EP4: Linux CLI vs GUI – Which One Should You Use?

In this episode, we’ll compare Linux CLI (Command Line Interface) and GUI (Graphical User Interface). Which one should you use — especially if you're studying for RHCSA certification?

🖥️ GUI: Graphical User Interface

GUI = Point-and-click interface, with windows, buttons, and icons.

✅ Common GUIs in Linux:

GNOME (used in RHEL/Rocky)
KDE
XFCE (lightweight)

🟢 Pros:

Easy to use for beginners
Visual and intuitive
Good for basic tasks: browsing, file management, system settings

🔴 Cons:

Uses more system resources (RAM/CPU)
Some advanced admin tasks are hidden or harder to script
Not always available in production environments

💻 CLI: Command Line Interface

CLI = Type commands into a terminal. Used via shell (e.g., Bash, Zsh)

✅ CLI in RHEL-based systems is usually bash shell

🟢 Pros:

Lightweight and fast
Works on servers without GUI
Easy to automate using scripts
100% covered in RHCSA exam

🔴 Cons:

Steeper learning curve
No visual hints
You need to memorize or know how to find help

Don’t be scarry to CLI

Most commands are just short abbreviations

Command	Meaning / Origin	Easy to Remember As…
`ls`	List Segment (or just "list")	Show files/folders
`cd`	Change Directory	Move into a different folder
`pwd`	Print Working Directory	Show current location/path
`mkdir`	Make Directory	Create a new folder
`rmdir`	Remove Directory	Delete an empty folder
`rm`	Remove	Delete file or folder
`cp`	Copy	Copy file/folder
`mv`	Move	Move or rename
`touch`	"Touch" = update timestamp (also creates empty file)	Make new blank file
`cat`	Catenate (join text together)	Show file content
`man`	Manual	Get help about a command
`echo`	"Echo" = repeat/show	Print text to screen
`sudo`	Superuser Do	Do as administrator/root
`chmod`	Change Mode	Change file permission
`chown`	Change Owner	Change file owner
`ps`	Process Status	See running processes
`kill`	Literally “kill” a process	Stop a running program
`top`	“Top” of system usage list	Real-time system monitor
`df`	Disk Free	Show disk space
`du`	Disk Usage	Check folder size
`ip`	IP tools (network info)	View IP address
`ping`	"Ping" = network echo test	Test network connection

df -h → (-h) is a parameter, mean human readable so we can read in easy. If we not sure what parameters we should use we can use man df or df --help

📖 RHCSA & Real-World Focus: CLI is Mandatory

RHCSA = Red Hat Certified System Administrator

In the RHCSA exam:

You use only CLI
No GUI is provided
All tasks are done in terminal (user management, disk setup, firewalld, etc.)

💡 RHCSA CLI Examples:

# Create a user
useradd john

# Set password
passwd john

# Start a service
systemctl start firewalld

# View IP address
ip a

💡 CLI is also used in:

Remote access via SSH
Scripting automation (bash scripts)
System recovery and troubleshooting

🎯 When to Use CLI vs GUI?

Task	Recommended Interface
Server admin tasks	CLI ✅ (always)
Desktop use (browsing, etc)	GUI
RHCSA lab & exam	CLI ✅
Writing scripts/automation	CLI ✅
Quick visual configs	GUI (optional)

🧪 CLI Practice Commands for RHCSA Students

Try these in your Rocky Linux VM:

# View current user
whoami

# List files
ls -l

# View system status
top

# Create and switch directories
mkdir lab
cd lab

# View logs
journalctl -xe

🧠 Tips to Learn CLI Faster

Use man pages:

man useradd

Use tab-completion
Try CLI every day (e.g., update system via CLI):

sudo dnf update -y

Practice real scenarios, like:
- Create a new user
- Configure firewall
- Create a partition and mount it

🛠️ How to Switch Between CLI and GUI

If you're using Rocky Linux or RHEL:

Check current target (runlevel):

systemctl get-default

Set CLI only (no GUI):

sudo systemctl set-default multi-user.target

Set GUI:

sudo systemctl set-default graphical.target

Then reboot:

sudo reboot