Glossary Concept
Command-Line Interface (CLI)
A command-line interface is a text-based way to run tools, pass options, and automate repeatable work from a terminal.
Command-line interface (CLI) means using typed commands instead of buttons and menus.
CLIs are useful because they are composable. A command can be copied into documentation, put in a script, run in a CI job, or chained with other tools. That makes them awkward at first and quietly powerful once the commands become familiar.
The danger is hidden state. A command that only works because of a local profile, shell alias, cached token, or current directory can be hard for someone else to repeat. Good CLI examples include the assumptions, not just the command.