This article was published on April 25, 2017

Linux Launcher turns your Android phone into command line interface


Linux Launcher turns your Android phone into command line interface

In case you’ve been dying to use Linux-like command line on your Android device – or you simply want people to stop playing with your phone – this app might be precisely what you’ve been looking for.

Available for free, Linux CLI Launcher is an unusual app launcher that turns your regular Android phone into a full-fledged command line interface.

The quirky app essentially replaces the standard icon-based interface with command lines, which means that – much like in the Linux terminal – you will actually have to type out full commands to start apps and maneuver through your device.

Besides full support for native Android and Linux commands, the app also features a handy ‘aliases’ functionality that lets you create your own shortcuts to effortlessly open apps. It additionally comes with built-in ‘suggestions’ to help you compose commands in the proper format.

The <3 of EU tech

The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!

Here are some of the commands that work with the launcher:

  • uninstall [app]
  • sms [contact] [text]
  • call [contact]
  • calc [expression]
  • search [google, playstore, youtube, files]
  • wifi
  • flash
  • share [file]
  • mv / cp [file] [dest]

While the Linux-inspired launcher might initially seem like an overkill, numerous Redditors report using the CLI Launcher over the standard icon-based interface could be quite intuitive – and even faster at times:

Get the CLI Launcher from Google Play Store and start confusing your less technically-versed friends right now.

Get the TNW newsletter

Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.

Also tagged with