This article will give you complete information about the command line interface and how it differs from GUI. CLI’s full name is Command Line Interface. It’s a tool that allows computer users to manage and monitor their system files using a few Linux commands. This user interface can be called a command-line UI that is text-based and easy to manage. The command line interface is available on both Linux and Windows systems though we mostly use it on Linux computers.
However, CLI is not the same as GUI or graphical interface and there are many differences between the two. GUI is mostly used in the latest operating systems because of its graphical interface. But CLI is for everyone. In this context, we will learn what CLI and how it helps computer users, and much more.
What is Command Line Interface ( CLI )?
Command Line Interface is a powerful tool that runs with commands. You enter commands from your keyboard to tell the system what to do based on your commands. Your computer performs specific tasks. Although the CLI is so powerful, beginners rarely use it. Some people think that the CLI is a tool for advanced users, while in most cases, it can be used by a beginner as well.
You just need to learn its functions and use cases. We’ll tell you more about the command-line interface, but first, let’s learn about its history.
History of the command-line interface
Earlier, mice were not that popular, and users had to use keyboards whenever they wanted their PC to work as per their needs. They would simply run commands in the CLI through the keyboard and the computer would act on the command. Orders separate results from actions. For example, if you want your computer to do a certain task, you must use different commands. But if you want to display a result or a specific task on your computer, you will use another set of commands.
However, you should be careful while typing the command because using the wrong command can produce a different result like deleting your files. This is why many users feel uncomfortable using the CLI, knowing that commands should be correct before they can be executed. This is why the mouse was invented to simplify the process of file management and computer use and is a safer option for computer users. Later some years later, GUI was also invented. The GUI is represented with some buttons and menus and commands that make it easy to start a task on your system.
These buttons and menus represent different commands on your Linux computer. Nowadays, the GUI is more popular than the CLI, but many computers offer a combination of both command-line tools. You can find CLI in Mac OS, and the system also offers GUI, which is more practical and graphical for users.
In the CLI, you can add text to execute tasks on your system and dictate how your computer should behave. CLI was the major command line input in the 1970s & 1980s for Unix, MS-DOS, & Apple DOS systems. And although the GUI is more advanced and graphical, software developers still prefer the CLI for configuring systems, installing software, exercising system administrative rights, and many other features that the GUI does not offer. But the CLI is not the command-line interface of most Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. If you dig deep into command line interface history, you’ll find shells.
Basic Terminology
The CLI or Command Line Interface, or, is a text-based interface used to control a computer. It allows users to enter the commands, which are then executed by the computer. CLI is often contrasted with a graphical user interface (GUI), which provides a more visual way to interact with a computer. However, both have their pros and cons. For example, CLIs may be faster and more efficient than GUIs for certain tasks, but they may also be more difficult to learn and use. There are different types of CLI, each with its own commands and features. Some common examples include the Windows command prompt, Linux shell, and the macOS terminal.
Learning the Interface
If you are new to the Command Interface (CLI), this section will teach you how to use it. CLI is a way to interact with your computer by writing simple commands, which will execute them.
You can open the CLI on your computer’s terminal. Once you are in the Terminal, you’ll be able to type commands. For example, if you want a list of all the files in the current directory, you’d type “ls” and press Enter. This will execute the command and print a list of all the files in that directory.
There are many different commands that can be executed in the CLI, and we’ll review some of the most basic and necessary ones here. Once you learn these commands, you can use the CLI like a pro!
More basic commands
There are a few other basic commands worth mentioning. The first is the ‘pwd’ command, which means ‘print working directory. This command will print the full path to the current directory in the terminal. This can be useful if you want to know exactly where you are in the file system.
The next command is the ‘ls’ command, which means ‘list’. This command will list all the folders and files in the current directory. You can add additional arguments to change the behavior of this command. For example, adding the ‘-l’ argument will cause ‘ls’ to list the files in long format, including additional information such as file size and modification date. At the last, the ‘cd’ command is used to change directories. It is probably a very commonly used command after ‘ls’, as it allows you to navigate around the file system. Pass the path to the directory you want to change to as an argument to ‘cd’. For example, if you want to change your home directory, use this ‘cd ~’ command.
Advanced Command
Advanced commands are those that go beyond the basic functions of the command line interface. These commands can automate tasks, perform complex operations, or create new programs. While some of these commands may seem intimidating at first, they can become second nature with a little practice.
Some common advanced commands include:
- grep: Used to search through text files for specific patterns. - sed: Used to perform basic text conversion and replacement. - awk: A powerful programming language specifically designed to work with data stored in text files. - Find: Used to find files based on their name, location, or other criteria. - xargs: Used to run commands multiple times with different arguments. - chmod: Used to change permissions on a file or directory. - sudo: Used to run a command as another user, usually the root user.
What is a shell?
The shell is a user interface that processes all the commands you type in the command-line interface. Shell will read and interpret commands and guide your computer to perform the tasks you direct. The shell manages the CLI and acts as a bridge between the computer and its user. You can use a shell to manage files and directories, open and close a window, manage system processes, perform various tasks in iterations, and much more.
There are many types of shells, but the most common is the Windows shell and the Bash shell. As you can imagine, Windows Shell is for the Windows operating system and Bash is for Linux and Mac OS. Let’s see how these shells work by getting to know them better.
Windows Shell
We know Windows Shell as Command Prompt, and its executable file is CMD.exe. Microsoft used the command prompt since MS-DOS was more popular than Windows. Opening Command Prompt in Windows is easy. You can open the Run box by pressing the Windows +R keys together, typing CMD in the field, and pressing Enter. Alternatively, you can go to Start and All Programs, click Accessories, then open Command Prompt.
In Windows Shell, you can type a command that will run in a black command prompt window to perform the task for you. Depending on your needs, you can type a single command or a combination of commands in the CMD window. Commands will run in a sequence where one command will be executed one after the other. With Command Prompt, you can monitor and manage a variety of things on your Windows computer, including:
- Changing directories, listing directories, listing content, and more
- Managing IP network settings and other network configurations
- Renaming or removing files
- Modifying media, such as formatting and renaming media files, etc.
You can perform these tasks with some syntax in your command prompt window. Here are the functions and their syntax:
- To change a directory: Use CD [path] to move to a specific directory from the command prompt. You must include a space before the path, such as CD C:\Program Files.
- To rename a file: Use the REN [drive:][path] [source] [target] command combination to rename a file within a specific folder. For example, REN d:untitled.txt untitled1.txt. The renamed file will be saved in the location you accessed it from.
- Deleting a file: Use the DEL [filename] command at the command prompt to delete a file. You can add the force delete option before the file name, eg DEL /F untitled.txt. F stands for Force Deletion.
- To rename a volume disk: Use the LABEL [drive:][new volume name] command to rename a specific volume disk from the command prompt. For example: D:\ > LABEL d:MyData. You can use 32 characters on NTFS volumes and 11 characters on FAT volumes.
But if you’re using Mac OS or Linux, your command prompt interface should be bash with new commands.
Bash Shell
The full form of the Bash shell is the Bourne Again Shell, which is often found in Mac OS and Linux distributions. If your machine doesn’t have Bash built-in, you can install it yourself. The most common bash shells are the Tchs shell, Ksh shell, and Zsh shell, which you’ll find in the utility window on your Linux distro. GNOME desktop users know the bash shell as terminal and KDE users know bash as console. The most common bash shells are the Tchs shell, Ksh shell, and Zsh shell, which you’ll find in the utility window on your Linux distro. GNOME desktop users know the bash shell as terminal and KDE users know bash as console.
Mac users know Bash as Terminal.app and you can run it from Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal. Alternatively, go to Spotlight Search and enter Terminal to find the program.
In a terminal window, you can type a command consisting of commands, arguments, and options. In the command, it will be the instructions you want to perform for a specific task, and the argument will specify where the command will work, and the option will allow you to change the output. To learn how to use Bash, you need to learn a few commands to deal with the shell, which we call shell scripting. There are two sections of commands: one that manages tasks and another section that manages files.
Here are the tasks you can perform on Mac OS using Bash:
- To list all files in a folder: You can use ls to find out which files are under a particular folder, even hidden files will be visible after using this command. You can add -a to list all files, including hidden files, eg: ls -a.
- To change a directory: Use cd destination to go to a specific directory like this: cd ~/Desktop.
- To rename a file: Use mv source destination to rename a file in a folder. Note the filename and its extension, which might look like this: mv ~/Desktop/untitled.rtf ~/Desktop/untitled1.rtf
- To delete a file: Use rm filename to delete a file in a specific folder from your bash shell. You need to navigate to the correct folder location to make sure you are not deleting the wrong file. For example, rm untitled.rtf.
Whenever you’re typing a command in the Windows shell or Bash shell, note the characters you’re typing. A slight mistake can misplace the file or even remove it from your device forever.
So we recommend you copy commands using Control+C and paste them into the command shell with Control+V to avoid any mistakes. Do the same with file and location names.
Difference Between CLI and GUI
GUI interfaces are graphical interfaces that are more popular than CLI in today’s technology. The GUI is used in Windows menus and icons that execute commands. In GUIs, the mouse is the easiest way to control the user interface, but many GUIs offer navigation and execution via the machine’s keyboard. Microsoft Word is a GUI-based software where you can change layouts or perform tasks with the mouse and keyboard. The best thing about GUI is that it has a graphical representation. This means you can view features and options visually rather than using commands.
The simplicity of GUI does not give users as many features and options as command-line interfaces. For example, you need to make many mouse strokes to perform a task that a simple command can do. Also, you can’t script or automate tasks with the GUI, and you have to repeat every mouse click to do the same thing over and over again.
This is why many software developers use CLI more than GUI because CLI takes less time to configure and develop the software. If you can take care of the commands correctly, the CLI will save you a lot of time and effort even though it takes a little getting used to.
Advantages and Disadvantages of CLI
Here are some advantages and disadvantages of CLI that you should consider:
Advantages:
- It gives you thorough control over your OS and applications
- Handles a large number of operating systems faster than the GUI
- You can save scripts to automate the same tasks over and over again
- You can troubleshoot networking issues and more with basic command-line knowledge
Disadvantages:
- Easy to use GUI
- You have to memorize the commands in the CLI
- You can’t make any mistakes while using the command
- Different shells use different commands
Conclusion
We have learned what CLI is, but there is a lot of debate between CLI and GUI. CLI will always be the better interface. It is powerful, handles repetitive tasks, saves time, and improves. Even when you use the GUI in your OS, you may need to use the command line interface in various situations, coding, for example. And not to mention that you can’t develop proper software without coding. You will need to memorize the commands in the CLI to learn better use of the interface and although it is going to take some time once you get used to it, it will be worth it. Therefore, you can be productive and fast with CLI instead of being simple and easy with GUI.
