

In practice, multiple terms are used to refer to the command line: Command Line Interface (CLI), console, terminal, shell, or prompt. Make sure not to blindly copy and paste commands you find online only rely on trusted resources for any command you don't fully understand. As a result, the command line must be used with caution.

There is often no feedback after a command has run and it is possible to delete an entire computer with a single command: no warning will pop up. Given its minimal user interface-just a blank screen and a blinking cursor-the command line is intimidating to newcomers. With a little practice most developers find that the command line is actually a faster and more powerful way to navigate and control a computer.
How to open mac terminal commands software#
A typical user will never need to use the command line but software developers do because certain tasks can only be done with it: running programs, installing software, using Git for version control, or connecting to servers in the cloud. It is an alternative to the mouse or finger-based graphical user interface familiar to most computer users. If you have ever seen a show where hackers are furiously typing into a black window, that's the command line. The command line is a powerful text-only interface for computers.
