Linux CLI Launcher is an extremely simple launcher that will make every computer geek supremely happy! All that you get is a Linux terminal like interface and for everything you type a command. There are no icons, no wallpaper! The entire home screen looks like a Linux terminal with list of commands that you executed earlier and a prompt. Is it fun or is it a headache? Lets find out!
The home screen shows the usual top bar and below that you will see amount of free RAM. Then there is a list of commands that you entered earlier (like how you see in Linux terminal). There is a command prompt where you type commands to launch app, change settings etc. Below that there is quick buttons to go through previous commands (up/down arrows), x to clear the prompt and another icon to paste whatever you copied. Then below that you will see the recent apps that you opened (in text format).
To go through quick tutorial, type ‘tutorial’, press enter and you will see a quick walkthrough on how to use the Linux CLI launcher. Use ‘help’ command to know how to execute a command (eg: help search). To launch an application, type the name of the application and you as you type, you will see list of matching apps come up in bottom bar. Tap on the right app name and it will launch or type out the full name of app and press enter to launch.
To call someone, you can either open dialer application or type ‘call <name>’ (eg: Call John Doe). To open files, all you need to do is ‘open <filename>’. If you want to turn on airplane mode, type airplane and press enter. When in airplane mode, do the same thing and airplane mode will turn off. To turn on data, type ‘data true’. To turn off, type ‘data false’. Amazing, isn’t it?
There is a built in text editor if you want to quickly type something and save. Type ‘tuixt <path to file>’ and you get a text editor open the file. Tap on black space (for empty file), type, tap on prompt and type ‘save’. once done, type ‘exit’ to exit from the file editor.
If you want to modify Linux CLI launcher settings, type ‘tui settings’. from here you can create aliases, change background color, foreground color etc. An alias is a way to quickly perform a command. For example, you do not want to type ‘Call Airtel Customer Care’ every time you want to call the contact. You can create an alias ‘acc’ and assign ‘Call Airtel Customer Care’ to that. Next time, when you type acc and press enter, the call goes to Airtel Customer Care contact.
Overall, once I got used to the commands, using the Linux CLI launcher was total fun. It is even more fun when I see others give a confused look when they see me typing commands on home screen. Linux CLI launcher is free to download and use. Give it a try if you love using Linux and you may never go back to the usual launchers.
you forgot to mention how to turn off the T-UI when you want to go back to your normal launcher.