doselike

Doselike is a label used in computing to describe software, interfaces, or environments that imitate the behavior, commands, or aesthetics of the historic DOS operating system. It refers to contexts where a DOS-inspired command line, file-system style, or batch scripting experience is provided, even when the underlying platform is modern or different.

Doselike environments commonly arise in three areas. Emulation and virtualization provide a true or near-true DOS experience on contemporary hardware, exemplified by tools that offer a DOS shell, drive-letter based file systems, and legacy program compatibility. Software projects or embedded systems may adopt doselike shells to deliver a familiar scripting interface with a small footprint. In addition, some modern operating systems or development environments implement DOS-inspired command sets or batch-like scripting to ease transition for users accustomed to DOS workflows.

Typical features associated with doselike interfaces include a command-line interpreter, a limited set of familiar commands (such as copy, dir, del, move, type), drive-letter style paths (C:\, D:\), and support for batch files. These features emphasize predictability and ease of use for retro computing, simple automation, or educational purposes. However, doselike implementations generally do not replicate the full memory models or API compatibility of real DOS; their aim is to emulate user-facing behavior rather than provide complete DOS infrastructure.

Notable examples include DOSBox, which emulates a DOS environment for games and software preservation, as well as various lightweight shells and embedded environments that mimic DOS syntax. The term is also used more broadly to describe interfaces that resemble DOS without claiming full binary compatibility.