CLI Reference

Complete command-line interface reference for the dxflow engine with detailed usage examples and options

dxflow provides a comprehensive command-line interface that adapts to your environment, supporting local execution, remote server management, and automatic instant engine spawning for seamless operations.

Two Execution Types: Commands run either locally on your machine or remotely on configured servers. Some commands also support automatic instant engine spawning for zero-setup operations.

Command Execution Types

Local Commands

Always Local

Configuration management
Engine lifecycle control
License operations
System information

Remote Commands

Server Infrastructure

Engine monitoring
Shell operations
Workflow control

Local Commands

Commands that always execute on your local machine for configuration and system management.

Local Execution: These commands run locally regardless of any remote configuration, managing your local dxflow installation and settings.

Available Commands

config get - Get configuration value
config set - Set configuration value
config unset - Remove configuration value

engine info - Display local engine information
engine token - Generate authentication token
engine pair - Pair a console with a single use code
engine update - Update engine to the latest version
key generate - Generate RSA key pair for authentication
boot up - Start the engine with configured servers
boot down - Gracefully shut down the running engine instance

license activate - Activate license
license deactivate - Revert to the built-in general license
license info - Display license information

platform login - Connect this engine to a dxflow platform account
platform info - Display the stored platform session
platform logout - Release this engine from the account holding it

Common Operations

# Configuration management
dxflow config set connection-address "https://server.com"
dxflow config get connection-address

# Engine lifecycle
dxflow boot up --daemon
dxflow boot down

# License management
dxflow license info

Remote Commands

Commands that execute on configured remote dxflow servers for distributed infrastructure management.

Remote Execution: These commands require server configuration and always target the remote server when a connection is configured.

Available Commands

engine ping - Test connection to remote engine
engine stats - Display comprehensive engine statistics and resource usage
engine healthcheck - Check remote engine health status
engine pair - Pair a console with a single use code

shell list - List all remote shell instances
shell create - Create new remote shell instance
shell connect - Connect to remote shell instance
shell remove - Remove remote shell instance

key register - Register a new authentication key
key unregister - Remove an authentication key
key list - List all registered keys

artifact list - List files and directories
artifact create - Create files or directories
artifact delete - Delete files or directories
artifact rename - Rename/move files or directories
artifact upload - Upload files to remote storage
artifact download - Download files from remote storage
artifact share - Share files or directories
artifact zip - Compress files or directories into ZIP archives
artifact unzip - Extract ZIP archives

workflow list - List all workflows
workflow create - Create a new workflow
workflow remove - Remove a workflow
workflow start - Start all services defined in the workflow
workflow stop - Gracefully stop all running containers
workflow logs - View logs from workflow containers
workflow events - Monitor workflow events

agent create - Create an agent session for a workflow
agent prompt - Advance an agent session one turn
agent list - List agent sessions with their latest model
agent inspect - Show a session's workflow, model, and usage
agent remove - Remove an agent session

Remote Setup

# Configure connection
dxflow config set connection-address "https://prod.server.com"
dxflow config set connection-key "/secure/prod-key.pem"

# Test connection
dxflow engine ping

# Manage remote resources
dxflow shell create production
dxflow workflow list

Advanced Configuration: See Remoting for detailed remote setup, authentication, profiles, and multi-environment management.

Instant Engine Support

Some commands support automatic instant engine spawning for local execution when no persistent engine is running.

Smart Execution: These commands adapt to your environment - remote when configured, local engine when available, or automatic instant engine spawning for local execution only.

How It Works

Instant engine commands follow this execution priority:

Remote Configured? → Execute on remote server (using server's engine)
Local Engine Running? → Use local persistent engine
Otherwise → Spawn temporary instant engine locally

Important: Instant engines only work for local execution. Remote commands always use the server's running engine, never instant engines.

An instant engine lives exactly as long as the command that spawned it. Commands whose work keeps running past that point require a persistent engine, so start one with boot up first.

Commands with Instant Support

key list - List all registered authentication keys
key register - Register new authentication key
key unregister - Remove authentication key

artifact list - List files and directories
artifact create - Create files or directories
artifact delete - Delete files or directories
artifact rename - Rename/move files or directories
artifact upload - Upload files to remote storage
artifact download - Download files from remote storage
artifact share - Share files or directories
artifact zip - Compress files or directories into ZIP archives
artifact unzip - Extract ZIP archives

workflow list - List all workflows
workflow remove - Remove workflow
workflow stop - Gracefully stop all running containers
workflow logs - View logs from workflow containers
workflow events - Monitor workflow events

Commands

Command	Description	Help
boot	Engine lifecycle control	`dxflow boot --help`
key	Authentication key management	`dxflow key --help`
config	Config control	`dxflow config --help`
license	License management	`dxflow license --help`
engine	Engine management	`dxflow engine --help`
shell	Shell management	`dxflow shell --help`
workflow	Workflow management	`dxflow workflow --help`
artifact	Artifact management	`dxflow artifact --help`

Global Options

Flag	Shorthand	Description	Type	Default
`--config-profile`	`-C`	Specify the config profile	`string`	`default`
`--log-level`	`-L`	Specify the log level	`string`	`info`
`--no-color`	`-N`	Disable color output	`bool`	`false`

Command Capabilities Matrix

Complete command capabilities overview - Local execution, Remote server support, and Instant engine spawning.

Category	Command	Local	Remote	Instant
Config	`config get`	✓	-	-
Config	`config set`	✓	-	-
Config	`config unset`	✓	-	-
Platform	`platform login`	✓	-	-
Platform	`platform info`	✓	-	-
Platform	`platform logout`	✓	-	-
License	`license activate`	✓	-	-
License	`license deactivate`	✓	-	-
License	`license info`	✓	-	-
Boot	`boot up`	✓	-	-
Boot	`boot down`	✓	-	-
Key	`key generate`	✓	-	-
Key	`key register`	✓	✓	✓
Key	`key unregister`	✓	✓	✓
Key	`key list`	✓	✓	✓
Engine	`engine info`	✓	-	-
Engine	`engine token`	✓	-	-
Engine	`engine pair`	✓	✓	-
Engine	`engine update`	✓	-	-
Engine	`engine ping`	✓	✓	-
Engine	`engine stats`	✓	✓	-
Engine	`engine healthcheck`	✓	✓	-
Workflow	`workflow list`	✓	✓	✓
Workflow	`workflow create`	✓	✓	-
Workflow	`workflow remove`	✓	✓	✓
Workflow	`workflow start`	✓	✓	-
Workflow	`workflow stop`	✓	✓	✓
Workflow	`workflow logs`	✓	✓	✓
Workflow	`workflow events`	✓	✓	✓
Artifact	`artifact list`	✓	✓	✓
Artifact	`artifact create`	✓	✓	✓
Artifact	`artifact delete`	✓	✓	✓
Artifact	`artifact rename`	✓	✓	✓
Artifact	`artifact upload`	✓	✓	✓
Artifact	`artifact download`	✓	✓	✓
Artifact	`artifact share`	✓	✓	✓
Artifact	`artifact zip`	✓	✓	✓
Artifact	`artifact unzip`	✓	✓	✓
Agent	`agent create`	✓	✓	✓
Agent	`agent prompt`	✓	✓	-
Agent	`agent list`	✓	✓	✓
Agent	`agent inspect`	✓	✓	✓
Agent	`agent remove`	✓	✓	✓
Shell	`shell list`	✓	✓	-
Shell	`shell create`	✓	✓	-
Shell	`shell connect`	✓	✓	-
Shell	`shell remove`	✓	✓	-

Agent

Ask the dxflow agent to build and operate workflows from a side panel in the console

Boot

Start and stop the dxflow engine