Interface facts for kids
An interface is like a special screen or way for you to talk to a computer. It helps you tell the computer what to do. For example, you use an interface to write a document or open a web page. There are two main kinds of interfaces: a command line interface (CLI) and a graphical user interface (GUI).
Command Line Interface (CLI)
A command line interface is a way to control your computer by typing text commands. It's like talking to the computer using only words. You won't see pictures or fancy graphics here.
Imagine you want the computer to say "Hello World". Here's how you would do it with a CLI:
- First, you type a command like "say". This tells the computer you want it to speak.
- Next, you tell the computer what to say. You would type "Hello World" inside quotation marks.
- Finally, you press the Enter key. The computer then shows "Hello World" on the screen.
Using a CLI can be tricky for some people. If you make a small mistake, like typing one wrong letter, the computer won't understand. It will show an error message, and you'll have to type the whole command again. This can sometimes take a lot of time.
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
A graphical user interface is much different. It uses both text and pictures. This makes it easier and more fun to use. The very first computer to use a GUI was the Apple Lisa in 1983.
Many popular operating systems use graphical user interfaces today, such as:
- Microsoft Windows
- Mac OS X
- Linux versions, like Ubuntu
Because most computers use GUIs, you see them everywhere. They let you click on icons, open menus, and drag things around with a mouse. Even though GUIs are common, you can still use a command line interface on almost any computer if you want to.
Related Pages
- Apple Macintosh - The first affordable computer that came with a GUI.
- Xerox Alto - This was the very first computer with a GUI, but it wasn't easy to use.
- Microsoft Windows
