Quick Tip: Clear the Terminal Buffer Regularly

When I first started using the terminal in Linux and then in Mac OS X, I found that the buffer was an invaluable tool for remembering what commands I had typed and what the resulting output was. Later, I found out that my commands were stored in the .bash_history file in my home directory. That made it easier to remember what I had typed.

Lately, I've found that not even the output is as useful as it once was. Most of the things that scroll by in the terminal are stored in log files (e.g. server responses, database queries, etc.) and so I don't need to use the terminal's buffer as an "archival solution". In fact, I recently discovered that it's possible to clear the terminal's buffer in Mac OS X using the "⌘K" key combination. This has saved me a lot of time over the past week, as I've been able to clear the buffer just before "something important" is going to happen that spews out lines and lines of information. I no longer have to scroll up, then back down, and then back up a little again as I overshoot the beginning of the "important" section.

Try it, you'll like it. Hit ⌘K in the terminal more often, and rely on your logs for archival.

Duane’s Quick Posts

Quick Tip: Clear the Terminal Buffer Regularly

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