User Interface

User interface is a media used by user when

working with Linux. Linux has two types of
interface:
1. GUI (graphical user interface), for running
office apps, games, internet apps, multimedia
apps, etc, usually applied in a desktop
machines.
2. CLI (command line interface), for running
command line or text command within shells
and prompt, usually applied in a server
machines.
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Command Line Interface (CLI)
Even though GUI is easier, CLI is the main and
prime interface in Linux, especially in linux server.
And there's more reasons:
● Faster, lighter and efficient
● All linux configs are done by editing a text file
● Easier and faster for troubleshooting
● Easier and faster for remote administration

CLI available in graphical mode and text mode.

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Calling Graphical CLI
Click: Application -> Accessories -> Terminal

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Calling Text CLI
Push: Ctrl + Alt + F1

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GUI to CLI Navigation

CLI
GUI
/dev/tty1

Ctrl+Alt+F1

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CLI to GUI Navigation

Alt+F7

CLI
GUI
/dev/tty1

Ctrl+Alt+F1

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CLI to CLI Navigation

Alt+F7

Alt+F2

CLI CLI
GUI
/dev/tty1 /dev/tty2

Ctrl+Alt+F1

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CLI to CLI Navigation

Alt+F7

Alt+F2

CLI CLI
GUI
/dev/tty1 /dev/tty2

Alt+F1

Ctrl+Alt+F1

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CLI available until 6 TTY

Alt+F7

Alt+F2

CLI
/dev/tty1
CLI
/dev/tty2 ... CLI
/dev/tty6
GUI

Alt+F1

Ctrl+Alt+F1

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Runlevel
Runlevel is a various state of operating system. Such as:

Runlevel 0 means halt (turning off machine)

Runlevel 1 means single user
Runlevel 6 means reboot machine

And runlevel 1-5 have different meaning from one distros to another.

To move from a runlevel to another:

# init <runlevel>
# init 1
# init 6
$ sudo init 1

To get information about current runlevel:

# runlevel
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Distros Runlevel
RedHat/Fedora/Suse Debian/Ubuntu
● 0: Halt ● 0: Halt
● 1: Single-User mode ● 1: Single-User mode
● 2: Not used/User-definable ● 2-5: Full Multi-User with
console logins and display
● 3: Multi-User mode, console manager if installed
logins only
● 6: Reboot
● 4: Not used/User-definable
● 5: Multi-User mode, with
display manager as well as
console logins
● 6: Reboot

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Default Runlevel
When computer starts, sometimes directly go to GUI (for desktop
needs), and sometimes directly go to CLI (for server needs). This
is called default runlevel.
If you want to change default runlevel in RedHat/Fedora/Suse
from GUI to CLI:

# vi /etc/inittab
id:5:initdefault: id:3:initdefault:

change 5 to 3

And if you want to change default runlevel in Debian/Ubuntu:

# mv /etc/rc2.d/S13gdm /etc/rc2.d/K13gdm

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