If you want to automate the setup of your mac, you'll quickly learn that there are many things about can configure via commands in the terminal.

If you save together into a script, can you automate a lot of the tedious setup when moving to a different machine.

Here's a list of useful things you can configure this way:

Finder

After you've updated these settings, you'll need to restart the Finder by executing:

killall Finder

• Disable the screensaver:

  defaults -currentHost write com.apple.screensaver "idleTime" -int 0
  

• Setting dark mode:

  defaults write -g AppleInterfaceStyle -string "Dark"
  

• Show hidden files in the finder:

  defaults write com.apple.finder "AppleShowAllFiles" -bool true
  

• Show file extensions in Finder:

  defaults write -globalDomain "AppleShowAllExtensions" -bool true
  

• Show path bar in Finder

  defaults write com.apple.finder "ShowPathbar" -bool "true"
  

• Hide Macintosh HD on desktop

  defaults write com.apple.finder "ShowHardDrivesOnDesktop" -bool false
  

• Show external and removable harddrives on desktop:

  defaults write com.apple.finder "ShowExternalHardDrivesOnDesktop" -bool true
  defaults write com.apple.finder "ShowRemovableMediaOnDesktop" -bool true
  

• Use column view by default in Finder

  defaults write com.apple.Finder "FXPreferredViewStyle" clmv
  

• Set Finder sidebar icon size to small:

  defaults write -g NSTableViewDefaultSizeMode -int 1
  

• Avoid creating .DS_Store files on network and USB volumes:

  defaults write com.apple.desktopservices "DSDontWriteNetworkStores" -bool true
  defaults write com.apple.desktopservices "DSDontWriteUSBStores" -bool true
  

• Expand save panel by default:

  defaults write -g "NSNavPanelExpandedStateForSaveMode" -bool true
  

• Show the ~/Library folder:

  chflags nohidden ~/Library
  

• Set home as the default location for new Finder windows:

  defaults write com.apple.finder NewWindowTarget -string "PfHm"
  defaults write com.apple.finder NewWindowTargetPath -string "file://${HOME}/"
  

Dock

After you've updated these settings, you'll need to restart the Finder by executing:

killall Dock

• Auto-hide dock:

  defaults write com.apple.dock "autohide" -bool true
  

• Don't show recent apps in dock:

  defaults write com.apple.dock "show-recents" -bool false
  

• Set the icon size of Dock items to 36 pixels:

  defaults write com.apple.dock tilesize -int 36
  

Input

• Set fast key-repeat-rate:

  defaults write -globalDomain "InitialKeyRepeat" -int 15
  defaults write -globalDomain "KeyRepeat" -int 2
  

• Set fast scroll speed:

  defaults write -globalDomain "com.apple.mouse.scaling" -int 2
  defaults write -globalDomain "com.apple.trackpad.scaling" -int 2
  

• Enable tab to click:

  defaults write com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch.trackpad "Clicking" -bool true
  defaults write com.apple.AppleMultitouchTrackpad "Clicking" -bool true
  defaults -currentHost write -globalDomain "com.apple.mouse.tapBehavior" -int 1
  

• Enable mouse right-click:

  defaults write "com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch.mouse" MouseButtonMode TwoButton
  defaults write "com.apple.AppleMultitouchMouse.plist" MouseButtonMode TwoButton
  

• Disable press-and-hold for keys in favor of key repeat:

  defaults write -g ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false
  

• Show scrollbars when scrolling:

  defaults write -g AppleShowScrollBars -string "WhenScrolling"
  

• Enable full keyboard access for all controls (e.g. enable Tab in modal dialogs):

  defaults write -g AppleKeyboardUIMode -int 3
  

Language & Region

• Set language and text formats:

  defaults write -g AppleLanguages -array "en-US"
  defaults write -g AppleLocale -string "en_US@currency=EUR"
  defaults write -g AppleMeasurementUnits -string "Centimeters"
  defaults write -g AppleTemperatureUnit -string "Celsius"
  defaults write -g AppleMetricUnits -bool true
  

You can find more macOS defaults here:

• https://macos-defaults.com/
• https://github.com/mathiasbynens/dotfiles