CLI
Controlling software by typing instead of clicking.
What is CLI?
CLI stands for Command Line Interface. Instead of clicking buttons in an app, you type commands. npm install, git push, wrangler deploy — these are all CLI commands. Scary at first, faster once you know them.
Think of it like texting vs calling. Clicking around in a graphical app is like a phone call — slower but more visual. Typing CLI commands is like texting — faster once you get the hang of it.
In Vibe Coding
Cursor's AI agent runs CLI commands for you automatically. When it needs to install a package, it runs npm install in the terminal. Lovable and Bolt handle CLI commands behind the scenes so you never see them.
Example
For example: Instead of clicking through Vercel's website to deploy your app, you type vercel deploy in your terminal and it does the same thing in seconds.