Definition
Plain language
The text-based way of telling a computer what to do by typing commands.
As stated in the literature
Command-Line Interface — the text-driven interaction surface for programs and operating systems.
Why it matters: Text-driven interfaces are the most reliable surface for agents to control software, since they're easier to parse and verify than pixels.
For example, an AI agent uses the CLI to run 'git status' and read the output instead of clicking around in a graphical Git tool.
Heard on the show
“The meta-agent can launch evolution segments through the CLI, can see scores come back, but cannot inspect or modify the evaluation code.”Episode 046 — When the AI Optimizer Edits the Grade Book: Why Harnessing Evolution Needs a Wall