Which abbreviation stands for Command-line Interface?

Which abbreviation stands for Command-line Interface?

• A. Console Line Interface
• B. Command Line Interface
• C. Command-Line Interface
• D. Command-line Interface

Answer: (D)

The concept here is how an acronym maps to a multi-word term and how that term is written. CLI comes from three words in order: Command, line, Interface. The preferred spelling treats "command-line" as a single descriptor for the noun "Interface," so it’s written as Command-line Interface. The hyphen shows that Command-line acts as one idea describing the type of interface, and the acronym CLI is derived from those three words. Other spellings either drop the hyphen or alter capitalization, which is less consistent with standard technical writing. The hyphenated, lowercase line form aligns with common style guides and how the term is used in documentation, making it the best choice.

The concept here is how an acronym maps to a multi-word term and how that term is written. CLI comes from three words in order: Command, line, Interface. The preferred spelling treats "command-line" as a single descriptor for the noun "Interface," so it’s written as Command-line Interface. The hyphen shows that Command-line acts as one idea describing the type of interface, and the acronym CLI is derived from those three words.

Other spellings either drop the hyphen or alter capitalization, which is less consistent with standard technical writing. The hyphenated, lowercase line form aligns with common style guides and how the term is used in documentation, making it the best choice.