View source for Defaults (software)

{{Distinguish|text=the generic computer science concept of [[default (computer science)|defaults]]}}
{{Short description|Command-line utility}}
{{notability|date=December 2016}}
{{primary sources|date=December 2016}}
{{lowercase|title=defaults}}

'''defaults''' is a [[command-line interface|command line]] utility that manipulates [[Property list|plist]] files. Introduced in 1998 [[OPENSTEP]], ''defaults'' is found in the system's descendants [[macOS]] and [[GNUstep]].<ref name="gdef">{{man|1|defaults|ManKier}}</ref><ref name="mdef">{{man|1|defaults|Darwin}}</ref>

The name "defaults" derives from OpenStep's name for [[Computer configuration|user preferences]], ''Defaults'', or ''NSUserDefaults'' in [[Foundation Kit]]. Each application had its own defaults plist ("domain"), under {{tt|[[Home directory|~]]/Defaults}} for the user configuration and {{tt|[[Root directory|/]]Defaults}} for the system configuration. The lookup system also supports a {{tt|NSGlobalDomain.plist}}, where defaults written there will be seen by all applications.<ref name=mdef/><ref name="GlobalGNU">{{Cite web |title=User Defaults Summary for GNUstep Libraries |url=http://www.gnustep.org/resources/documentation/User/Gui/DefaultsSummary.html |website=www.gnustep.org}}</ref> In [[macOS]], the {{tt|Defaults}} part of the path is replaced by the more intuitive {{tt|Library/Preferences}}. ''defaults'' accesses the plists based on the domain given.<ref name=mdef/>

''defaults'' is also able to read and write any plist specified with a path,<ref name=gdef/> although Apple plans to phase out this utility in a future version.<ref name=mdef/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Unofficial macOS defaults man page |url=https://ss64.com/osx/defaults.html |website=ss64.com}}</ref>

==Usage==
Common uses of defaults:

 $ defaults read DOMAIN # gets all
 $ defaults read DOMAIN PROPERTY_NAME # gets
 $ defaults write DOMAIN PROPERTY_NAME VALUE # sets
 $ defaults delete DOMAIN PROPERTY_NAME # resets a property
 $ defaults delete DOMAIN # resets preferences

DOMAIN should be replaced by the plist file name sans extension ('.plist'). plist files are named with [[reverse domain name notation]]. For example:

 $ defaults read com.apple.iTunes # prints all iTunes preference values

plist files store keys and values. The PROPERTY_NAME key is the name of the property to modify. For example, to remove the search field from [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]]'s [[address bar]]:

 $ defaults write com.apple.Safari AddressBarIncludesGoogle 0
 $ # or
 $ defaults write com.apple.Safari AddressBarIncludesGoogle -bool NO # case-sensitive!

Using "1", "YES", or "TRUE" instead restores this to the default of including search.

Preferences can at times corrupt applications. To reset Address Book's preferences, either the file ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.AddressBook.plist must be removed or the following command issued:

 $ defaults delete com.apple.AddressBook

=== Compound values ===
''defaults'' prints values in the OpenStep format. It allows the VALUE to be arrays and dicts, as long as they conform to old-style plist syntax.<ref>{{Cite web |title=macos - modifying a Plist from command line on Mac using Defaults |url=https://stackoverflow.com/questions/13740337/modifying-a-plist-from-command-line-on-mac-using-defaults |website=Stack Overflow}}</ref>

==Settings==
Some example settings configurable with defaults under macOS:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Globally-available defaults (works in {{tt|NSGlobalDomain}} or application settings)
|-
! Key !! OSX Version !! Legal Values !! Default Value
|-
| AppleAquaColorVariant || 10.8 || 1, 6 || 1
|-
| AppleHighlightColor || 10.8 || RGB, 3 floats range 0-1.0 || "0.780400 0.815700 0.858800"
|-
| AppleShowScrollBars<ref>{{Cite web |last=grg |date=26 August 2013 |title=macos - Enabling Scroll Bars In Mountain Lion? |url=https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/100062/153976 |website=Ask Different}}</ref> || 10.8 || Automatic, WhenScrolling, Always || Automatic
|-
| NSQuitAlwaysKeepsWindows<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 September 2012 |title=Disable 'Resume' system-wide |url=https://www.defaults-write.com/disable-resume-system-wide/ |website=defaults-write.com}}</ref> || 10.8 || bool || false
|-
| NSAutomaticWindowAnimationsEnabled<ref name="ani">{{Cite web |date=11 November 2017 |title=10 terminal commands to speed up macOS High Sierra on your Mac |url=https://www.defaults-write.com/speed-up-macos-high-sierra/ |website=defaults-write.com}}</ref> || 10.8 || bool || true
|-
| NSNavPanelExpandedStateForSaveMode<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bynens |first=Mathias |title=mathiasbynens/dotfiles: .macos |url=https://github.com/mathiasbynens/dotfiles/blob/master/.macos |access-date=1 March 2020 |website=GitHub |language=en}}</ref> || 10.8 || bool || false
|-
| NSWindowResizeTime<ref name="ani" /> || 10.8 || float:time in seconds || .2
|-
| CGFontDefaultAllowsFontSmoothing<ref>{{Cite web |title=Issue 858861: No subpixel antialiasing under macOS Mojave |url=https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=858861 |website=bugs.chromium.org}}</ref> || 10.14? || boolean ||
|}

SS64 documents a set of other keys that can be changed for each software (not the global domain) in macOS.<ref>{{Cite web |title=System preference settings for macOS - macOS - SS64.com |url=https://ss64.com/osx/syntax-defaults.html |website=ss64.com}}</ref> Other sites also document settings to be changed using ''defaults''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top 11 Terminal Command Tricks for Mac That You Should Know |url=https://www.guidingtech.com/top-terminal-command-tricks-mac-macos/ |website=Guiding Tech|date=19 August 2019 }}</ref> Apple does not publish a complete list of these "secret knobs", but their support site does occasionally provide ''defaults'' commands for user to change a certain setting, such as the creation of [[.DS_Store]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Adjust SMB browsing behavior in macOS High Sierra 10.13 and later |url=https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208209 |access-date=5 January 2020 |website=Apple Support |language=en}} (type into a search engine to find more: site:support.apple.com "defaults write")</ref>

GNUstep documents its defaults more clearly, so that there is no such thing as a "hidden settings" community like there is for macOS.<ref name="GlobalGNU" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://developer.apple.com/documentation/foundation/nsuserdefaults?language=objc NSUserDefaults documentation] Apple Inc

[[Category:MacOS software]]
[[Category:GNUstep]]
[[Category:Command-line software]]