Moving Around Without Thinking
Your Mac is organized in folders, and Terminal lets you move through them faster than clicking ever could. In this module, you'll learn to navigate your entire computer with just a few keystrokes. No more clicking through Finder windows—you'll know exactly where you are and how to get anywhere instantly.
You're Always Somewhere
In Finder, you can see where you are — the folder window is right there. In Terminal, there's no window. Just a blinking cursor.
But you're still somewhere. Terminal is always "inside" a folder on your Mac, even if you can't see it. This is called your working directory.
See Where You Are
There's one command that tells you exactly where you are:
Type this and press Enter:
pwd
You'll see something like: /Users/yourname
That's your home folder. It's where Terminal starts by default.
What does "pwd" stand for? "Print working directory." It literally prints (displays) the directory (folder) you're currently working in.
Why This Matters
When you run a command, Terminal looks for files in the folder you're currently in. If you're in the wrong folder, your command won't find the files you're looking for.
Think of it like being in your house. If you're in the living room and ask for "the cookbook," you won't find it — it's in the kitchen. Same thing in Terminal.
Key Takeaway
pwd shows you where you are. Use it whenever you're confused about what folder Terminal is looking at.