Graphical User Interface
Users interact with computers, smartphones, and other electronic devices through a GUI or graphic user interface. This is done via menus, icons, and other graphics or visual representations. A GUI displays information and relevant user controls graphically rather than through text, as is seen in text-based interfaces. GUI indicators can be manipulated by tapping on them on touch screens, or via stylus, trackball, mouse, and so on.
Today GUIs are used for almost all commercial digital products like refrigerators, gaming consoles etc. in addition to computers and mobile devices.
How GUIs Work
Visual elements represent relevant information to users, objects they can manipulate and actions they can take. The most common visual elements are:
- The mouse cursor helps manipulate other elements
- Buttons help users to trigger an action when clicked
- Toolbars – group of buttons
- Icons and small images that represent information
- Menus – clickable item list
- ScrollbarsÂ
The graphics in a GUI are often linked to objects in the real world to help users easily understand what functions they can perform with it. Trash, for example, is shown as a trash can; the icon for a directory is a folder, and so on.
You can interact with GUI elements in different ways – you can scroll and click using a mouse on desktops, tap on touch screens, use the keyboard, use voice commands, and so on. When a user initiates an interaction, the interface indicates its response by changing the size or colour of the clicked element, or produces a sound.