noun

CLI

see-el-EYE

CLI (noun) means a way of using a computer program by typing text commands and reading text results, rather than clicking buttons and menus; short for command-line interface. Example: “Everything the dashboard does can also be done through the CLI.”

noun

A way of using a computer program by typing text commands and reading text results, rather than clicking buttons and menus; short for command-line interface.

"Everything the dashboard does can also be done through the CLI."

"She prefers the CLI because she can save a long sequence of commands and repeat it later."

computing A specific text-command tool published alongside a service or product, used to control it from a terminal.

"Install the CLI first, then log in with your account details."

How to Use CLI

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishControlling a program by typing commands instead of clicking things.

When to use it

Technical; almost always written as the initialism rather than spelled out in full.

Memory tip

Say the three letters separately, see-el-EYE, and use a before it: a CLI tool.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

GUI → terminal → shell → console →

Common pairings

run the CLI CLI tool CLI command install the CLI

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “CLI” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Everything the dashboard does can also be done through the _____.

Etymology

An initialism of command-line interface.

Origin: English

Synonyms

View more →

command line command-line interface terminal interface shell command-line tool command-line client

Antonyms

GUI graphical user interface

Related Words

outside scale plate shell framework missile hull exterior

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a CLI and a GUI?

A CLI takes typed commands and prints text back, while a GUI, a graphical user interface, is the windows, icons and buttons you click. The same underlying program can offer both; the CLI is easier to script and repeat, and the GUI is easier to explore.

Is the CLI the same thing as the terminal?

Not quite. The terminal is the window that displays text and accepts your typing; the CLI is the command-based way of interacting that appears inside it. People often use the words loosely as if they were the same.

Why do developers still use a CLI?

Typed commands can be recorded in a file and run again exactly, which makes repeated tasks reliable and easy to automate. Text commands are also quick to share and to run on a remote machine that has no screen.

People Also Searched

outside scale plate shell framework missile hull exterior