Does command line interface (CLI), REPL, terminal, console, or shell sound scary? Don't worry, we'll learn about the basic computer interface that gives you super powers! If you want to work with Raspberry Pi, Linux, or many programming languages you need a basic familiarity with the CLI. This MILL-Mini will demystify the terminal so you can use it to get things done.
The command line is a text-based interface for efficiently getting stuff done. It's often called the shell, terminal, console, cmd, or Bash, but ultimately the Shell is just a program on your computer like any other application. Its job is to act as a command shell, taking input from the user, ordering the computer's operating system (OS) to execute the instructions, and returning the outputs.