What is the difference between ip commands and nmcli commands?

ip pokes the kernel's live network state directly (changes vanish on reboot or NM reload); nmcli edits NetworkManager profiles, which persist and survive reboot.

They operate at different levels, and that's the whole distinction. ip talks straight to the running kernel — instant, but nothing is saved, so a reboot or even a NetworkManager refresh wipes your change. nmcli records the setting in a profile NetworkManager owns, which it re-applies on every boot.

Example - Add IP address:

# Temporary (ip command)
ip addr add 192.168.1.100/24 dev eth0

# Permanent (nmcli)
nmcli con mod "eth0" ipv4.addresses 192.168.1.100/24
nmcli con up "eth0"

When to use which:

• Testing: Use ip for quick experiments
• Production: Use nmcli for persistent configuration
• Troubleshooting: Use ip to view current state

Tip: Changes made with ip will be overwritten when NetworkManager reloads!