command line interface

operating system A means of communication between a

program and its user, based solely on textual input and

output. Commands are input with the help of a keyboard or

similar device and are interpreted and executed by the

program. Results are output as text or graphics to the

terminal.

Command line interfaces usually provide greater flexibility

than graphical user interfaces, at the cost of being harder

for the novice to use. Consequently, some hackers look down

on GUIs as designed For The Rest Of Them.

(1996-01-12)