A CLI Encoder uses external compressors (not native to dBpoweramp) to handle compression, using a CLI encoder requires intermediate to advanced computer skills. If there is a choice to use a pre-created dBpoweramp codec (such as dBpoweramp's Ogg Vorbis codec, rather than oggenc.exe) then use dBpoweramp's instead, it will have better error reporting and ID tagging abilities.

There are two ways to use the CLI Encoder, the first and simplest is to point to an encoder (executable) and specify a command line. The other way is to dynamically create an options page (with option buttons, drop lists), the command line is automatically constructed depending upon options selected. This method is much more complex to setup, but once done it is more user friendly to select the various options, dBpoweramp uses this method for command line encoders (such as Nero's m4a encoder)