Dictionary term
CLI
Also called Command Line Interface · terminal
Web/DevBeginner
A text-based way to control your computer or a tool by typing commands instead of clicking a graphical interface.
In plain English
A text window where you type commands to control your computer or a tool, instead of clicking buttons.
Analogy
Like talking directly to your computer instead of pointing at buttons.
Why it matters
Many dev and AI tools (Claude Code, git, deploys) are driven from the CLI, so basic comfort here unlocks a lot.
In practice
Running 'vercel --prod' in the terminal deploys your site.
Related terms
Sources
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