# The Terminal

## What is the Terminal?

![Terminal Window](http://i.stack.imgur.com/DjFOZ.png)

Terminal is a modern version of an 'original' **User Interface** for Unix-based computers. At that time a [Text Terminal](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_terminal#Text_terminals) is all you would have seen, no windows, no mouse. Because of this history, it's very powerful but sometimes a little cryptic.

Don't worry though, with a bit of practice you'll be flying around like a pro!

Although they technically mean slightly different things, the following terms are types of Terminal Environment

* Shell
* bash ('Bourne-Again shell')
* Command Line
* CLI (Command Line Interface)
* Text Terminal
* DOS Prompt (on windows machines)
* SSH (on remote machines)
* Bourne Shell
* csh
* ksh
* sh
* [UNIX Shell](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_shell)