Terminal and console differences in Linux

Terminal and console differences in Linux:

Terminal: English name terminal

Console: English name console

The difference between the two is to start with a computer used by many people

Previously, because computers were expensive, a computer was typically used by multiple people at the same time. Such a computer needs to connect many sets of keyboards and monitors for multiple personal use. This device, which only displays and keyboards can be connected to a computer through a serial port, is called a terminal.

In the computer, the keyboard and the monitor that connects directly to the computer are called consoles.

Note the difference between console and terminal. Terminal is connected through the serial port, not the computer itself has some equipment, and the console is the computer itself has a device, a computer has only one console. When the computer starts, all information is displayed to the console, not to the terminal. In other words, the console is the basic device of the computer, and the terminal is an additional device.

In short, the terminal provides a human-computer interface for the host, and everyone uses the host's resources through the terminal. Terminal has two kinds of character terminal and graphics terminal. A host can connect many terminals.
The console is a special human-computer interface, which is the first man-machine interface of the human control host. The host has a higher trust level for the console than the other terminals .

The above is a legacy of history, and now because of the cheap computer, each person exclusive of a computer operation, there is no real sense of the former "terminal equipment." As a result, the concept of terminals and consoles has evolved slowly. terminals and consoles evolved from the concept of hardware into the concept of software.

PC only console, no terminal. Of course, you can connect the one or two-character dumb terminal on the serial port. However, Linux uses the POSIX standard to treat personal computers as minicomputer, virtual six-character dummy terminals via Getty Software On the console (or Virtual Console terminal Tty1-tty6)(the number can be Etc/inittab self-adjustment) and a graphical terminal , in the virtual graphics terminal can also be through the software (such as RXVT) and then virtual infinite number of pseudo-terminal (pts/0, etc.). But this is all virtual, although it is used the same, but there is actually no physical entity. So on a personal computer, there is only one actual console, no terminal, and all terminals are simulated with software on the console. To the personal computer when the host and then through the serial port or network card even the real physical terminal can also, on the cost, who will do it.

Now say the terminal, such as Linux in the terminal, in fact, should be called Virtual terminal, is the concept of software, he used computer software to simulate the way the previous hardware. For example, in Linux, you can use Ctrl+alt+f1~f6 to enter the virtual terminal , and can be used alt+f1 ~ f6 can switch six virtual terminals , like the previous multi-public computers in the six terminal equipment, That's why this is called a "virtual terminal".

The terminal equipment of Linux system usually has the following kinds:

Please refer to http://blog.chinaunix.net/uid-7828352-id-3233064.html

Terminal and console differences in Linux