Top 4 Useful Mac Keyboard Shortcuts

When I’m working I want to focus on the project on hand instead of being interrupted by small things, such as finding applications or files. I’ve started replacing commonly repeated actions with keyboard shortcuts.

I love that I’m not slowed down by using my mouse and looking for where to click. I use these keyboard shortcuts every day and they make development so much smoother for me.

Favorite keyboard shortcuts to use during development

1. Switch between applications with Command+Tab

• Press Command+Tab to switch to the most recently used application
• While holding Command press Tab or left/right arrow to cycle through the opened applications
• Cancel selection with ESC

I use this keyboard shortcut the most, especially during web development. After I update the code, I switch to the browser to view the changes. This shortcut is also helpful to switch to any opened applications.

2. Find applications, folders, and files with Command+Space

Use Command+Space to bring up Spotlight and search for any file, folder, or application.

Spotlight also includes functions in other apps, such as:

• Search text on the Internet
• Look up word in the Dictionary
• Find matching location on Maps

3. Open a new browser tab with Command+t and a new window with Command+n

These shortcuts aren’t browser-specific and will work with any browser of your choice.

Bonus: Shift is usually used as undoing an action. If you closed a tab by accident, use Command+Shift+t to open the closed tab. This is also works if you closed a window by mistake and want to open it with all its tabs again.

4. Move between words with Option+left/right arrow

Delete the word with Option+Delete. These keyboard shortcuts have saved me so much time as I navigate through code and delete chunks of text.

Still adding more shortcuts to my toolbox

When I find myself repeating actions often, I try to replace them with keyboard shortcuts. It’s fun to find small ways to improve the development process. It also helps that I love typing on my keyboard, Tecware Phantom 87!