iTerm2 Terminal

Comprehensive iTerm2 shortcuts and workflows for enhanced terminal productivity on macOS.

Basic Navigation

Shortcut	Description
Cmd+T	New Tab
Cmd+W	Close Tab
Cmd+Shift+]	Next Tab
Cmd+Shift+[	Previous Tab
Cmd+1-9	Go to Tab 1-9
Cmd+D	Split Pane Vertically
Cmd+Shift+D	Split Pane Horizontally
Cmd+]	Next Pane
Cmd+[	Previous Pane
Cmd+Option+Arrow	Navigate Between Panes
Cmd+Shift+Enter	Maximize/Restore Pane

Window Management

Shortcut	Description
Cmd+N	New Window
Cmd+Shift+W	Close Window
Cmd+Option+H	Hide Other Windows
Cmd+M	Minimize Window
Cmd+Enter	Toggle Full Screen
Cmd+Shift+T	Reopen Last Closed Tab
Cmd+I	Open Window Info

Text Selection and Editing

Shortcut	Description
Double-click	Select Word
Triple-click	Select Line
Cmd+A	Select All
Cmd+C	Copy
Cmd+V	Paste
Cmd+Shift+V	Paste Special
Cmd+Option+V	Paste Selection
Cmd+F	Find
Cmd+G	Find Next
Cmd+Shift+G	Find Previous
Option+Click	Move Cursor to Click Position

Search and History

Shortcut	Description
Cmd+F	Open Search
Cmd+Option+F	Open Search with Selection
Cmd+R	Clear Screen
Cmd+K	Clear Screen and Scrollback
Cmd+Shift+H	Show Command History
Cmd+;	Show Autocomplete
Cmd+Shift+;	Show Command History

Profiles and Preferences

Shortcut	Description
Cmd+,	Open Preferences
Cmd+Option+,	Open Profile Preferences
Cmd+U	Use Transparency
Cmd+Option+B	Show Background Image

Advanced Features

Shortcut	Description
Cmd+Shift+A	Select Output of Last Command
Cmd+Option+A	Select All Output
Cmd+Shift+S	Save Selection
Cmd+Option+E	Expose All Tabs
Cmd+Option+I	Open Quickly
Cmd+Shift+O	Open Quickly with Selection

Marks and Annotations

Shortcut	Description
Cmd+Shift+M	Set Mark
Cmd+Shift+J	Jump to Mark
Cmd+Option+M	Show Marks
Cmd+Shift+A	Select to Mark

Hotkey Window

Shortcut	Description
Option+Space	Show/Hide Hotkey Window (configurable)
Cmd+Option+0	Toggle Hotkey Window

Terminal Commands Integration

Command	Description
imgcat image.png	Display image in terminal
it2dl filename	Download file from remote server
it2ul filename	Upload file to remote server
it2check	Check iTerm2 integration

Configuration Tips

Profile Setup

# Set up custom profile
# Go to Preferences > Profiles > General
# Configure colors, fonts, and behavior

# Import/Export profiles
# Preferences > Profiles > Other Actions > Import/Export

Shell Integration

# Install shell integration
curl -L https://iterm2.com/shell_integration/install_shell_integration_and_utilities.sh | bash

# Add to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bash_profile
source ~/.iterm2_shell_integration.zsh

Custom Key Bindings

# Configure in Preferences > Profiles > Keys
# Add custom key bindings for frequently used commands
# Example: Cmd+Shift+R for "clear && ls -la"

Productivity Workflows

Multi-Pane Development

# Split terminal for development workflow
# Pane 1: Code editor (vim/nano)
# Pane 2: File watcher/build process
# Pane 3: Git operations
# Pane 4: Server/application logs

Session Management

# Use tmux with iTerm2 for session persistence
tmux new-session -d -s development
tmux split-window -h
tmux split-window -v
tmux attach-session -t development

Quick Commands

# Set up aliases in ~/.zshrc
alias ll="ls -la"
alias gs="git status"
alias gp="git push"
alias gc="git commit -m"
alias ..="cd .."
alias ...="cd ../.."

Best Practices

Performance Optimization

• Limit scrollback buffer size for better performance
• Use GPU rendering when available
• Disable unnecessary visual effects
• Configure appropriate refresh rates

Security

• Use secure shell (SSH) with key authentication
• Configure session timeout for sensitive environments
• Use separate profiles for different security contexts
• Enable secure keyboard entry for password input

Customization

• Create profiles for different development environments
• Use color schemes that reduce eye strain
• Configure appropriate font sizes and families
• Set up custom status bars and badges

Workflow Integration

• Integrate with version control systems
• Use shell integration features
• Configure automatic profile switching
• Set up custom triggers and alerts