command-line interface
Sign in to savetype of computer interface based on entering text commands and viewing text output
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A command-line interface is a way to control a computer by typing text commands and reading text responses, rather than using a mouse to click on buttons and icons. It remains widely used by programmers and system administrators because it offers direct control over computers and can be faster for many technical tasks than graphical interfaces.
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A command-line interface (CLI), also known as a command-line shell, is a means of interacting with software via commands – each formatted as a line of text. The concept of interacting with a computer via text evolved over two decades, transitioning from physical hardware to sophisticated software. Before the CLI, computers were programmed using physical switches or punched cards. The shift toward a "command" style interaction began with the use of Teleprinters (Teletypes). Early systems like the Whirlwind I (1951) at MIT began utilizing typewriter-like inputs for direct control, moving away from batch processing where you'd hand a stack of cards to an operator and wait hours for a result. Devices like the Teletype Model 33, introduced in 1963, allowed operators to type a command and receive a printed response from the computer.