What are the difference between GUI and CLI?

DIfferences between GUI and CLI

GUI: GUI stands for Graphical User Interface. It mainly works on computer graphics. The main function of GUI includes allowing the user to interact with the computer using various components such as Windows, Icons, labels, text boxes, radio buttons and many more. It is not necessary to remember commands while working with GUI. Clicking on the icons, dragging and dropping several items to various parts of the screen using a mouse etc can be easily done with the help of GUI. There are several components of a GUI.

The major component is the window which is the screen visible to the user and is rectangular in shape. Also, it may overlap the areas of other windows. Another components are the text box, icons, search boxes, menus, drop-down list and many other graphical elements. When compared to CLI, GUI is much easier to use and any beginner, with basic knowledge, can easily handle the operations made on GUI. It also consumes more memory due to the availability of huge amount of graphical components.

CLI: CLI stands for Command Line Interface. CLI has other names too such as Command Language Interpreter, Console User Interface and Character User Interface. CLI helps the users to input commands into the terminal to operate various tasks. The main working of CLI includes several commands given by the user and then pressing the "enter" key. With this, the terminal or shell will automatically interpret the given commands and will display the desired result back to the terminal. In this way, CLI also helps the user to communicate with the operating system.

It is required to have good knowledge over commands to use the CLI perfectly. Operating systems such as Unix contain only CLI whereas other OS such as Windows and Linux comprise both CLI and GUI. CLI consumes less memory because of fewer graphical components in it and is totally based on command interface and thus is relatively faster in execution. CLI lacks in flexibility as it is command based. Also, the appearance and look cannot be changed by the user in CLI, unlike GUI.