Shell, paths and recent files

Three ways into the file system that need no Finder window.

Shell lines

Start the field with > (or $ ) and type a command: > uptime, > brew outdated, > git -C ~/Development/cleat status. The row describes what would run; nothing runs until you press Return.

The command runs in your login shell (zsh -lc), so your PATH, aliases and functions apply. Output appears in the palette, where Return pastes it into the app you came from and ⌘ ⏎ copies it. Standard error is included, and a non-zero exit is shown in the title. Anything still running after thirty seconds is stopped.

⌘ ⏎ on the row runs the line in Terminal instead, for anything interactive or long-running. ⌘ K copies the command.

$HOME on its own is not a command, so pasting a variable into the field still searches for it.

Paths

Type a path and Cleat walks it:

• ~/Downloads/ lists what is inside, folders first.
• ~/Doc completes to Documents and Downloads. Keep typing to narrow.
• /Applications/U completes Utilities.

Every row is an ordinary file result: Return opens it, ⌘ ⏎ reveals it, ⌘ Y previews it, and ⌘ K has rename, move, tags, compress, share and the rest. Folders add Open in Terminal and Browse Folder, which puts the folder’s path in the field. See Files and file actions.

Hidden files are skipped. Listing is capped at twelve rows, so type more of a name rather than scrolling.

Recent files

recent lists files you opened in the last thirty days, newest first, with how long ago on the second line. Type to filter by name. The list comes from the same last-used dates Spotlight keeps, so it needs no scanning and covers every app that opens files the normal way.

Only your search folders are included (Settings › Search), and the same ignore patterns apply, so build folders and caches stay out. Apps and plain folders are not listed.

Open in Terminal

Folders offer Open in Terminal. If iTerm, Ghostty, Warp, kitty, Alacritty or WezTerm is running, that one is used; otherwise Terminal. A multi-file selection offers Open Folder in Terminal for the folder holding the first item.

From elsewhere

cleat://shell?q=uptime opens the palette with the command ready; cleat://recent opens the recent list.

Folders in a file search

in:downloads, in:desktop, in:documents, in:icloud or in:~/Sites scopes a file search to that folder instead of the configured roots; in: followed by anything that is not a folder still means “in the content”. find invoice, search files budget or file report drops the word and returns up to twenty files. open downloads or open ~/Development browses the folder the way typing the path does. last screenshot lists the newest captures where macOS puts them, with Quick Look, copy and OCR as for any recent file. new apps lists the apps most recently added to their folder.