# Terminal

Concept · [Technical basics](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/technical)

Also called: command line, CLI, command-line, shell, console, command prompt

A text window where a person types commands to a computer and reads its replies. Many [developer](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/software-engineer) tools, including some [AI coding](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/vibe-coding) [agents](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/ai-agent), run there.

**For example:** A [developer](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/software-engineer) types one command in the terminal to start a project on a laptop, and another to [deploy](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/deployment) it.

## Connects to (14)

- [Code editor](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/code-editor): The program a developer uses to read and write code.
- [Coding agent](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/coding-agent): An AI agent that writes and changes code.
- [Version control](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/version-control): A system that records every change to the code, who made it and when.
- [Deployment](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/deployment): Putting the latest version of your app onto the live servers where real users can reach it.
- [Claude Code](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/claude-code): An AI coding agent made by Anthropic.
- [Codex](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/codex): OpenAI's AI coding agent.
- [Makefile](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/makefile): A file that lists named shortcuts for a project's routine commands, run with a tool called make.
- [Rclone](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/rclone): Free, open-source command-line software for copying and syncing files between a computer and many cloud storage services.
- [xcbeautify](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/xcbeautify): A small open-source command-line tool that makes the long build output of Xcode easier to read.
- [npx](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/npx): A command that comes with npm and runs a JavaScript package's tool without installing it permanently first.
- [Ghostty](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/ghostty): A free, open-source terminal app for macOS and Linux, known for speed.
- [FFmpeg](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/ffmpeg): Free, open-source command-line software for converting, cutting and combining audio and video files.
- [Git](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/git): The free, open source version control program that almost every software team uses.
- [GitHub Desktop](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/github-desktop): A free app from GitHub that lets you use Git through buttons instead of typed commands: see changes, make commits, switch branches and…

Map view: https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/terminal