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A computer terminal is a text-based interface for interacting with a computer by typing commands. It acts as an input/output device where a user can enter commands, and the system provides text-based responses. Modern "terminal" programs, often called terminal emulators, run inside a graphical interface and connect to an underlying command-line interface (CLI) controlled by a shell (like Bash or Zsh).

Key terms

Terminal emulator: A modern software application that emulates the behavior of a hardware terminal, providing a text-based window for interacting with the OS.

Shell: A program that provides the user interface for a command line. It interprets commands and runs other programs, and is what presents the prompt to the user.

Command: A specific instruction typed into the terminal to be executed by the shell. It can be a program name plus any additional parameters.

Prompt: A sequence of characters that the shell displays to indicate it is ready to accept a command. It often shows the current directory and ends with a symbol like $ or #.

Escape sequence: A series of characters used to control the terminal, like changing text color or moving the cursor.