The REAL Reason Linux Users Love The Command Line

Dude you forgot to mention that it comes with useful error messages. Best thing on the terminal. Often the error even tells you how to correct it.

"Where there is a shell, there is a way.."

It's a UNIX System, I know this.

When you get instructions from the internet, would you rather spend 5 seconds to copy-paste a (possibly cryptic) command line text and be done or watch a 10 minute YouTube video showing you exactly where to click, how to click, where to drag, what to enter etc?

[My cousins comes home]
Me typing : sudo apt-get upgrade
My cousins : ohhh u r an Hacker
Me : hmmmmm..... kind of

The command line is a direct line of communication between you and your computer.

Also: Support. It is much easier in a forum to say you have to enter command "foo -bar | foobar >> baz" then taking 5 screenshorts, highlight a red area, upload them all, the other user has to look at them and translate it to his installation language.

This is like “nerd spoken word”

I would add "automation". It is easier in a terminal.

Also, it looks fucking cool to enter a command you guessed yourself, and watch walls of cryptic logs slowly scrolling up your terminal as it does exactly what you wanted!

To anyone interested in linux, my two cents about using the command line:

Most commands you become very familiar with so stuff that feels strange becomes much easier to do on a personal level. I remember having reasonable newbie paranoia about the idea of executing some strange unfamiliar thing/lines of input. Later though, it's just like: yep this is just (thing i know) and am 100% certain everything will be fine and this isn't some malicious code or evil backdoor or something. I actually feel more scared of GUI in some ways. like: WHAT is this mouse click actually executing on muh system, and if I can't see the source code, how much do I trust the creator/company that published this?

linux is cozy frens <3

As a former co-worker of mine always put it: "When you're at the command line, you're in command.".

My favorite thing about the command line is that when you are done with a task, you have a transcript of how you did it. You don’t have to remember to take screenshots along the way to make documentation. I have 20 year old transcripts sitting in Evernote. I’m amazed how my times my searches pull up things I never knew I did.

Because it's almost like being able to say "Computer, do X" and getting an instant result.....which is just cool! Linux still can't produce earl grey tea though, but I'm sure someone is working on that. Lol!

I never.. comment.... ever... but this time it felt “empowering”

I would also like to add: using the cli gives the user the ability to script and automate tasks to save time and energy.

For newcomers, an advice: just follow the light, you will love it too.

For me it's about being able to put a command and get immediate feedback. It either works or spits out an error. The error points you directly to the problem or it is easy to google a solution.

The command line IS empowering. As a UNIX Boomer, I had command lines that passed parameters, flags and variables to programs that did strange and wonderous things. When GUIs came out, they felt like infant's "Busy Boxes" that some designer's idea of what front end controls users would need. I confess to getting comfy whenever I get to run commands directly on my devices. BTW, early adopter of MKS Toolkit and other suites that freed me from DOS and/or Windows.

Tbh, the command line just feels satisfying to use

Since my first computer was an Apple ][+, a black screen with text feels like home to me.