Report system hardware and software configuration.
Syntax
Report of everything (full):
system_profiler
Report of everything with less detail:
system_profiler [-xml] [-detailLevel level]
Report for one (or several) Data Types:
system_profiler [-xml] dataType1 ... dataTypeN
List the Data Types:
system_profiler [-listDataTypes]
Print help:
system_profiler [-usage]
Key:
-xml Generate a report in XML format. If the XML report
is redirected to a file with a ".spx" suffix that
file can be opened with System Profiler.app.
-listDataTypes List the available datatypes.
SPHardwareDataType Hardware data, machine model, name serial number.
SPSoftwareDataType Software data, macOS versionNo.
SPPowerDataType Power and battery data, AC wattage, battery cycle count.
-detailLevel level The level of detail for the report:
mini report with no personal information
basic basic hardware and network information
full all available information
-usage Print usage info and examples.
system_profiler is a replacement for /usr/sbin/AppleSystemProfiler.
Generate a text report with the standard detail level:
$ system_profiler
Generate a report of all 32 bit software and save to a text file on the desktop:
$ system_profiler SPApplicationsDataType | grep -B 6 -A 2 "(Intel): No" > ~/Desktop/non64bit.txt
Generate a short report containing no personal information:
$ system_profiler -detailLevel mini
Show a list of the available data types:
$ system_profiler -listDataTypes
Generate a text report containing only software and network data:
$ system_profiler SPSoftwareDataType SPNetworkDataType
Create an XML file which can be opened by System Profiler.app:
$ system_profiler -xml > MyReport.spx
“Why a four-year-old child could understand this report...
Run out and find me a four-year-old child. I can’t make head nor tail out of it” ~ Groucho Marx
Local man page: system_profiler - Command line help page on your local machine.
serverinfo - Server information.
uname - Print the Darwin OS Kernel version / release / machine name.
w_vers - Print macOS Operating System version.
who - Print who is currently logged in.