Why the Command Line is Overpowered

When I say “Overpowered”, this means the command line interfaces can do things that are otherwise impossible.

Do you think the command line in all operating systems (Windows, MacOS, and Linux) is Overpowered?
— Chris Titus Tech (@christitustech) October 8, 2022

All Operating Systems

When your think of command line interfaces or CLI, there are a lot of things that come to my mind, but let’s go over how they are overpowered in EVERY operating system.

Windows

Both PowerShell and Command Prompt in Windows can do some amazing things. I use them extensively in both my personal and business life. I have some batch scripts that strip out and delete edge every time Microsoft reinstalls it through an unwanted update.

In Powershell my entire Windows Utility is built through a PS1 script and XAML. I can install Microsoft Store Apps, Clean and Optimize systems quickly. I can also modify Windows in a way where I only have 40 processes running.

These feats are not possible from just using fancy graphics and a mouse. Without them, you are crippled and at the mercy of Microsoft.

MacOS

Terminal on a mac is the one thing I love about the operating system. Most mac users don’t even know how awesome their UNIX based terminal is. They just click around and open up their wallets to the App Store when they need something.

That all changes when you discovery terminal and a program called “Homebrew”. This gives you the ability to install programs in a flash and it doesn’t cost you a dime. I couldn’t live without this on a Mac.

Linux

Terminal is the CLI that made command line cool. The functions you get from this in Linux is absolutely amazing. It is so good that many mundane tasks are simply easier on terminal than using a mouse and the graphic user interface. The entire system can be run from terminal with ease and why the world runs on Linux servers.

Is it faster than a GUI?

There is a debate about this among hobbyists, but any IT professional will tell you that there isn’t any comparison. Installing programs, tweaking a system, copying large amounts of files, and many more tasks are not only easier, but incredibly faster. It is not to say there is no place for the GUI, but for tasks you do often, there is no equal that can come close to the efficiency of the command line.

So the question isn’t if it is faster than the GUI… The question is:

“Are you skilled enough to use the command line to its potential?”

I often ask myself this question when I find something cumbersome and I don’t know the alternative in the command line. The thing most people miss is, ANYTHING is possible on the command line. It’s just whether or not you know it.