Command (computing): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 21:06, 6 March 2025

Revision as of 19:53, 2 April 2025

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{{short description|DirectiveExternal instruction to a computer program}}

{{redirect distinguish|System command|system call}}

{{other uses|Command (disambiguation)#Computing{{!}}Command § Computing}}

{{refimprove|date=May 2008 }}

In [[computing]], a '''command''' is aan directiveinstruction toreceived avia computeran programexternal to[[Interface perform(computing)|interface]] that directs the behavior of a specific[[computer taskprogram]]. ItCommonly, maycommands beare issuedsent to a program via a [[command-line interface]] or as input to, a network[[scripting service as part oflanguage|script]], a [[network protocol]], or as an event triggered in a [[graphical user interface]].

Specifically, the term ''command'' is used in [[imperative programming]] languages. The name arises because [[statement (programming)|statements]] in these languages are usually written in a manner similar to the [[imperative mood]] used in many [[natural language]]s. A statement in an imperative programming language would then be a sentence in a natural language, and the command would be the [[Predicate_(grammar)|predicate]].