GUI or Graphical User Interface is used in the modern day computers which utilize the input devices to navigate through the monitor. Users can take advantages of specific icons and objects on the screen in order to navigate to different features and functions of the operating system and software. In the old days, the command line is used to operate the computers. It was extremely difficult and time taking to type each and every command to the command prompt window in order fulfill particular tasks. When the GUI arrived, it was like a heaven to those who fed up of the command line interface.
The GUI was developed by Alan Kay, Douglas Engelbart, and their ground on 1981 at Xerox PARC. Later Apple also followed their path on their Lisa computer which was the first commercial computer on the market.
How GUI (Graphical User Interface) Works?
GUI works by taking inputs from the input devices such as Mouse and Keyboard, then outputting the results to the Monitor. For example, when you move your mouse over the desk, it actually captures the X and Y axis movements of the mouse using the laser or ball inside it. Then the signal is transferred to the computer, and it makes the corresponding X and Y movements on the desktop.
Like same, when you click something on your keyboard, the same tasks are executed, and you get results on the screen. It is thousands of times easier to use the modern GUI when compared to the old command line method. The main advantage of the GUI is that you don’t have to learn any of the programming languages to operate throughout the OS.
Some Examples of GUI powered OS
- Microsoft Windows
- MacOS
- Chrome OS
- Linux and Ubuntu
Some GUI Interfaces
- GNOME
- KDE
- Microsoft programs like Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc.
- Internet browsers like Chrome and Firefox.
That’s it. Now you know what a GUI is.