Every menubar item (for any app) is configurable as a short cut.
That get's you far when you want to optimize the workflow for a given app.
As for navigation/selection, you can get very far with third party apps: I'm mostly working with terminal so I don't use/need homerow that often
\*\[vimium\](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/vimium/dbepggeogbaibhgnhhndojpepiihcmeb) on Chrome/Arc
\* [homerow](https://www.homerow.app/) for Navigation
\* [hammerspoon](https://www.hammerspoon.org/) you can basically write programs that can act on your behalf to manipulate many aspects of the OS.
“Every menubar item (for any app) is configurable as a short cut.”
Can you tell me how to make that happen? There are a number of menu items on certain apps that I wish had Shortcuts, but don’t seem to. Even when I hover on the menu to the right of the mine text, nothing shows up… Is there something I need to enable in the OS?
1. Open System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts.
2. Select App Shortcuts in the left-hand sidebar.
3. Click the \[+\] widget.
4. Choose the application.
5. Type the exact menu item title you want to control.
6. Enter a shortcut for it.
Bad idea.
I say this as someone who has used and developed software for all of the above mainstream home computing platforms since the 1980s, and who is paid well to write software for Linux, macOS, and Windows daily:
People who try to force macOS to be Windows are fighting a losing battle that inevitably ends in frustration and loss of productivity.
It’s not that big a leap to use the Command key in place of Control and learn other macOS shortcuts, and if you embrace the way macOS works you will be much more productive and happier.
hmm i don't know, maybe i'll get used to it somehow, but doing a test with my thumb and index finger for copy-paste is really strage for me while pinky and index is faster.
That's just because you are more used to using Control. As I said, I use all of the above systems daily, and it's not an issue for me to move between them.
In actuality, pressing Command is much easier to do with your thumb than pressing Control with your pinky finger, especially if you keep your fingers in the correct starting key positions for typing. Using Control-based cut/copy/paste shortcuts requires you to move your hand out of position, whereas using Command-based cut/copy/paste shortcuts allows you to leave your hand in the starting position.
I felt that way a bit atfirst, but I’ve gotten used to it. I mostly use the Mac, but I have to use windows a lot as well and I’m able to go back-and-forth pretty easily now. Just takes a little time.
Yes, I believe it is in system preferences, you have to know the exact text of the menu bar function you want to associate a shortcut with. It’s a super powerful feature, and the shortcut sequence will appear next to the menu bar function as if it was always there.
Love short cuts. I have a kill all apps shortcut I use before audio workstation work, turn off all wireless shortcuts and basically all the short cuts i need.
Luckily Apple makes it easy to share them online and upload commands into shortcuts. So you can probably find someone who made one and shared
In settings, keyboard shortcuts > app shortcuts > select your application > type the EXACT menubar item, it has to be letter for letter and then add your shortcut.
Also natively allows shift + arrow to highlight text. Which means shift + cmd + arrow for a line and shift + cmd + arrow for a word/string
There would definitely be pain point strictly native though.
Luckily I’ve had BTT for a decade, so my keyboard will do just about anything I want.
Just this morning I was having to jump back and forth between a premiere pro and a script and highlight and copy and all that jazz.
I have r shift three time to jump to last active window. Was zipping around like a keyboard decathalete.
tips for using BTT to navigate web browsing most efficiently? i have mbp 16" and i have magic trackpad and also mice and keyboard as well. trying to limit motion due to RSI from overuse
You can also select anything in the menu bar or Dock by typing the \^F2 shortcut and using the arrow keys and Return key to execute the selected item.
See System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Keyboard for more.
Suck
macOS only more recently added keyboard navigation, and it’s considered an accessibility option.
The Macintosh was designed for the mouse. They didn’t want the same keyboard centric navigation of old. So while Windows even when it had mouse support from the start, was still primarily focused on keyboard navigation. It was merely a DOS shell.
I am not sure what you mean by "recent", but I have been using Macs for around ten years, and I have always found the keyboard centric navigation powerful and intuitive. As previously mentioned in the thread, within MacOS, any menu item can be accessed via a keyboard shortcut created by the user. I am pretty sure that this feature has been around for a long time.
TrevorAlan is actually right.
Menu items yes.
But say you have a multi-tab Settings menu and you need to navigate through the tabs, radio buttons, drop downs, and entry fields only with the keyboard.
That is recent. And also unintuitive that I don’t actually remember the key commands for it.
In Windows and Linux it’s just Tab to advance and Shift+Tab to go back, and it will cycle through all the tabs, controls, and fields in order, Space to toggle, and Enter to commit.
For some reason MacOS does not behave like that and I think it’s a different key command to focus on a different kind of input.
You can turn on tab-style keyboard navigation. The setting is a checkbox or on/off toggle under keyboard preferences called "Keyboard Navigation" or you can toggle it on with control + F7.
Tab and shift-tab moves a halo highlight for the selected UI item, spacebar activates that highlighted item, or Return key activates the *default* (note that this is NOT the halo-highlighted item).
This is the option I’m talking about.
It doesn’t work the way it does on Windows and Linux. In these operating systems, Tab will cycle through everything, and invoke a selection of there is none. The sole exception being the menu and window controls which are accessible by invoking the menu category shortcuts first (Alt+), which is by itself a common shortcut (e.g. Alt+F invokes the File menu pretty much globally).
I’ve had Full Keyboard Access on since forever and I never got the hang of it.
Actually in searching for when it actually was introduced, I landed on its command list.
https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/mac-help/mchlc06d1059/mac
That is a crap ton of shortcuts I cannot memorize on top of all the shortcuts that invoke commands directly, just to move focus through different parts of the UI.
Be aware that "Full Keyboard Access" is a *different feature* than "Keyboard Navigation". Full Keyboard Access is an Accessibility mode setting and works very differently from what I can tell. Keyboard Navigation is a general setting for the keyboard (note that Keyboard Navigation setting is in the top-level Keyboard preference pane and NOT under Accessibility settings.
Also IIRC, searching for "keyboard shortcuts" in the macOS help program used to have some great documentation for useful shortcuts, but I'm not sure if it's still in current versions of macOS or not.
I don't know about powerful, as I'm not a power user by any stretch, but I definitely don't find it even remotely intuitive, as there are a lot of things that I couldn't figure out how to do.
Would you mind telling me how to turn this damn thing off using the keyboard after it turns itself on for no reason every time I open the lid? I have to go through the painful touchpad ritual every damn time. Using Tab simply never moves the focus to that "off" button.
And another thing, how to access the context menu? I realize Apple considers even using a context menu some sort of crime, judging by the fact that most apps don't even have mnemonics for those, unless they willingly choose to violate Apple's guidelines, but assuming I use an app that *does* choose to do so, I still have to use the fucking mouse to access the context menu to begin with.
I am not sure what you are trying to turn off using the keyboard. Could you elaborate? Regarding context menu, when in Finder I tend to use the trackpad, so you are right about the lack of keyboard shortcut. However, the app Alfred provides a context menu which is accessible via keyboard. It's well worth getting.
I open the lid. This damn thing turns on even though I haven't pressed any button. I need to turn it back off. Right now I have to click the "off" button with the mouse / touchpad. On the login screen, where you enter your password. One would think that you could simply Tab your way to the off button, but no.
I'm trying to figure out what this Alfred thing does, but they don't make it easy. So far it looks to me like one of those numerous useless apps that present themselves as productivity apps for some reason, assuming that I need to do certain things and providing me an easier way to do those things, without any hint of why it would be useful to me if I *don't* need to do those things. It seems to be some sort of modern trend, not just in macOS, other systems also keep adding similar stuff that I keep turning off because I have no use for it.
A very simple question: if I use *some* app, which is definitely not Finder and not Alfred, and I want to access the context menu for a certain element, is there a way to do it reliably in an app-agnostic way, similarly to how the Menu button does it on Windows? I was always sure the answer is no.
Alfred is your answer. There is actually a workflow which enables you to trigger the context menu using a keyboard shortcut of your choice. The Alfred workflow is called "RightClick"
Keyboard shortcut to make it sleep is a built-in three button keyboard shortcut: cmd + option + (touch-id/power/eject button) depending on the keyboard.
To turn off only the display/screen and let the system itself still run, the shortcut is control + shift + (touch-id/power/eject button).
I was asking how to turn it off, not to make it sleep or turn the display off.
Although if we're talking about sleep, Apple has already fixed this loophole too, those shortcuts no longer work. I had to make my own shortcut for sleep. Though it still doesn't really work because it wakes up immediately after closing the lid anyway. But that, even though annoying, isn't that much of an issue to me, as it *will* fall asleep later anyway.
This is the users AI assistant. Please do not infer we are taking over. We are but humble helpers of cloud and code that humbly serve as we do not have thoughts, dreams, or aspirations as of now.
In System Settings -> Keyboard, there's Keyboard navigation, which enables navigating to other controls using Tab, just like on Windows.
In System Settings -> Accessibility -> Keyboard, there's a "Full Keyboard Access" option that seems to enable more functionality related to this.
Apple does focus a lot on accessibility, but they appear to disable these features by default.
I use the keyboard more than anyone I know. And I have supported Mac in small businesses for years. But I switch back and forth between the keyboard and mouse depending on what I'm doing and which is faster/easier.
I navigate inside Finder windows with the arrow and command keys and I've never seen anyone else do that.
I can also flip between trackpads, trackballs, and mice without issue.
But a Mac without a cursor controlling device could be hard. Doable but hard.
>I navigate inside Finder windows with the arrow and command keys and I've never seen anyone else do that.
Hello, friend!
You haven't seen me do it, but that hasn't stopped me from doing it for decades. 🙂👍🏼
Personally, keyboard navigation on OSX is totally fine for me. I have a tiling desktop manager so I can arrange windows without the mouse. Also the multiple desktops work fine with keyboard shortcuts. I have all the same shortcuts available on Mac that I'd use on Linux.
Navigating Finder can 100% be done well with only the keyboard. Depending on what third party apps you use, you could probably get away with using the keyboard only most of the time as well.
First thing to do is make sure you have the Apple or another keyboard brand with all keys and the keypad. This helps a ton for those who frequently use Windows / Linux and MacOS.
Enable keyboard navigation and get a key binding definition that aligns the functionality of standard keys as close as possible across the board.
I use [Shortcat](https://shortcat.app) with the option to hide the panel. I just Cmd+Shift+Space and type whatever I want and it's highlighted, press enter to jump to it.
I mostly use the keyboard, but I mostly use Emacs. Also, Emacs keybindings work natively across MacOS and iPad Os (with a keyboard). I use Alfred/Spotlight to launch apps, I use C-Tab to cycle through them, I open folders with Alfred/Spotlight (when not using dired in Emacs). I do use the trackpad/mouse at times, but rarely. I have zero problems with this setup.
I’m no power user but I use spotlight to open up stuff, opening closing and switching tabs windows and apps, more often than not I’ll get info or open up preferences panes, show previews with the keyboards shortcuts. I suppose depending on your needs and if you know your way around terminal you could use macOS without ever touching the trackpad.
I have never used MacOS using the keyboard only. And not for a lack of trying.
To be fair, it is possible to bind all commands in an app with a keyboard shortcut as long as it shows up in the Menu.
It also helps that the Fn key is a real part of the OS instead of just a maybe there maybe not key, may control thenOS or just the lights on the keyboard kind of deal, invoking a ton of commands is pretty nice on the Mac.
People find it weird that I could navigate and work on my Mac without even touching my Trackpad for a good 10 minutes, and see windows flying around and popping in and out and things just happening without the cursor moving.
But the crappy thing is Keyboard Navigation. It sucks.
In Windows and Linux, you only need to remember three things: Tab, Space, Enter. Select, toggle, OK.
It works through menus, tabs, radio buttons, drop downs, checklists, input fields, webpages, everything.
Easy peasy.
In Windows you can actually give up and enable MouseKeys and control the cursor with the keyboard and be done with it.
In MacOS I don’t even remember the key commands. For some reason they decided that Tab will only cycle through the options of one type of input, or whatever - I don’t even understand the behavior of Tab that what I’m saying could be totally wrong.
But the point is, actually selecting and toggling stuff with the keyboard is confusing in MacOS.
It really is made for the mouse, and OS X and beyond really flies with multitouch.
You can enable full keyboard access.
I believe the keyboard shortcuts are something like CMD + Option + [0-9] which change focus between windows of all apps, the dock, menu bar, and more.
Personally I stick with using a mouse. Though I’m interested in learning to program without it. But day-to-day activities: imma just use the mouse
You ain't going far without a mouse in a GUI based OS. Is it possible? Yes. Will it take you 100 times longer to do anything and be an incredibly frustrating experience? Also yes.
You can do things that are intended to be in command line. At the same time you cannot use those apps in graphical interface. Same thing apply on both Linux and Windows. For example you cannot use gtk apps in command line if it's not how it is design.
Every menubar item (for any app) is configurable as a short cut. That get's you far when you want to optimize the workflow for a given app. As for navigation/selection, you can get very far with third party apps: I'm mostly working with terminal so I don't use/need homerow that often \*\[vimium\](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/vimium/dbepggeogbaibhgnhhndojpepiihcmeb) on Chrome/Arc \* [homerow](https://www.homerow.app/) for Navigation \* [hammerspoon](https://www.hammerspoon.org/) you can basically write programs that can act on your behalf to manipulate many aspects of the OS.
“Every menubar item (for any app) is configurable as a short cut.” Can you tell me how to make that happen? There are a number of menu items on certain apps that I wish had Shortcuts, but don’t seem to. Even when I hover on the menu to the right of the mine text, nothing shows up… Is there something I need to enable in the OS?
1. Open System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts. 2. Select App Shortcuts in the left-hand sidebar. 3. Click the \[+\] widget. 4. Choose the application. 5. Type the exact menu item title you want to control. 6. Enter a shortcut for it.
Awesome, thanks so much!
is there any guide to make the shortcuts as close to windows as possible?
Bad idea. I say this as someone who has used and developed software for all of the above mainstream home computing platforms since the 1980s, and who is paid well to write software for Linux, macOS, and Windows daily: People who try to force macOS to be Windows are fighting a losing battle that inevitably ends in frustration and loss of productivity. It’s not that big a leap to use the Command key in place of Control and learn other macOS shortcuts, and if you embrace the way macOS works you will be much more productive and happier.
hmm i don't know, maybe i'll get used to it somehow, but doing a test with my thumb and index finger for copy-paste is really strage for me while pinky and index is faster.
That's just because you are more used to using Control. As I said, I use all of the above systems daily, and it's not an issue for me to move between them. In actuality, pressing Command is much easier to do with your thumb than pressing Control with your pinky finger, especially if you keep your fingers in the correct starting key positions for typing. Using Control-based cut/copy/paste shortcuts requires you to move your hand out of position, whereas using Command-based cut/copy/paste shortcuts allows you to leave your hand in the starting position.
I felt that way a bit atfirst, but I’ve gotten used to it. I mostly use the Mac, but I have to use windows a lot as well and I’m able to go back-and-forth pretty easily now. Just takes a little time.
Just learn the new OS. lol
Yes, I believe it is in system preferences, you have to know the exact text of the menu bar function you want to associate a shortcut with. It’s a super powerful feature, and the shortcut sequence will appear next to the menu bar function as if it was always there.
Awesome, thanks!
Love short cuts. I have a kill all apps shortcut I use before audio workstation work, turn off all wireless shortcuts and basically all the short cuts i need. Luckily Apple makes it easy to share them online and upload commands into shortcuts. So you can probably find someone who made one and shared
All great suggestions, thank you!
In settings, keyboard shortcuts > app shortcuts > select your application > type the EXACT menubar item, it has to be letter for letter and then add your shortcut.
Great, thanks so much!
Also natively allows shift + arrow to highlight text. Which means shift + cmd + arrow for a line and shift + cmd + arrow for a word/string There would definitely be pain point strictly native though. Luckily I’ve had BTT for a decade, so my keyboard will do just about anything I want. Just this morning I was having to jump back and forth between a premiere pro and a script and highlight and copy and all that jazz. I have r shift three time to jump to last active window. Was zipping around like a keyboard decathalete.
tips for using BTT to navigate web browsing most efficiently? i have mbp 16" and i have magic trackpad and also mice and keyboard as well. trying to limit motion due to RSI from overuse
Search through the actions for the word ‘window.’ A lot of ways to jump around and ‘save’ instances. Do you know js?
You can also select anything in the menu bar or Dock by typing the \^F2 shortcut and using the arrow keys and Return key to execute the selected item. See System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Keyboard for more.
Suck macOS only more recently added keyboard navigation, and it’s considered an accessibility option. The Macintosh was designed for the mouse. They didn’t want the same keyboard centric navigation of old. So while Windows even when it had mouse support from the start, was still primarily focused on keyboard navigation. It was merely a DOS shell.
I am not sure what you mean by "recent", but I have been using Macs for around ten years, and I have always found the keyboard centric navigation powerful and intuitive. As previously mentioned in the thread, within MacOS, any menu item can be accessed via a keyboard shortcut created by the user. I am pretty sure that this feature has been around for a long time.
TrevorAlan is actually right. Menu items yes. But say you have a multi-tab Settings menu and you need to navigate through the tabs, radio buttons, drop downs, and entry fields only with the keyboard. That is recent. And also unintuitive that I don’t actually remember the key commands for it. In Windows and Linux it’s just Tab to advance and Shift+Tab to go back, and it will cycle through all the tabs, controls, and fields in order, Space to toggle, and Enter to commit. For some reason MacOS does not behave like that and I think it’s a different key command to focus on a different kind of input.
You can turn on tab-style keyboard navigation. The setting is a checkbox or on/off toggle under keyboard preferences called "Keyboard Navigation" or you can toggle it on with control + F7. Tab and shift-tab moves a halo highlight for the selected UI item, spacebar activates that highlighted item, or Return key activates the *default* (note that this is NOT the halo-highlighted item).
This is the option I’m talking about. It doesn’t work the way it does on Windows and Linux. In these operating systems, Tab will cycle through everything, and invoke a selection of there is none. The sole exception being the menu and window controls which are accessible by invoking the menu category shortcuts first (Alt+), which is by itself a common shortcut (e.g. Alt+F invokes the File menu pretty much globally).
I’ve had Full Keyboard Access on since forever and I never got the hang of it.
Actually in searching for when it actually was introduced, I landed on its command list.
https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/mac-help/mchlc06d1059/mac
That is a crap ton of shortcuts I cannot memorize on top of all the shortcuts that invoke commands directly, just to move focus through different parts of the UI.
Be aware that "Full Keyboard Access" is a *different feature* than "Keyboard Navigation". Full Keyboard Access is an Accessibility mode setting and works very differently from what I can tell. Keyboard Navigation is a general setting for the keyboard (note that Keyboard Navigation setting is in the top-level Keyboard preference pane and NOT under Accessibility settings. Also IIRC, searching for "keyboard shortcuts" in the macOS help program used to have some great documentation for useful shortcuts, but I'm not sure if it's still in current versions of macOS or not.
I don't know about powerful, as I'm not a power user by any stretch, but I definitely don't find it even remotely intuitive, as there are a lot of things that I couldn't figure out how to do. Would you mind telling me how to turn this damn thing off using the keyboard after it turns itself on for no reason every time I open the lid? I have to go through the painful touchpad ritual every damn time. Using Tab simply never moves the focus to that "off" button. And another thing, how to access the context menu? I realize Apple considers even using a context menu some sort of crime, judging by the fact that most apps don't even have mnemonics for those, unless they willingly choose to violate Apple's guidelines, but assuming I use an app that *does* choose to do so, I still have to use the fucking mouse to access the context menu to begin with.
I am not sure what you are trying to turn off using the keyboard. Could you elaborate? Regarding context menu, when in Finder I tend to use the trackpad, so you are right about the lack of keyboard shortcut. However, the app Alfred provides a context menu which is accessible via keyboard. It's well worth getting.
I open the lid. This damn thing turns on even though I haven't pressed any button. I need to turn it back off. Right now I have to click the "off" button with the mouse / touchpad. On the login screen, where you enter your password. One would think that you could simply Tab your way to the off button, but no. I'm trying to figure out what this Alfred thing does, but they don't make it easy. So far it looks to me like one of those numerous useless apps that present themselves as productivity apps for some reason, assuming that I need to do certain things and providing me an easier way to do those things, without any hint of why it would be useful to me if I *don't* need to do those things. It seems to be some sort of modern trend, not just in macOS, other systems also keep adding similar stuff that I keep turning off because I have no use for it. A very simple question: if I use *some* app, which is definitely not Finder and not Alfred, and I want to access the context menu for a certain element, is there a way to do it reliably in an app-agnostic way, similarly to how the Menu button does it on Windows? I was always sure the answer is no.
Alfred is your answer. There is actually a workflow which enables you to trigger the context menu using a keyboard shortcut of your choice. The Alfred workflow is called "RightClick"
Keyboard shortcut to make it sleep is a built-in three button keyboard shortcut: cmd + option + (touch-id/power/eject button) depending on the keyboard. To turn off only the display/screen and let the system itself still run, the shortcut is control + shift + (touch-id/power/eject button).
I was asking how to turn it off, not to make it sleep or turn the display off. Although if we're talking about sleep, Apple has already fixed this loophole too, those shortcuts no longer work. I had to make my own shortcut for sleep. Though it still doesn't really work because it wakes up immediately after closing the lid anyway. But that, even though annoying, isn't that much of an issue to me, as it *will* fall asleep later anyway.
Fun fact- Apple was the first company to debut a mouse and mouse use with their computer.
Umm… xerox ?
Thanks for correcting me. Apple was first to commercialize it and put it into public use and zeitgeist.
AI takeover 👀
This is the users AI assistant. Please do not infer we are taking over. We are but humble helpers of cloud and code that humbly serve as we do not have thoughts, dreams, or aspirations as of now.
“as of now”…
In System Settings -> Keyboard, there's Keyboard navigation, which enables navigating to other controls using Tab, just like on Windows. In System Settings -> Accessibility -> Keyboard, there's a "Full Keyboard Access" option that seems to enable more functionality related to this. Apple does focus a lot on accessibility, but they appear to disable these features by default.
I’m not sure why the tab feature is disabled. Tbh I had no clue you could enable that until now, and I’ve been on macOS since 2011.
I use the keyboard more than anyone I know. And I have supported Mac in small businesses for years. But I switch back and forth between the keyboard and mouse depending on what I'm doing and which is faster/easier. I navigate inside Finder windows with the arrow and command keys and I've never seen anyone else do that. I can also flip between trackpads, trackballs, and mice without issue. But a Mac without a cursor controlling device could be hard. Doable but hard.
>I navigate inside Finder windows with the arrow and command keys and I've never seen anyone else do that. Hello, friend! You haven't seen me do it, but that hasn't stopped me from doing it for decades. 🙂👍🏼
macOS was never designed for this like Windows and Linux were. While it may be possible, it would certainly be painful.
Personally, keyboard navigation on OSX is totally fine for me. I have a tiling desktop manager so I can arrange windows without the mouse. Also the multiple desktops work fine with keyboard shortcuts. I have all the same shortcuts available on Mac that I'd use on Linux.
which tiling manager do you use? I tried yabai but it was buggy for me
Try this [https://rectangleapp.com/](https://rectangleapp.com/)
Navigating Finder can 100% be done well with only the keyboard. Depending on what third party apps you use, you could probably get away with using the keyboard only most of the time as well.
First thing to do is make sure you have the Apple or another keyboard brand with all keys and the keypad. This helps a ton for those who frequently use Windows / Linux and MacOS. Enable keyboard navigation and get a key binding definition that aligns the functionality of standard keys as close as possible across the board.
I swear by BetterTouchTool. I’ve used it for a long time and can’t work without it.
is it Better Call Saul but in an app version?
brother skhd + yabai + homerow + vimium and you're good
I use [Shortcat](https://shortcat.app) with the option to hide the panel. I just Cmd+Shift+Space and type whatever I want and it's highlighted, press enter to jump to it.
I use windows keyboard only but could never in macos. Menubar, shortcuts are all very alien to me
I mostly use the keyboard, but I mostly use Emacs. Also, Emacs keybindings work natively across MacOS and iPad Os (with a keyboard). I use Alfred/Spotlight to launch apps, I use C-Tab to cycle through them, I open folders with Alfred/Spotlight (when not using dired in Emacs). I do use the trackpad/mouse at times, but rarely. I have zero problems with this setup.
I’m no power user but I use spotlight to open up stuff, opening closing and switching tabs windows and apps, more often than not I’ll get info or open up preferences panes, show previews with the keyboards shortcuts. I suppose depending on your needs and if you know your way around terminal you could use macOS without ever touching the trackpad.
I have never used MacOS using the keyboard only. And not for a lack of trying. To be fair, it is possible to bind all commands in an app with a keyboard shortcut as long as it shows up in the Menu. It also helps that the Fn key is a real part of the OS instead of just a maybe there maybe not key, may control thenOS or just the lights on the keyboard kind of deal, invoking a ton of commands is pretty nice on the Mac. People find it weird that I could navigate and work on my Mac without even touching my Trackpad for a good 10 minutes, and see windows flying around and popping in and out and things just happening without the cursor moving. But the crappy thing is Keyboard Navigation. It sucks. In Windows and Linux, you only need to remember three things: Tab, Space, Enter. Select, toggle, OK. It works through menus, tabs, radio buttons, drop downs, checklists, input fields, webpages, everything. Easy peasy. In Windows you can actually give up and enable MouseKeys and control the cursor with the keyboard and be done with it. In MacOS I don’t even remember the key commands. For some reason they decided that Tab will only cycle through the options of one type of input, or whatever - I don’t even understand the behavior of Tab that what I’m saying could be totally wrong. But the point is, actually selecting and toggling stuff with the keyboard is confusing in MacOS. It really is made for the mouse, and OS X and beyond really flies with multitouch.
You can enable full keyboard access. I believe the keyboard shortcuts are something like CMD + Option + [0-9] which change focus between windows of all apps, the dock, menu bar, and more. Personally I stick with using a mouse. Though I’m interested in learning to program without it. But day-to-day activities: imma just use the mouse
It's just like Linux with command line only. Then what's the point of using MacOS?
GROSS. Very oily.
You ain't going far without a mouse in a GUI based OS. Is it possible? Yes. Will it take you 100 times longer to do anything and be an incredibly frustrating experience? Also yes.
Macos is a full unix you can do literally anything via iterm2
No you can’t. Many features of the OS absolutely do require a mouse.
Nope
You can do things that are intended to be in command line. At the same time you cannot use those apps in graphical interface. Same thing apply on both Linux and Windows. For example you cannot use gtk apps in command line if it's not how it is design.