CLI
Command Line Interface
ELI5 — The Vibe Check
CLI is just the fancy term for any tool you use by typing commands instead of clicking buttons. When you type 'git push' or 'npm install', you are using a CLI. It is the opposite of a GUI where everything has a pretty button.
Real Talk
A CLI is a type of user interface where interaction happens through typed text commands in a shell or terminal. CLI tools accept arguments and flags (e.g., git commit -m "msg"), pipe output between tools, and are easily scriptable. Most developer toolchains — package managers, build tools, cloud CLIs — are CLI-first.
Show Me The Code
# Examples of popular CLIs:
git status # Git CLI
npm install lodash # Node package manager CLI
aws s3 ls # AWS CLI
docker ps # Docker CLI
When You'll Hear This
"Does it have a CLI or do I have to use the web dashboard?" / "The CLI is faster once you know the commands."
Related Terms
Command Line
The command line is the place inside the terminal where you actually type your commands.
GUI (Graphical User Interface)
GUI is everything you see and click on — buttons, menus, windows, icons. It is the opposite of a CLI where you type commands. Your phone is all GUI.
Script
A script is a file full of commands that run automatically one after another, so you do not have to type them all yourself.
Shell
The shell is the program that reads what you type in the terminal and makes things happen.
Terminal
The terminal is a black window where you talk to your computer using text commands instead of clicking buttons.