From macOS Terminal
How to switch from macOS Terminal to Mel, step by step, with the keys that change.
How do I switch from macOS Terminal to Mel? Install Mel and open it. It runs the same shell Terminal does (zsh by default on a Mac) with your ~/.zshrc, so your aliases, PATH and history work at once. Mel doesn't read Terminal's settings, so choose a theme and text size by hand.
Steps
- Install Mel from the download page. It's signed and notarized, so it opens on a normal double-click. See Installation.
- Open Mel from Applications or Spotlight. Mel loads the environment your shell's startup files set, so tools installed with Homebrew, nvm or pyenv are found even when you open it from the Dock.
- Pick a theme. Terminal's profiles (Basic, Pro, Homebrew and the rest) don't carry over. Open Settings ▸ Appearance and pick a dark and a light theme, or follow the system.
- Set the text size. Settings ▸ Appearance ▸ Font size for terminal text, Zoom for the whole window (⌘= and ⌘-).
- Set the cursor. Settings ▸ Appearance ▸ Text cursor: bar, block or underline.
- Save the windows you open often. A layout you reopen every day, with its folders and start-up commands, can be a tab config.
Terminal keys in Mel
| Action | macOS Terminal | Mel |
|---|---|---|
| New tab | ⌘T | ⌘T |
| Close | ⌘W | ⌘W |
| Clear | ⌘K | ⌘⇧K |
| Find | ⌘F | Filter a block's output from its header; search the project with ⌘⇧F |
| Settings | ⌘, | ⌘, |
| Split pane | — | ⌘D (right), ⌘⇧D (down) |
| Command palette | — | ⌘P |
See Keyboard shortcuts for the full list, and change any in Settings ▸ Keyboard shortcuts.
What you gain
- Split panes in one window, each its own session. See Split panes.
- Blocks: each command and its output is one unit you can copy, filter and bookmark. See Blocks.
- Chips above the prompt for your folder, git branch and runtime versions. See Terminal chips.
- An AI agent: press ⌘Enter to hand Mel's agent a task in your current folder. It asks before every edit and command.
FAQ
Will my zsh setup work in Mel? Yes. Mel runs your login shell with your own startup files, as Terminal does.
Can Mel open from Finder like Terminal does? Open it from Applications, Spotlight or the Dock, then cd to a folder or open a tab config.
Is Mel free? The terminal is free. The AI agent runs on your own provider key on the Free plan, or on a paid plan's credits. See Billing & usage.