What Is a Command Line Interface?

The command-line interface (English: command-line interface , CLI ) was the most widely used user interface before the graphical user interface became popular. It usually does not support a mouse. The user enters instructions through the keyboard and the computer executes the instructions . Others call it the character user interface (CUI).

The command-line interface (English: command-line interface , CLI ) was the most widely used user interface before the graphical user interface became popular. It usually does not support a mouse. The user enters instructions through the keyboard and the computer executes the instructions . Others call it the character user interface (CUI).

Generally speaking, the command line interface (CLI) is not as user-friendly as the graphical user interface (GUI). Because the software of the command line interface usually requires the user to memorize the operating commands, but because of its own characteristics, the command line interface saves computer system resources compared to the graphical user interface. Under the premise of memorizing the commands, using the command line interface is often faster than using the graphical user interface. Therefore, the graphical user interface operating system retains an optional command line interface.

Chinese name

Command line interface

Foreign name

Command-line Interface

Abbreviation

CLI

Instruction input

User enters instructions via keyboard

Command line interface application

Although many computer systems provide graphical operations, they have not stopped providing text-based command line operations. On the contrary, many systems have enhanced this part of the function. For example, Windows not only enhanced the operation commands The function and quantity have also been improving the way of Shell Programming. The reason to strengthen and improve is naturally not good enough; the graphical operation mode of the operating system is quite convenient for the operation of a single client computer, but if it is a group of client computers or server computers operating 24 hours, The graphical operation mode is sometimes unavailable, so the scripting language and macro language of the command line interface need to be continuously enhanced to provide rich control and automated system management capabilities, such as Bash for Linux systems or Windows PowerShell for Windows systems.

Windows Server 2003 Command Line Reference-Microsoft Technical Library

Command Line Interface Common Programs

bash / sh / ksh / csh / zsh (Unix-like systems)

• COMMAND.COM (MS-DOS system)

• cmd.exe / command prompt (Windows NT and Windows CE systems)

• Windows PowerShell (Windows NT system supporting .NET Framework technology)