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sudip khatiwada
sudip khatiwada

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# How to Customize Your macOS Terminal and VS Code for a Productive Workflow (3-Minute Read)

#webdev #terminal #git #vscode

Your tools should work for you, not against you. Yet most developers stick with default Terminal and VS Code setups that slow them down daily. In the next 3 minutes, you'll learn how to transform these essential tools into productivity powerhouses that save you hours every week.

Step 1: Supercharge Your macOS Terminal with Zsh

Switch to Zsh and Install Oh My Zsh

First, upgrade from bash to Zsh (if you haven't already). Think of Zsh as Terminal's smarter cousin—better autocomplete, improved history, and tons of customization options.

# Switch to Zsh as default shell
chsh -s /bin/zsh

# Install Oh My Zsh (like a "theme store" for Terminal)
sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"
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After running these commands, restart Terminal. You'll see a colorful new prompt—that's Oh My Zsh working its magic.

Add a Power Theme

Install Powerlevel10k for a sleek, informative prompt that shows Git status, directory path, and more at a glance:

git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-$HOME/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/themes/powerlevel10k
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Open ~/.zshrc and change the theme line to:

ZSH_THEME="powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k"
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Restart Terminal and follow the configuration wizard. Choose options that show Git branch, execution time, and directory structure.

Create Time-Saving Aliases

Add these productivity boosters to your ~/.zshrc file:

# Navigation shortcuts
alias ll='ls -la'
alias ..='cd ..'
alias ...='cd ../..'

# Git shortcuts (saves 50+ keystrokes daily)
alias gs='git status'
alias ga='git add .'
alias gc='git commit -m'
alias gp='git push'

# Quick directory access
alias projects='cd ~/Documents/Projects'
alias desk='cd ~/Desktop'
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Run source ~/.zshrc to activate your new aliases immediately.

Step 2: Transform VS Code into a Productivity Machine

Install Must-Have Extensions

These VS Code extensions for productivity will transform your coding experience:

  • Prettier: Auto-formats code on save (no more manual spacing)
  • Live Server: Instant browser preview for web development
  • GitLens: See Git blame, history, and changes inline
  • Auto Rename Tag: Changes both opening/closing HTML tags simultaneously
  • Bracket Pair Colorizer: Color-codes matching brackets (visual clarity)

Install via VS Code's Extensions panel (Cmd+Shift+X) or use the command palette (Cmd+Shift+P).

Set Up Custom Keybindings

Speed up common actions with these keybinding additions. Go to Code → Preferences → Keyboard Shortcuts:

  • Duplicate Line: Cmd+D (faster than copy-paste)
  • Move Line Up/Down: Option+↑/↓ (reorganize code instantly)
  • Multi-cursor: Cmd+Click (edit multiple lines simultaneously)

Configure Integrated Terminal

Make VS Code's built-in Terminal match your new Zsh setup. Open settings (Cmd+,) and search for "terminal integrated shell." Set it to /bin/zsh so your aliases and themes work inside VS Code too.

Create Code Snippets

Think of VS Code snippets like keyboard shortcuts for entire code blocks. Create custom snippets for repetitive code patterns:

  1. Go to Code → Preferences → Configure User Snippets
  2. Choose your language (e.g., "javascript")
  3. Add this React component snippet: 
{
  "React Functional Component": {
    "prefix": "rfc",
    "body": [
      "import React from 'react';",
      "",
      "const ${1:ComponentName} = () => {",
      "  return (",
      "    <div>",
      "      $2",
      "    </div>",
      "  );",
      "};",
      "",
      "export default ${1:ComponentName};"
    ]
  }
}
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Now typing rfc + Tab creates a complete React component template.

Quick Setup Checklist

Ready to implement? Here's your copy-paste action plan:

Terminal (5 minutes):

  • [ ] Install Oh My Zsh: sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"
  • [ ] Add Powerlevel10k theme
  • [ ] Copy aliases to ~/.zshrc
  • [ ] Run source ~/.zshrc

VS Code (3 minutes):

  • [ ] Install: Prettier, Live Server, GitLens extensions
  • [ ] Set integrated terminal to Zsh
  • [ ] Create one custom snippet for your most-used code pattern

With these tweaks, you'll save 30+ minutes daily on repetitive tasks. Your future self will thank you every time you type gs instead of git status or watch Prettier auto-format your messy code.

Try one tip today and share your new setup! Small improvements compound into massive productivity gains over time.

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