Microsoft has come a really long way recently towards moving to CLI-based management. Starting with Server 2016, the default installation method of Windows Server no longer includes most of the GUI (called the Desktop Experience), leaving you with a command prompt window in the middle of the screen instead. An even thinner version of Windows Server, Nano Server, is also available, and includes even less GUI, being much more like a Linux terminal UI, though it is a bit less intuitive to get started with as you can't even install it, you have to image it to deploy.
Most Windows admins still prefer a lot of GUI management (I've gotten some groans in response to my statement new servers would tend not to have it), but remote desktop to the server is no longer the preferred way to do that: Remote Server Administration Tools effectively installs all of the server GUI on your desktop PC.
Due to the number of legacy applications Windows Server folks tend to support, it's unlikely server GUIs are going away entirely anytime soon, but for a lot of basic server functions supported directly by Microsoft, it's doable. And in addition to not wasting processor and memory pushing pixels, Windows Servers without the GUI are susceptible to less attacks, require less changes during Windows updates, and reboot faster, all on account of just having "less" onboard.
Most Windows admins still prefer a lot of GUI management (I've gotten some groans in response to my statement new servers would tend not to have it), but remote desktop to the server is no longer the preferred way to do that: Remote Server Administration Tools effectively installs all of the server GUI on your desktop PC.
Due to the number of legacy applications Windows Server folks tend to support, it's unlikely server GUIs are going away entirely anytime soon, but for a lot of basic server functions supported directly by Microsoft, it's doable. And in addition to not wasting processor and memory pushing pixels, Windows Servers without the GUI are susceptible to less attacks, require less changes during Windows updates, and reboot faster, all on account of just having "less" onboard.