Command-line interfaces

Command-line interfaces (CLIs) are a text-based user interface used to interact with computer programs by typing commands and receiving textual responses. They offer a powerful and efficient way to control an operating system or software, facilitating tasks ranging from file management and…

Key facts

First appeared: 1962
Category: technology
Problem solved: Command-line interfaces were created to provide users with a direct, interactive, and efficient means to control computer systems, moving beyond cumbersome batch processing, manual hardware manipulation, or limited, purpose-built input methods. They offered immediate feedback and programmatic control over system resources.
Platforms: Mainframe operating systems, Unix-like operating systems (Linux, macOS, BSD), Embedded systems, Microsoft Windows

Related technologies

Operating systems (Linux, macOS, Windows)
Version control systems (Git)
Shell scripts
Package managers (npm, pip, apt, brew)
Text editors (Vim, Emacs, Nano)
Cloud service CLIs (AWS CLI, Azure CLI, gcloud CLI)
Remote access protocols (SSH)

Notable users

Data scientists
Cloud engineers
Network engineers
Researchers
Software developers
DevOps engineers
System administrators