Learning should always be free...

What do you think you can expect from this tutorial? If you cannot guess, then that is not your fault. I will let you know before starting this blog. Here's what you can expect from this tutorial:

• You will understand at least some basic usage of Command Line Interface (CLI)
• You will know what commands to use at what time?
• An idea about how CLI compares with Graphical User Interface (GUI)

What is a Command Line Interface (CLI)?

A Command Line Interface or CLI is a means or method of interacting with an operating system of a computer., where user can issue commands or successive lines of commands to perferm a certain task or accomplish a goal. A CLI was more predominantly used in 70s and 80s for all kind of interaction with computers. Those periods did not had a beautiful interfaces like we have today to make computer do what you wanted it to do. The interface that you see today, that have different graphical elements or programs, like a window, a browser, the windows task manager is what we call a Graphical User Interface. So, let's just say that an alternative to CLI is GUI where user will rather use images than commands to perform a certain task.

For example: To connect to a WiFi network using an GUI you will just click in few places in your computer and your computer connects to the internet. The GUI will select the right device to use to connect to that is available to you computer hardware package, check if the device can connect to that network, see if is usable, asks you for any required password and connect in the background. But what most people would not know is that all things that you do to perform those tasks underneath is actually accomplished by a sequence of prewritten commands compiled into a script or programs. So, if you are using a CLI, you will have to issue all that sequence of commands yourself and perform the task one by one that GUI normally handles in the background. Hence, to connect to a WiFi network by typing commands you will have to check the available devices, then you will have to put that devices in available mode, then some other steps at a time to finally be able to connect to the internet.

So, you might ask, why CLI? Why in the world someone would like to use a CLI? The answer is also written in the exampel that I have given above. Which is that you have a total power and control over all the resources your computer have. Which is exactly what a computer savvy would require. Below I have merits and demirits of using both CLI and GUI side by side while doing something and make it out for yourself what would you like use more?

Topic	Command Line Interface (CLI)	Graphical User Interface (GUI)
Leaning Curve	Learning curve in using CLI can be very steep. A lot of commands and workings understanding would be required to make full use of a CLI or may be even to start using the CLI	Since it is all image based, GUI is very easy to understand follow. Anyone presented with a GUI will be able to figure out and use the computer very easily. Hence learning curve is much smoother in CLI than in GUI.
Casual Use	When you are using a computer casually, then CLI might turn out to be quite tedious. If you are just a casual computer user, then you can even completely ignore CLI and still use computer just fine to your standard.	GUI is easy to handle and easy to use and you will most likely not have any problem using any form of GUI since it takes care of all error handling in the background. So, if you are casual user, GUI will be your way to go.
Expert Use	CLI gives you full power and control of the computer and you will be able to do exactly what you are trying to achive from CLI with manual error handling. After you learn to use a CLI it is much faster and efficient as compared to using a GUI	GUI is is certainly easy to follow and you can do things. But after understanding the computer and its working better, GUI does not appeal to most expert users. Only a keyboard and a CLI will suffice because of the amount of control it gives to a user.
Capability	As mentioned earlier, CLI is used by expert and advanced users because it have much higher capability and can give a user full control to what they are doing.	GUI gives you a lot of capability but if you are not a developer yourself, then the capability stops where the developer stops.
Speed	After you become acquaint with CLI, it turns out to be much much faster and efficient as compared to GUI since just a command or small set of command will let you perform big tasks.	GUI compared to CLI in terms of Speed is not even comparable. CLI is a clear winner in this aspect.
Performance	Using a CLI takes up very little amount of resource and you can even manage your own resources if required using CLI giving it a peak possible performance while doing a certain task.	GUI takes more resource because it takes a lot of extra time to process the image, all the graphical elements, load extra drivers for mouse or other components required to render the image to the screen.
Automation	You can pretty much automate anything task you do in your computer.	Eventhough you can setup shourtcuts in GUI it is still not as even close to what automated tasks you can do with CLI
Change	With every new version, CLI does not change much. Whatever was available before will not have much different. Most drastic change would be addition of commands which after getting used to CLI will be very easy to get familiar with.	GUI a lot of times tend to give you a drastic change making it difficult to get used to when new version comes out.
Physical Work	CLI is worked only with keyboard and you do not have to concentrate much on what pixels you are working on your screen. Hence it will make it very less physical work.	Using mouse to relocate pointer to the fixed pixel is normally considered a lot of work to accomplish something.

This is all about explaining why we use CLI and what are its advantages over using an GUI. Next Blog, we will talk about basic CLI usage in Windows system which will give you basic idea how you will be able to replace the graphical interface with CLI.

Thank you for reading!

Other Articles:

---

---