Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Development Tools Console Foundations Processes Processes

Artful Wisdom
PLUS
Artful Wisdom
Courses Plus Student 6,506 Points
Posted by Artful Wisdom
Artful Wisdom
Courses Plus Student 6,506 Points

The need for this?

Whats the point of learning this, cant i just press ctrl,alt,delete, to get the task manager which shows me the processes and way more?

3 Answers

James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points
James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points

I personally wouldn't use the terminal for simple process control on my local system I'd use a graphical app like Task Manager.

However, if I wanted to run a program and then depending on its output then kill a process, in that case I'm going to need something a little more flexible than Task Manager and that's where the command line comes in.

Top 3 Reasons to Use a CommandLline:

  • Combining actions together aka scripting
  • Some applications that designers / developers use the maker of the app didn't bother to make a GUI
  • Most web servers are only accessible using command line via SSH
Dustin Matlock
Dustin Matlock
33,856 Points
Dustin Matlock
Dustin Matlock
33,856 Points

Hello,

Jim discussed reasons for using a console in the Introduction video. Everything is explained clearly in the video. If you have more questions please let us know.

Thanks for the question. Hope the video clears it up for you!

cp88
cp88
5,039 Points
cp88
cp88
5,039 Points

For when you are interacting with a non-Windows machine (such as UNIX) that doesn't have a pretty user interface like Task Manager :) You might not use one now but could in the future in a different role.

Marcus Parsons
Marcus Parsons
15,719 Points

Actually, most of the popular Unix based operating systems include a very pretty GUI Task Manager. Unix based users, however, have more control of their processes than Windows users. :)