Skip to main content

The Terminal Effect

The belief that productivity scales linearly with proximity to /usr/bin.
The tendency to equate lower-level tooling (e.g., CLI) with higher intelligence or competence, regardless of actual output or effectiveness.
“Are we doing this because it’s better, or because of the Terminal Effect?”
"He has a Terminal superiority complex"
by concernedev February 24, 2026
mugGet the The Terminal Effect mug.

Share this definition

Sign in to vote

We'll email you a link to sign in instantly.

Or

Check your email

We sent a link to

Open your email