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open

filemacOS/Linux

The open command is one of the most frequently used commands in Linux/Unix-like operating systems. open Open files, directories, or URLs with default applications

See Examples View Syntax

Quick Reference

Command Name:

open

Category:

file

Platform:

macOS/Linux

Basic Usage:

open [options] [arguments]

Common Use Cases

Syntax

open [options] file/URL...

Options

Option	Description
`-a application`	Open file with the specified application
`-e`	Open with TextEdit (macOS) or default text editor
`-t`	Open with default text editor
`-f`	Read input from standard input and open with TextEdit/default editor
`-F`	Open application without restoring windows
`-b bundle_identifier`	Open file with application specified by bundle identifier
`-n`	Open a new instance of the application even if one is already running
`-g`	Do not bring the application to the foreground
`-h`	Show help information
`-R`	Reveal file in Finder/file manager instead of opening
`--args`	Pass all remaining arguments to the opened application

Examples

How to Use These Examples

The examples below show common ways to use the open command. Try them in your terminal to see the results. You can copy any example by clicking on the code block.

# Basic Examples Basic

open document.pdf

Open a PDF file with the default PDF viewer.

open .

Open the current directory in the file manager.

# Advanced Examples Advanced

open -a "Firefox" website.html Open an HTML file with the Firefox browser. open -e script.sh Open a shell script with the default text editor. open -t config.xml Open an XML file with the default text editor. open http://www.example.com Open a URL in the default web browser. open -R /path/to/file.txt Reveal a file in the file manager instead of opening it. open -n -a "LibreOffice Writer" document.odt Open a document with LibreOffice Writer, launching a new instance. open -g image.jpg Open an image without bringing the application to the foreground. open -f < input.txt Read from standard input and open in the default text editor.

Try It Yourself

Practice makes perfect! The best way to learn is by trying these examples on your own system with real files.

Understanding Syntax

Pay attention to the syntax coloring: commands, options, and file paths are highlighted differently.

Notes

The 'open' command is a convenient utility primarily found in macOS and some Linux distributions that allows users to open files, directories, or URLs with their default associated applications. It serves as a command-line equivalent to double-clicking a file in a graphical file manager. On macOS, the 'open' command is native to the operating system and integrates deeply with the system's application associations. In Linux, similar functionality is typically provided by the 'xdg-open' command, which follows the freedesktop.org standards for application associations. Some Linux distributions may also provide 'open' as an alias or alternative to 'xdg-open'. Key features of the open command: 1. Default Application Handling: The command automatically determines the appropriate application to use based on the file type, mimicking the behavior of a desktop environment. 2. Application Specification: While the default behavior uses the system's file associations, users can specify which application should be used to open a particular file. 3. URL Support: Beyond files and directories, the command can open web URLs in the default browser, making it useful for scripts that need to launch web resources. 4. New Instance Control: Users can control whether files should be opened in existing application instances or if new instances should be launched. 5. Background Operation: The command can open applications without bringing them to the foreground, which is useful for scripts that need to launch applications without disrupting the user's current focus. 6. Directory Navigation: When used with directories, it opens them in the default file manager, providing a quick way to navigate to specific locations. Common use cases for the open command include: - Opening documents from terminal sessions without needing to navigate to them in a file manager - Scripting automated workflows that involve opening files in their respective applications - Quickly opening the current directory in a file manager for visual browsing - Opening websites from terminal or scripts - Revealing files in a file manager to show their location - Opening files with specific applications that differ from their default associations The open command is particularly useful for users who frequently work in terminal environments but occasionally need to interact with graphical applications. It bridges the gap between command-line operations and GUI applications, allowing for a more integrated workflow. On Linux systems where 'open' is not available natively, users can often create an alias in their shell configuration to map 'open' to 'xdg-open' for similar functionality across platforms: ``` alias open='xdg-open' ``` This command is an excellent example of how modern operating systems blur the line between command-line and graphical interfaces, allowing users to leverage the strengths of both paradigms.

Related Commands

These commands are frequently used alongside open or serve similar purposes:

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Use Cases

Learn By Doing

The best way to learn Linux commands is by practicing. Try out these examples in your terminal to build muscle memory and understand how the open command works in different scenarios.

See Examples Try Lab Exercises

$ open

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