● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 neutral
Opinion: Text User Interfaces (TUIs) as a third way for Linux interaction
Key points
- Linux interaction typically involves CLI or GUI.
- TUIs offer a text-only visual interface.
- TUIs use fewer resources than GUIs (X11/Wayland).
- Author suggests TUIs as a primary UX for *nix OSs by 2026.
The Two Existing Linux Interaction Methods
Linux users primarily interact with the operating system through two established methods: the command-line interface (CLI) and the graphical user interface (GUI). The CLI involves typing commands, while the GUI offers a more visually intuitive and user-friendly experience.
Introducing the Text User Interface (TUI)
A third, less commonly discussed method is the Text User Interface (TUI). TUIs provide a visual interface that operates entirely with text, offering a middle ground between the direct command input of the CLI and the resource-intensive graphical environments of GUIs like X11 or Wayland. This approach can free up system RAM while still providing an accessible user experience.
Current and Potential TUI Applications
Currently, TUIs are often seen in isolated applications such as system monitors (htop/btop), file managers (Midnight Commander), and distribution installers (archinstall, slackinstall). The author suggests that the potential for a unifying system that treats the TUI as the primary user experience for *nix operating systems has been overlooked and should be considered for future development, possibly by 2026.
Relevance in Modern Computing
The article argues that with rising RAM prices and a general shift towards optimizing applications and reducing bloat, the resource efficiency of TUIs becomes more relevant. The concept of TUIs, though considered obsolete in the past due to the rapid standardization and evolution of GUI toolkits, warrants reconsideration. The author notes a "generational gap" in TUI development compared to the long-standing GUI desktop environments still available in Linux repositories.
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Primary sources
GitHub Gaurav-Gosain/tuiosReporting from
This article proposes Text User Interfaces (TUIs) as a viable third method for interacting with Linux, distinct from command-line interfaces (CLI) and graphical user interfaces (GUI). The author suggests TUIs offer a middle ground, providing visual interaction without the resource overhead of GUIs, and advocates for their re-evaluation as a primary user experience.