A graphical user interface (GUI) is the medium through which users interact with computers and electronic devices. It is very likely that he is reading this article in the GUI. The user can interact with her GUI using a mouse, keyboard, touchscreen, or voice commands, depending on the device.
Before the GUI, people interacted with computers using written commands, or what’s called a CLI (Command Line Interface). To view the contents of a folder named docs in the CLI, open a command prompt and type: cd docsopen the folder, then ls View the contents of this folder. In the GUI, on the other hand, simply double-clicking on a folder’s icon will instantly display its contents.
The transformation to a GUI has made the technology more user-centric and widely accessible. GUIs have allowed technology to become part of our daily lives, whether we know how to program or not.
Graphical user interface example
We interact with GUIs every day. From graphics embedded in ATMs, to animations in video games, to smartphone operating systems, GUIs are everywhere. Common GUIs that we use every day are Microsoft Windows, macOS, Android, and Apple’s iOS. A GUI is also a way to interact with the Internet through web browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox.
How does the graphical user interface work?
The way we interact with GUIs has evolved rapidly as technology has advanced. Over the years, we’ve moved from mouse and keyboard to touch screen and voice commands.
All GUIs have collections of images, shapes, and colors programmed to perform specific tasks. These images are often chosen for ease of understanding by the user. For example, mail is email, so the mail inbox icon looks like an envelope.
When a developer creates a GUI, they write a series of commands that are executed when the user clicks on a particular icon. Without a GUI, users would have to write commands directly in the command prompt itself, thus limiting access to certain technologies. So the GUI is just a way to communicate with your computer more efficiently.
A UX designer optimizes the GUI design according to the required functionality. A UX designer determines her GUI’s colors, sizes, shapes, content, and user flow, while a UI engineer or programmer codes her GUI’s functionality.
Programmers build GUIs using a variety of programming languages, including Python, HTML5/JavaScript, and C/C++. Your choice of programming language depends on your target platform. For example, programmers use her JavaScript and HTML when building her GUI for a website that concerns the look and navigation of the site. Alternatively, if a programmer writes an application for a computer (like a game), he could use C/C++, Python, or some other programming language that supports writing applications for the target platform. higher.
GUI components
A GUI is the interface through which a user interacts with an electronic device. We can classify the components of the GUI into three different categories.
- input control: Use an input control to get information from the user about the task you want to perform. Input controls include buttons, text fields, checkboxes, drop-down lists, and list boxes.
- Navigation component: Navigation components contain items that control navigation from one GUI to another. For example, if you use LinkedIn,[マイ フィード]to view posts shared by your network by clicking[マイ プロフィール]You can also click to view your profile. These clickable texts are examples of navigation components because they allow you to navigate through different web pages of your website. Navigation components can also include items such as sliders and search fields.
- Information component: Information components are components that provide users with information about the status of tasks and other system information. For example, progress bars, notification icons, or message boxes are all considered informational components.
Advantages of the graphical user interface
GUIs have revolutionized the way we view and interact with technology and have many advantages.
- GUI is Easy to use and understand.
- GUI is convenience.
- GUI No prior computer knowledge required works.
- The GUI allows Multitasking operation on the system.
- GUI has instant resultIn other words, clicking a button immediately takes you to the next page or task instead of writing a command line to get the same result.
What makes a good GUI?
Since nearly everyone interacts with GUIs as part of their daily lives, the key questions are: What makes a good and effective GUI? In general, there are several design choices that go into making a good GUI.
- Simplicity. The simpler the design, the easier it is for users to handle the GUI and adapt it to their day-to-day use.
- Consistent use of elements. For example, when designing a website, it’s important to keep the colors and overall theme consistent throughout the website. This makes the platform easier to navigate.
- Incorporate color theory. Your choice of color can dramatically change the way users perceive icons and elements on the screen, so it’s important to make the right choice. For example, green is often used to mean “go forward” and red to mean “stop”. So create a GUI and[OK]button red,[キャンセル]Making the button green can confuse users.
- Clarify transitions between different parts of the GUI. For example, consider Google Search, the transition from the page where you enter your query to the page of results is subtle and fast. Users intuitively know how to navigate between pages. Buttons are strategically placed and navigating between pages is smooth.
The design choices that make the difference between a good GUI and a bad GUI are the UX designer’s job. Ultimately, what makes a good GUI is very dependent on the purpose and target audience of the application.
A brief history of the GUI
Xerox Palo Alto Laboratories First introduced GUI in the 1970s.After that, companies such as Apple (1983) and Microsoft (1985) own release Operating system GUI Not only for computer science research, but also for personal computing. Today, laptops, smartphones, even cars and appliances are equipped with his advanced GUI. These GUIs make interacting with technology easier and more accessible for all of us, not just programmers, technology professionals, and scientists.
