What Is a Terminal and How Do You Use It?
Author: Domeny.ForSale editorial team Published
In brief: A computer terminal is a tool for interacting with your system mainly by typing commands and reading text output. You can use it to browse files, run programs and manage a server, among other tasks. The word “terminal” has other meanings too: it can refer to a payment device or part of an airport. In computing, however, it usually means a window for working with commands.
How does a computer terminal work?
In a graphical interface, you perform tasks using windows, buttons and menus. In a terminal, you type a command, press Enter and receive output, an error message or a request for more information. Some programs run interactively in the terminal, displaying a text editor or a CPU usage monitor, for example.
The terminal itself usually does not interpret commands. That is the job of the shell, a program that recognises the instructions you enter and carries out the appropriate actions. Examples of shells include Bash, Zsh and PowerShell.
The name has historical roots: a terminal was a separate device, usually with a keyboard and screen, connected to a computer. A modern application that recreates this function is called a terminal emulator, although in everyday use it is simply called a “terminal”.
Terminal, console and command line: what is the difference?
These terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they describe slightly different aspects of working with a computer. Here is a simple distinction:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Terminal | Where you type commands and see the output from programs. |
| Shell | A program that interprets commands, such as Bash or PowerShell. |
| Command line | A text-based way of issuing commands; in Windows, Command Prompt is also the name of the program cmd.exe. |
| Console | Depending on the context, a local interface for operating the system or an informal term for a terminal window. |
For example, Windows Terminal is an application that can open tabs running PowerShellem, Command Prompt or a shell in a Linux system running through WSL. WSL is a feature that lets you use a Linux environment within Windows. The terminal is therefore the “window”, while the shell is the program running inside it.
This distinction is useful when following tutorials. A command intended for Bash may not work in PowerShellu, even if the two windows look similar. What matters is the shell, the operating system and whether the required program is available—not the terminal’s background colour.
What is a terminal useful for?
A terminal is especially useful for repetitive tasks or those requiring precise parameters. You can use it to search for files, run a script, check whether a network connection is working or work with Git—a system that records the history of changes to project files.
Administrators often use terminals to connect to servers through SSH, a protocol that provides secure, encrypted access to a remote computer. Once connected, commands run on the server rather than on your own laptop. This matters especially when modifying or deleting data.
For example, renaming two photos is usually convenient in a file manager. But if you want to rename several hundred photos according to one rule, a command or script can reduce the manual work. That does not mean a terminal is always better: a graphical interface is often enough for a simple, one-off task.
How do you open a terminal and run your first commands?
In Windows, search the Start menu for “Terminal”, “PowerShell” or “Command Prompt”; which applications are available depends on your system’s configuration. In macOS, you can find the Terminal application through Spotlight. In Linux distributions, look for a terminal application in the applications menu—its name depends on the desktop environment.
Start with actions that only display information:
- Check the current directory, meaning the folder you are currently working in. In Bash, Zsh and PowerShellu, type
pwd. In the Windows Command Prompt, typecdwithout any additional arguments. - List the contents of the directory. In Bash and Zsh, use
ls; in PowerShellu, useGet-ChildItem; and in the Windows Command Prompt, usedir. - Move to the parent directory with
cd ... This command works in all the shells listed above.
The current directory is the starting point for many commands. If you specify only a filename, the program will usually look for it there. Put paths containing spaces in quotation marks, for example cd "My projects", if that subdirectory exists.
How do you use a terminal safely?
A terminal is not dangerous in itself, but commands can change settings and delete data. Deleting a file with a command does not necessarily move it to the trash. Take particular care with commands that affect entire directories or run with administrator privileges, for example through sudo on Unix-like systems.
Do not paste commands from an unknown source without understanding what they do. Pay particular attention to commands that download a script from the internet and immediately run it. Before performing an operation on files, check which directory you are working in and whether you have a backup of important data.
For your first practice session, create an ordinary folder containing a few test files. Learn to list its contents and move between directories—without administrator privileges and without commands that delete data.
See also: What is 2FA?
Read also
