Алматинская академия Экономики и статистики

Difference Between GUI and CLI

Definition

A GUI is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and visual indicators. A CLI is an interface for the user to issue commands in the form of successive lines of text or command lines to perform the tasks.

Stands for

GUI stands for Graphical User Interface whereas CLI stands for Command Line Interface.

Usability

It is easy to use the GUI. It is not necessary to have a vast knowledge to operate the system using the GUI. Even a beginner can easily handle the tasks using the GUI. On the other hand, CLI is complex. The user should have good knowledge of the commands. Misspelt commands are of no use.  

Memory Requirement

GUI requires more memory as it contains a lot of graphical components. CLI is a command interface, and it does not require more memory. 

Speed

GUI is slower but the CLI is fast.

Customizability

The user can change the appearance of the GUI. There are customizable options to change the appearance. It is not possible to change the CLI. 

Flexibility

GUI is more flexible whereas CLI is not much flexible.

Conclusion

The difference between GUI and CLI is that the GUI allows the user to interact with the system using graphical elements such as windows, icons, menus while the CLI allows the user to interact with the system using commands.  In brief, GUI is more user-friendly, and CLI is more advanced and powerful.

Reference:

1. Pakuwal, Bivek. “Graphical User Interface.” LinkedIn SlideShare, 17 Apr. 2015, Available here.
2. “Command-Line Interface.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 July 2018, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Screenshots (26) of Windows 7 Beta (Build 7000)” by okubax (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Telegram CLI Linux” By DesdeLinux (telegram-cli from Github) (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia