11 Reasons To Learn Bash (A.K.A. Command Line)

But it's not just a skill for software devs -- learning bash can be valuable for anyone who works with data. In short, Bash is the Unix command-line interface (CLI). You'll also see it called the terminal, the command line, or the shell. It's a command language that allows us to work with files on our computers in a way that's far more efficient and powerful than using a GUI (graphical user interface). Making the switch from graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to a command-line interface can feel overwhelming.