<p><em>“Ah, yes. Graphical-user interface (GUI) apps. They are so comfortable and easy to use. You just click some buttons and get your computer to do what you want.”</em></p>
<p>That was what I thought before I learned how spectacular terminal applications are. <strong>I do not use a calendar or email GUI app. I use its terminal equivalent.</strong> Specifically, I use Calcurse for my calendar/todo, neomutt for my email, sxiv for my image viewing, mpv for my video playing and even Joplin (CLI) for my notes. I am still actively looking for more apps like terminal file managers (lf, ranger, mc) and terminal versions of GUI apps I use (Bitwarden?). What compelled me to switch?</p>
<p>That was what I thought before I learned how spectacular terminal applications are. <strong>I do not use a calendar or email GUI app. I use its terminal equivalent.</strong> Specifically, I use khal for my calendar/to-do, neomutt for my email, sxiv for my image viewing, mpv for my video playing and even <ahref="../vimwiki">Neovim with Vimwiki</a> for my notes. I am also switching to apps that work better with terminals. What prompted me to switch?</p>
<h2>The Right Tool For The Right Job</h2>
<p>Firstly, I realized that apps that allow me to use my keyboard and reduce mouse usage to as little as possible saved me a lot of time. By a lot of time, I don't mean a few minutes. I mean hours in the long run. Moving your hand to your mouse and clicking a button takes at least three seconds. Multiply that hundreds of times a day and 365 days an year. That leads to a lot of time wasted just moving your hand to your mouse.</p>
<p>Also, this prevents wrist strain in the long run.</p>
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<h2>Exponential Learning Curve</h2>
<p>While GUI apps are simple to use initially, your speed using the apps remains slow all the time. Sure, you may learn where every button is and be able to open any setting you want quickly, but that speed is nothing compared to one of a command line. With a command line, your speed is slower than a snail at first. However, after some time of using the program, you can do things at a similar speed as a GUI app.</p>
<p>If you daily-drive a terminal program, it takes only a few days for you to become faster at it than using a GUI program. After that, you will be able to understand your most used commands and use aliases to shorten them.</p>
<p>For example, if you view your free space regulary, instead of typing a 50-character command to print your free space, you can just alias that command to 'free-space'. Doing this will make it so that whenever you type 'free-space', it performs the aforementioned 50-character command and displays the output. This will save your more than just a few hours of time.</p>
<p>For example, if you view your free space regularly, instead of typing a 50-character command to print your free space, you can just alias that command to 'free-space'. Doing this will make it so that whenever you type 'free-space', it performs the aforementioned 50-character command and displays the output. This will save your more than just a few hours of time.</p>
<h2>The Choices Never End!</h2>
<p>With terminal apps, you have a plethora of choices. I can almost guarantee that an app with functionality you wish existed does exist in the form of a command line application. There are obscure apps with spectacular functionality which can change your computing experience that you will miss out on if you stay away from the terminal.</p>
<h2>Bathe In Possibilities!</h2>
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<h2>Nothing is Perfect...</h2>
<p>... including terminal applications. Terminal applications are amazing. They allow me to do so much. However, there are extremely rare cases in which I have no choice but to use a GUI. This is if the GUI application in question requires you to use only their app. There are also some specific use-cases in which GUI apps just make more sense. Video editing, advanced photo manipulation and 3D modelling are great examples.</p>
<h2>To Sum It All Up...</h2>
<p>...terminal applications should be used as much as possible. They are swift. They can be used quickly and also use less resources and space while running on just about anything. They are not as difficult as they look and can be used for uses which GUI apps do not have. They cannot be used all the time because there are rare exceptions in which GUI applications have to be used. However, these are so little that I do not mind keeping GUI apps just for these use cases.
<p>...terminal applications should be used as much as possible. They are swift. They can be used quickly and also use less resources and space while running on just about anything. Futhermore, they are not as difficult as they look and can be used for uses which GUI apps do not have. They cannot be used all the time because there are rare exceptions in which GUI applications have to be used. However, these are so little that I do not mind keeping GUI apps just for these use cases.
<p><ahref="mailto:sf@sufyaan.me?subject=Why%20I%20Use%20Terminal%20Apps">>>> Reply To Me</a></p>
TitanE
8 months ago