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
1
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."
2
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 notesIn 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
Common pairings
run the CLI
CLI tool
CLI command
install the CLI
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Everything the dashboard does can also be done through the _____.
Etymology
An initialism of command-line interface.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
GUI
graphical user interface
Related words
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.
What is the meaning of CLI?
"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.
