The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):

text-based

    Working under a non-window-based operating system
   (e.g. MS-DOS) as opposed to a graphical user interface
   (e.g. Microsoft Windows).

   An MS-DOS text-based program uses a screen with a fixed array
   of 80x25 or 80x40 characters.  Examples are WordPerfect
   before version 5.1 and Microsoft Word.

   (1995-03-16)