4.7.3. Advanced Unix Interface Design Patterns

some of the more important, there are more:

• the ed pattern
  • takes commands interactively
  • may emit outout
  • examples: ed(1), gnuplot(1), gdb(1)
  • can often read commands on stdin

• the Roguelike Pattern (TUI pattern)
  • text based user interface
  • single stroke commands
  • many examples: top(1), mutt(1), gdbtui(1), watch(1), vi(1), lynx(1)

• Driver/Engine pair
  • driver and engine interact via some IPC method
  • engine can run standalone
  • examples: ddd+gdb, gnomebaker+cdrecord

• the CLI Server Pattern
  • standalone source program
  • invoked by a harness program that changes stdin and stdout
  • examples: xinetd/inetd (harness) and pop3, tftp, smtp,...