From its man page:

NAME
script -- make typescript of terminal session

DESCRIPTION
script makes a typescript of everything printed on your terminal. It is
useful for students who need a hardcopy record of an interactive session
as proof of an assignment, as the typescript file can be printed out
later with lpr(1).


University assignments sure, but it’s also useful for is keeping track of what gems/ports you’re installing when setting up your new Mac (simply replay if you ever reformat or have more than one Mac like I do) or to help automate (script?) a series of commands you use together regularly.

I’m sure this is old news to all you shell-weenies out there, but I had to wait to discover it completely by accident before it could fill my life with terminal recording goodness. I was playing with a Rails project on my Mac when I accidentally left the slash out of script/plugin ... and typed script plugin .... So, I’m blogging this punting that at least one other shell-ignoramus such as myself will benefit, in fact maybe even just future me.

Next you feel butterflies in your stomach, perhaps it’s just your (other) brain trying to tell you something important!

I came accross this while reading an interesting interpretation of this discovery, blogged by Beth Freeman.

Finally, as you read this and (probably) think “hmm, that’s interesting”, is your head telling you this or your stomach? Food for thought eh? (Apologies, I couldn’t resist…)