Linode CLI

Overview

Linode CLI is a simple command-line interface to the Linode platform.

Installation

Final versions of linode-cli will be packaged up and very easy to install. For now, you'll need to grab a ZIP, tarball, or clone from source and install dependencies manually.

Debian/Ubuntu

$ curl -Lo linode-cli.tar.gz https://github.com/linode/cli/archive/master.tar.gz
$ tar xf linode-cli.tar.gz
$ apt-get install libjson-perl libcrypt-ssleay-perl ca-certificates libtry-tiny-perl libwww-perl
$ ./cli-master/linode

Mac OS X

Installing dependencies on OS X requires either XCode or Command Line Tools for XCode, available from Apple.

You'll first want to install cpanminus, either using cpan packaged with OS X ($ cpan App::cpanminus) or using a one-line install helper: https://github.com/miyagawa/cpanminus#installing-to-system-perl

$ cpanm -S Crypt::SSLeay JSON LWP::UserAgent Mozilla::CA Try::Tiny
$ curl -Lo linode-cli.tar.gz https://github.com/linode/cli/archive/master.tar.gz
$ tar xf linode-cli.tar.gz
$ ./cli-master/linode

Others

You'll first want to install cpanminus, either using cpan packaged with your system ($ cpan App::cpanminus) or using a one-line install helper: https://github.com/miyagawa/cpanminus#installing-to-system-perl

$ cpanm -S Crypt::SSLeay JSON LWP::UserAgent Mozilla::CA Try::Tiny
$ curl -Lo linode-cli.tar.gz https://github.com/linode/cli/archive/master.tar.gz
$ tar xf linode-cli.tar.gz
$ ./cli-master/linode

Examples

Before using linode-cli for the first time, you'll want to drop your API key in a .linodecli file in your user's home directory, with the following format:

api-key foobarbaz123456

The API key can also be set using an environment variable (LINODE_API_KEY).

Alternatively, you can pass an --api-key option on the command line.

That's it! Now you're ready to start using linode-cli. If you didn't place linode-cli somewhere in your PATH, you'll need to call it directly: /path/to/linode-cli/linode. Otherwise, you can simply use linode.

Listing Linodes

$ linode list
$ linode list My-Linode-Label
$ linode list My-Linode-Label1 My-Linode-Label2

Showing details about a single Linode

$ linode show My-Linode-Label

Starting, stopping, or restarting a Linode

$ linode start My-Linode-Label
$ linode stop My-Linode-Label
$ linode restart My-Linode-Label

Renaming a Linode

$ linode rename mylinodename mylinodenewname

Creating a new Linode

Warning: This will attempt to charge the credit card on file, or use any account credit available, and spin up a new Linode 1GB.

$ linode create New-Linode --location dallas --plan linode1024 --payment-term 1 --distribution 'Debian 7' --group Frontends

Resizing a Linode

Warning: This will shut the Linode down, charge/credit the account, and issue a migration to another host server.

This example resizes a Linode 1024 to a Linode 2048.

$ linode resize mylinode linode2048

Deleting a Linode

Warning: This will permanently delete a Linode, its disk images and configuration profiles.

$ linode delete New-Linode

Working with multiple Linodes

Actions can be performed on multiple Linodes using their labels. Using multiple --label arguments will accomplish the same thing.

$ linode start My-Linode-Label1 My-Linode-Label2
$ linode show --label My-Linode-Label1 --label My-Linode-Label2

Displaying account information

Account information, including the current account balance and network transfer pool usage, can be queried with the linode-account tool.

$ linode account show

          managed true
          balance $ 0.00
    transfer pool 7527.00GB
transfer billable 0.00GB
     active since 2013-09-10 14:44:27.0
    transfer used 1.00GB

JSON output

JSON output is available for actions.

$ linode list --output json
$ linode list --json

{
   "linodefrontend1" : {
      "datacenterid" : 2,
      "status" : "powered off",
      "backupsenabled" : false,
      "totalram" : "1GB",
      "request_error" : "",
      "totalhd" : "24GB",
      "label" : "linodefrontend1",
      "linodeid" : 900001
   },
   "linodebackend1" : {
      "datacenterid" : 2,
      "status" : "running",
      "backupsenabled" : true,
      "totalram" : "1GB",
      "request_error" : "",
      "totalhd" : "48GB",
      "label" : "linodebackend1",
      "linodeid" : 900002
   }
}

Usage

Options

-a, --action: An action to perform on one Linode. One of: create, start, stop, restart, rename, group, resize, delete. Read-only operations are available as well: list, show.

Each action has a set of options that apply to it, which are outlined in the section ACTIONS.

--api-key: API key to use when communicating with the Linode API. Alternatively, you can specify the API key in a .linodecli file in the working user's home directory, using the format api-key foobar.

-j, --json: Optional. JSON output.

-w, --wait: Optional. Waits and provides feedback while the task(s) run.

-h, --help: Brief help message.

-m, --man: Full documentation.

Actions

Create

Create and start a new Linode. This action prompts for a password which will be used as the root password on the newly-created Linode.

-d, --distribution: Distribution name or DistributionID to deploy.

-g, --group: Optional. Linode Manager display group to place this Linode under. Default: none.

-L, --location: City name or DatacenterID to deploy to.