabs with Command+T or a new Terminal window with Command+N. Many of the shortcuts that you use in other apps will work here. Launch Terminal by finding it in the Utilities folder or by searching for it using Spotlight, and then familiarize yourself with the interface. This is how you execute commands on your Mac using the command line.

Your Mac comes with an app called Terminal under Applications > Utilities. You might even discover that you enjoy working in a command-line environment! Use Terminal to Execute Commands Are you afraid of the Mac command line? Learning a few simple commands can help you build your confidence and shed that fear.

How to open mac terminal application