Are you new to Linux and resistant to terminal? Or maybe you’re a long-time avid user like me? Either way, learning the Linux terminal opens up a whole different world in Linux, and I’ll tell you why.
The terminal is not a fashion; it’s undeniably a better way to use Linux. It sounds confusing, but it’s easy. Linux is well suited to a text-based interface, and there are compelling reasons why you should learn Terminal: help and support, automation, reducing bloat, and personal growth, to name a few. Learning the terminal is a fate that most Linux users cannot avoid.
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Remembering commands is easier than you think
Beginners often say that it’s difficult to remember all the commands or that it’s easier to learn where elements are in a user interface. I would answer this by saying, “If you can remember a PIN, dates, names, email addresses, or websites, then you can recall commands, because they’re just words and letters.” » The ability to write a coherent sentence is proof that you are able to construct sequences of words that obey rules, much like a command.
Learning the commands is just as difficult as anything else you do, including navigating a complex user interface.
Concise commands are easier than comprehensive instructions
Most people have tried to diagnose problems in Windows at least once, which usually involves a series of bewildering visual clues that often drain my energy. I really need to lie down afterwards. My mind screams, “Just tell me the answer!” If you’ve never used a command line before, you probably don’t know what I mean, but the commands are simple and understandable at a glance. For example, look at this command:
sudo apt upgrade -yIf I know what “apt” is, then I know what this command does: no tutorial required. I can even copy and paste it, but I can’t copy and paste a set of illustrative screenshots. To do this, I have to laboriously robotically emulate a sequence of instructions while double-checking my work. Conversely, I don’t need to double-check commands any more than I need to read a sentence twice: they are often very clear.
Give me a command line any day.
Double-checking means reading something twice or more. Always read the instructions (and commands) at least once.
Commands are persistent
How many times have you completed a UI-focused tutorial only to realize halfway through that some steps are outdated or don’t apply to your distribution? User interfaces change often and each has distinct processes. It’s not just a set of movable goal posts; it’s dozens. In contrast, terminal commands do not have this problem because they rarely change. In all the years I’ve used Linux, I can’t remember a single instance where a command change caused a problem.
Command-based solutions snowball and remain relevant over time, while GUI-based solutions inevitably rot and become search engine noise.
Linux is philosophically text-based
You may have heard that in Linux everything is a text file. Well, it’s true, for the most part. In comparison, GUI-heavy environments bury details in a database or in an unreadable format. When I need to search for something specific, I’m often limited by the interface. Can I enter? No! Use a regular expression? No! Instead, I’m stuck with a small window that restricts my view of the system. In comparison, the terminal allows me to use powerful tools like ripgrep over /etc and I find exactly what I want. I can run fd anywhere and do much more, limited only by my knowledge.
I feel more connected to Linux using the terminal and my vision is unlimited; GUI-focused environments seem to be the opposite.
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GUIs are pumped up training wheels
Originally, graphical interfaces made technically incapable people feel less intimidated. It is an abstraction that stands between us and the system. A layer that, in my opinion, clogs up workflows with unnecessary panels, spaces and buttons. It takes up real estate on my screen and in my mind. When I look at a GUI, I often ask, “What does this add besides noise?” Sure, touch devices need a GUI, but because of the added friction, power users should hate them (and I do, even on a mobile device).
Initially, GUIs helped onboard less technical users, but they retain technically proficient users.
GUIs are not scriptable
GUIs are not basic elements; it is an interface, similar to a wall socket, and requires human control. In contrast, scripts are composable statements of intent, like a recipe. They’re expressive, and if you can do it with a GUI or CLI, you can do it with a script.
Some would argue that AI is now automating GUI processes. True, but requiring a mind-blowingly expensive, environment-polluting LLM to achieve something that a 0¢ Bash script can do is beyond the definition of bloat.
GUIs make you an intrinsic part of the workflow. Scripts are composable and automatic.
Graphical interfaces are not inspiring
Throughout my years using Linux, the terminal (and Bash) has pushed me to learn more. I could always improve something with a script by learning the commands as I went along. Conversely, Windows, a GUI-heavy environment, never felt this way: C:\Windows\System32 was a mysterious black box, with siled information and proprietary binary formats. After installation, my system rarely changed and it never prompted me to dig deeper. Now I’m a programmer and there are very few things I can’t change. I started with Bash and I owe my skills, hobbies and passion to Terminal, a place I call ~.
Why do Linux fans love Terminal so much?
This is not required, but it is still a great tool.
I consider learning the terminal inevitable in Linux: just like working in a kitchen, you will invariably get a few tips. That’s how I started: one order at a time, as needed. It started with system updates, which became software installations, then system configuration. As your needs grow, you’ll reduce the inevitable by using the command line in modest ways.
Eventually, you’ll use the terminal often, like most long-time Linux users. Embrace it now, because it’s the most powerful way to use Linux.
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