What It Is
The Windows Command Prompt is an interactive command interpreter: it reads commands from the command line, finds the corresponding programs, runs them, and displays the output.
Command Prompt is analogous to the Unix shells used on Unix-like systems (OS X).
Other names for the Command Prompt are Command Line Interface (CLI), Read-Eval-Print-Loop (REPL), Console window, and Shell. Therefore, we have five terms that are equivalent: Command Prompt, Shell, CLI, REPL, Console.
Starting the Command Prompt
The way to start the command prompt is dependent on your version of Windows: You either run cmd.exe or command.com.
- cmd.exe or cmd (after its executable file name), is the command-line interpreter for Windows 8 or higher, Windows NT, Windows CE, OS/2.
- command.com is the executable file name in DOS and Windows 9x systems (where it is also called “MS-DOS Prompt”)
==> To launch Command Prompt
Legacy versions of Windows:
Start -> Run and type cmd in the box.
On Windows 8 or higher:
-
Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.
(If you’re using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Search.) -
Enter cmd in the search box, and then tap or click Command Prompt.
This will open a window (the console) that by default displays the current directory (folder) that you are in, and has a blinking cursor ready for you to type your commands.
At the prompt, type in a command, and then press enter.
C:\WINDOWS> is the command prompt, and it tells you that your are currently in the c:\windows directory.
If you were in the directory c:\program files\directory the prompt would instead look like this: C:\PROGRAM FILES\DIRECTORY>.
Learning the Command Prompt
Online tutorials:
- Command Prompt: frequently asked questions (microsoft.com)
- Introduction to the Windows Command Prompt (bleepingcomputer.com)
- How to use the Window command line (computerhope.com)