Bash/Zsh Aliases on macOS

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An alias is a custom shortcut for a command you use often. Instead of typing cd /Volumes/SN200/weichertlabs && git status every time, you type wl and you’re there.

This guide covers creating, managing, and organizing aliases in zsh on macOS.

How Aliases Work

An alias maps a short name to a longer command:

alias gs="git status"

Now typing gs runs git status. Simple as that.

Step 1 – Open Your zsh Config File

On macOS, zsh loads its configuration from ~/.zshrc. Open it in your preferred editor:

nano ~/.zshrc

Or with VS Code:

code ~/.zshrc

Step 2 – Add Your Aliases

Scroll to the bottom of the file and add your aliases. Each alias goes on its own line:

# Navigation shortcuts
alias ..="cd .."
alias ...="cd ../.."
alias ~="cd ~"
alias dl="cd ~/Downloads"
alias dt="cd ~/Desktop"
alias docs="cd ~/Documents"

# List files
alias ll="ls -la"
alias la="ls -la"
alias l="ls -lh"

# Git shortcuts
alias gs="git status"
alias ga="git add ."
alias gc="git commit -m"
alias gp="git push"
alias gpl="git pull"
alias gl="git log --oneline --graph"

# Quick edit config files
alias zshrc="nano ~/.zshrc"
alias reload="source ~/.zshrc"

# Networking
alias myip="curl ifconfig.me"
alias localip="ipconfig getifaddr en0"
alias flushdns="sudo dscacheutil -flushcache && sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder"

# Homebrew
alias bu="brew update && brew upgrade"
alias bclean="brew cleanup"

# Docker
alias dps="docker ps"
alias dpsa="docker ps -a"
alias dcu="docker compose up -d"
alias dcd="docker compose down"
alias dcl="docker compose logs -f"

# System
alias cpu="top -o cpu"
alias mem="top -o rsize"
alias diskspace="df -h"
alias cleanup="find . -name '.DS_Store' -delete"

Step 3 – Save and Reload

Save the file (CTRL+O, then CTRL+X in nano), then reload your config:

source ~/.zshrc

Your aliases are now active. Test one:

gs

Aliases with Arguments

Regular aliases can’t take arguments, but you can use a function instead:

# Create a directory and cd into it
mkcd() {
    mkdir -p "$1" && cd "$1"
}

# Search for text in files
search() {
    grep -r "$1" .
}

# Quick git commit with message
gcommit() {
    git add . && git commit -m "$1" && git push
}

Usage:

mkcd my-new-project    # creates folder and enters it
search "docker"        # searches for "docker" in current folder
gcommit "add new guide"  # adds, commits, and pushes in one command

Organizing Your Aliases

As your alias list grows, it helps to split them into separate files:

# In ~/.zshrc, add this line:
source ~/.zsh_aliases

Then create ~/.zsh_aliases and put all your aliases there. Keeps ~/.zshrc clean.

View All Active Aliases

alias

Search for a specific alias:

alias | grep git

Remove an Alias (Temporarily)

unalias gs

This removes the alias for the current session only. It comes back on next terminal open.

To remove permanently, delete it from ~/.zshrc and run source ~/.zshrc.

Useful Starter Set

Here is a clean starter set you can copy straight into your ~/.zshrc:

# ── Navigation ──────────────────────────────
alias ..="cd .."
alias ...="cd ../.."
alias ll="ls -la"
alias dl="cd ~/Downloads"

# ── Git ─────────────────────────────────────
alias gs="git status"
alias ga="git add ."
alias gp="git push"
alias gpl="git pull"
alias gl="git log --oneline --graph"

# ── Homebrew ────────────────────────────────
alias bu="brew update && brew upgrade"
alias bclean="brew cleanup"

# ── Docker ──────────────────────────────────
alias dps="docker ps"
alias dcu="docker compose up -d"
alias dcd="docker compose down"
alias dcl="docker compose logs -f"

# ── Network ─────────────────────────────────
alias myip="curl ifconfig.me"
alias localip="ipconfig getifaddr en0"

# ── Reload config ───────────────────────────
alias reload="source ~/.zshrc"
alias zshrc="nano ~/.zshrc"