If you have ever noticed, the hackers or programmers on tv shows are always in front of their screens, so focused, typing on their keyboards as they hack a site. You thought “How did they do that?” They make it look so easy. There is so much you can do to manipulate and navigate around your system with just the help of your keyboard.

farida@ibrahim-pc MINGW64 ~
$ cd coding/

farida@ibrahim-pc MINGW64 ~/coding
$ ls -l
total 19199
-rw-r--r-- 1 farida 197610      483 Apr 11 20:49 5-printf.c
-rw-r--r-- 1 farida 197610 19569373 Jul 26  2021 ERG_agro_full.xlsx
drwxr-xr-x 1 farida 197610        0 Apr  7 02:30 __pycache__/
-rw-r--r-- 1 farida 197610      214 Mar 29 11:34 alxhellowworld.c
-rwxr-xr-x 1 farida 197610    54024 Mar 29 11:34 alxhellowworld.exe*
-rw-r--r-- 1 farida 197610      992 Mar 29 11:34 alxhellowworld.o
-rw-r--r-- 1 farida 197610        0 Apr  7 23:45 bayes.csv
-rw-r--r-- 1 farida 197610     9641 Apr  7 23:54 bayes.xlsx
-rw-r--r-- 1 farida 197610       96 Mar 27 01:36 classgardepy
-rw-r--r-- 1 farida 197610     6838 Mar 27 03:59 gettinguserinput.html
-rw-r--r-- 1 farida 197610      394 Apr 15 00:22 helloworld.c
-rw-r--r-- 1 farida 197610      167 Apr  5 05:14 mycode.py
-rw-r--r-- 1 farida 197610      156 Apr  8 02:16 pan_ad.py
drwxr-xr-x 1 farida 197610        0 Apr 19 22:48 playground/
-rw-r--r-- 1 farida 197610       89 Mar 27 00:09 pypie
drwxr-xr-x 1 farida 197610        0 Apr 19 22:38 usri/

farida@selma-pc MINGW64 ~/coding
$ echo 'Hello Fellow Programmers!'
Hello Fellow Programmers!

farida@selma-pc MINGW64 ~/coding
$

WHAT IS A COMMAND LINE INTERFACE?

A command line Interface (also CLI for short) is a powerful tool that gives users access to interact with a computer’s operating system using text-based commands entered through a terminal or console. It’s a way of telling a computer what to do by typing in text commands, rather than using a graphical user interface(GUI) with icons, clicking, dragging, and many more. With CLI, users can perform a wide range of tasks such as managing files, configuring systems, and more.

WHY USE THE COMMAND LINE?

Undoubtedly, graphical user interfaces(GUIs) have made computing more accessible to a wider range of users, but they have their limitations. While they can be visually appealing and easy to use, they can be slow and inefficient for more complex operations. This is where the command line interface(CLI) comes in. With the CLI we have access to powerful tools that allow users to perform commands and tasks directly through a terminal(also known as a terminal emulator), providing faster and more efficient access to system resources. Fascinating right?

As someone who has spent countless hours in front of a computer screen, I can attest to the power of the command line. Yeah, graphical interfaces are shiny and can seem easier, but they can also be slow and cumbersome when it comes to performing certain tasks. The command line on the other hand is as fast as the flash, allowing you to get things done quickly and efficiently.

While many users may be intimidated by the command line, it offers a level of control and flexibility that is unmatched by graphical interfaces. In this article, we will explore the power of the Linux command line, its relevance, and why it is still an indispensable tool for computer users in today’s computing landscape, particularly for those in technical fields, software engineering, data analysis, and more.

Although there are different types of command lines, each with its own uniqueness, purposes, and features. The three main types of command lines are;

1. Unix command line,

2. Windows Command Prompt

3. Powershell

Yes, the Linux command line is an example of a Unix command line. It is a mysterious and daunting environment of the computer. It is a powerful tool that grants users access to having the power to interact with the computer’s operating system in an expressive way using text-based commands. We know this. But how do we access the Linux command line? Accessing the Linux command line can be done through a terminal emulator, which is a program that provides a text-based interface for interacting with the operating system. Depending on the Linux distribution and desktop environment you are using, the terminal emulator may be pre-installed or you may need to install it manually.

To mention a few popular examples of terminal emulators we have, the shell and the bash(i.e Bourne Again Shell). The shell is a command line interface that allows you to interact with the OS and execute commands, while bash is a popular Unix shell that runs in a terminal emulator. Other examples of terminal emulators include GNOME terminal and Konsole just to name a few. Once you have a terminal emulator installed, you can typically access it by searching for it. When you open the terminal emulator, you will see a command prompt(it looks like this “$“), which is where you can type commands to interact with the OS.

One of the primary benefits of using the command line is its efficiency. Once you become familiar with the commands, you can execute tasks much more quickly than you could with a graphical interface. For example, If you need to move a large number of ‘.docx’ files from one directory to another, it is much faster to use the command line than to drag and drop each file individually because they could be placed in different positions. Lucky for us, if you need to perform this task repeatedly, you can create a script that automates the process, saving you time and effort.

Oh! Have I mentioned how, highly customizable the command line is? It allows us to tailor it to our specific needs. We can use a built-in command called an ‘alias’ to create aliases for frequently used commands, you can customize your prompt, and even create your own scripts and commands. This goes to show the level of customization the command line has over the GUI.

On the other hand, the greatest strength of the command line is its power. It gives users access to a vast array of tools and utilities. For example, Linux comes with a suite of powerful built-in command line tools for text processing and file navigation. These tools allow users to manipulate text in powerful ways, making it easy to extract information from files or perform complex transformations.

In addition, the command line is also highly flexible, allowing users to perform a wide range of tasks by just typing a few commands. For example, you can use the command line to manipulate files, manage programs and even connect to remote servers. This flexibility makes the command line an indispensable tool for developers, power users, and system administrators, who need to perform complex tasks on a daily basis.

Tip: If you are new to the Linux command line it can be helpful to start with some basic commands, get familiar with them, and get familiar with the syntax and functionality. Just to name a few, here are some common commands they include “ls” to list all files and directories in the current directory, “cd’’ to change directories, “touch” to create a file, ‘’mkdir’’ to make/create a new directory, and ‘’rm’’ to remove files or directories. As you become more comfortable with the command line, you can start exploring more advanced commands and wield massive power over your computer ; )

Now, I know you may be thinking that some of the tasks we perform using the commands on the shell could be easily/feasibly done with a file manager. With a file manager, we can drag and drop multiple files from one directory to another, copy, paste, and delete any file or text, and so on. So why do we need to bother with these old command line programs? The answer in the simplest form is power and flexibility.

In conclusion, while the file manager is a useful tool, in your eyes the command line may feel like a difficult way to solve a difficult task, and the file manager an easier way to solve a difficult task. You may be surprised that this is just the opposite. Whether you are a developer or a system administrator, mastering the command line can be an invaluable skill that can save you time and make your computing experience more efficient and enjoyable.