Those apps on Windows tend to be just wrappers around the commands, which suggests there is an opening for someone to come along and wrap commands on Linux that don’t have any graphical wrappers. I personally wouldn’t trust a random app from the web so I never used them on Windows, but on Linux those could be delivered through the official repositories and package manager.
I have had to on multiple occasions, maybe we just use it differently
Many Windows administrative, automation, and remote management tasks require Command Prompt or PowerShell because they cannot be efficiently or practically executed via the GUI.
Tasks that involve repetitive or bulk operations often require CMD or PowerShell. For example: Renaming thousands of files simultaneously is impractical through File Explorer but can be done easily with Rename-Item in PowerShell
Batch file automation using .bat scripts allows automated workflows like clearing temporary files, launching multiple apps, backing up directories, and switching system settings like dark/light mode
Scheduled tasks and automatic scripts are better created with command-line scripts, providing repeatable precision versus manual GUI actions
Accessing and manipulating Windows services: Use Get-Service and Stop-Service in PowerShell to check or stop services on local or remote machines
Managing user accounts and permissions: Commands like net user or whoami /groups provide instant information on users or their groups, which may otherwise require multiple GUI interactions
Registry, Group Policy, and WMI tasks: Most registry edits, group policy refreshes (gpupdate /force), and WMI queries are accessible through PowerShell but lack straightforward GUI counterparts
System auditing and repair: Commands like sfc /scannow and DISM /RestoreHealth repair system files or images without needing GUI-based troubleshooting tools
Managing remote computers: Tools like shutdown /m \computername or PowerShell cmdlets enable shutdowns, restarts, or status checks remotely where GUI Remote Desktop may be impractical or unavailable
Collecting diagnostics across multiple endpoints: CMD and PowerShell allow executing scripts across multiple machines unlike GUI tools, which must be operated individually
Searching, filtering, and processing files: Commands like Get-ChildItem, Where-Object, and Select-Object enable precise filtering, data extraction, and file management far beyond what the GUI allows
Clipboard automation: Using Get-Clipboard and Set-Clipboard for large or structured data transfer without manual selection
Reading log data: Extracting and analyzing system or application logs is faster via wevtutil than navigating Event Viewer
DNS, IP configuration, and connectivity tests: Commands like ipconfig /all, ping, tracert, Test-NetConnection, and netstat provide immediate network diagnostics that either lack GUI equivalents or are slower to perform
Even on Windows and macOS you will have to use the command line for some tasks sooner or later.
I also heard Valve say “it’s just a PC”, does that mean it’s suitable for software development too?
Yes, I used my Steam Deck for software development briefly. But don’t use the flatpak versions of the IDEs, use the tarballs instead. The flatpak sandbox will cause weird issues when the IDE is trying to access resources outside its sandbox. Also keep everything -as much as possible- in your home directory as intended by SteamOS, don’t try to unlock the read-only filesystem, even though you can, you will lose everything when SteamOS updates.
Yes. There are distros such as LinuxMint Cinnamon Edition that allow doing everything from the GUI.
The issue is when searching for answers most will provide a solution using the terminal, even when it is doable using the GUI.
I have stuck with LinuxMint since 2018 or so. None of the surprises I previously had with Ubuntu despite it being Ubuntu based.
What is your hardware setup and are you using non-free drivers?
I currently use KDE Plasma, Cinnamon and LXQt on three different computers. On most DEs I can manage myself just well. I never liked GNOME post 2. I have recently used MATE, LXDE and Xfce