macOS Handbook

Beginner

Get comfortable with macOS beyond the basics. Learn keyboard-first navigation, Spotlight, and your first Terminal commands.

1. Keyboard-First macOS

   Stop reaching for the mouse. Learn every system shortcut worth knowing, configure keyboard navigation, and use Spotlight for everything.

   ~1 week

2. Your First Day in Terminal

   Navigate the file system, understand the shell, and install Homebrew. The foundation for everything developer-related on macOS.

   ~1 week

3. System Preferences That Actually Matter

   macOS ships with suboptimal defaults. Learn which system settings meaningfully improve privacy, performance, and usability.

   ~1 week

Intermediate

Take ownership of your environment: configure your shell, manage dotfiles, and automate repetitive tasks.

1. Shell Mastery

   Configure zsh with custom prompts (Starship), plugins (zsh-autosuggestions, zsh-syntax-highlighting), and aliases that cut real time from your workflow.

   ~2 weeks

2. Dotfiles and System Reproducibility

   Version-control your configuration files so any new Mac is set up in minutes. Use Homebrew Bundle to capture all your installed apps.

   ~2 weeks

3. Window Management & Launcher Apps

   Replace macOS window management with Aerospace or Yabai for tiling. Replace Spotlight with Raycast for a programmable launcher.

   ~2 weeks

Advanced

Automation, system internals, and iOS app development cross-pollination.

1. macOS Automation at Scale

   Combine Shortcuts, AppleScript, JXA (JavaScript for Automation), and shell scripts to eliminate repetitive workflows entirely.

   ~2 weeks

2. macOS Internals

   launchd, dylibs, the sandbox model, and how macOS boots. Understanding the internals helps debug bizarre behavior and write better software for the platform.

   ~2 weeks

3. Apple Silicon & Universal Development

   ARM architecture implications, Rosetta 2, and building native Apple Silicon software. Cross-compilation and performance optimization for M-series chips.

   ~2 weeks

Is Homebrew safe to use?

Yes. Homebrew is the de facto package manager for macOS. Formulae (CLI tools) are installed from GitHub and are community-reviewed. Casks (GUI applications) install the same .dmg files you would download manually. Homebrew itself does not require root for installation or package management — a significant security advantage over many alternatives.

Should I use zsh or fish?

zsh is the macOS default and the right choice for most people — it has the widest plugin ecosystem, POSIX compatibility (unlike fish), and is configured on every remote server you will ever SSH into. Fish's auto-suggestions are excellent but can be replicated with zsh-autosuggestions. Use zsh and invest time in its configuration.

What window manager should I use?

Aerospace is the current best option for tiling on macOS — it is lightweight, configured in TOML, and works reliably across macOS updates without requiring System Integrity Protection to be disabled (unlike Yabai's advanced features). Rectangle Pro is excellent for simpler snapping behavior. Raycast includes window management that covers 80% of use cases for free.

Is it worth upgrading to macOS Sequoia?

For most users, yes — especially on Apple Silicon where performance and battery improvements are meaningful. However, check that your professional applications (especially audio/video production tools and virtualization software) have updated for Sequoia compatibility. Always wait 2-4 weeks after the .0 release for hotfixes before upgrading a primary work machine.

How do I set up a proper dev environment on a new Mac?

The canonical modern setup: install Xcode Command Line Tools first (xcode-select --install), then Homebrew, then use a Brewfile to install all your packages and casks in one command. Manage your shell config with dotfiles in a Git repo. Use mise or asdf for runtime version management (Node, Python, Ruby). The full guide is in our developer setup article.