# Getting Started

> Use when acli is not installed, authentication fails, or user needs to install and authenticate acli for the first time.

- Skill: `acquia/getting-started` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add acquia/getting-started`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/acquia/getting-started/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- License: Proprietary
- Author: acquia (https://skillmd.com/u/acquia)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/acquia/getting-started

---


# Getting Started with Acquia CLI

This guide covers installation, authentication, and your first commands.

Use when:
- Installing acli for the first time
- Authenticating with Acquia Cloud
- Learning your first acli commands

## Tool Overview

Two separate CLIs exist for Acquia Cloud operations:

| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| `acli` | General Cloud management: applications, environments, IDEs, SSH keys, code/DB sync |
| `pipelines-cli` | CI/CD pipeline operations: trigger builds, check job status, stream logs |

Use **pipelines-cli** for anything related to pipeline jobs. Use **acli** for everything else.

### ACE vs MEO

`acli` serves two distinct hosting products with separate command prefixes:

| Product | Command prefix | API |
|---|---|---|
| **ACE** (Acquia Cloud Enterprise) — classic single-site hosting | `acli api:*` | V2 |
| **MEO** (Multi-site Enterprise Operations) — multi-site hosting | `acli api:v3:*` | V3 |

If you're working on a MEO subscription, see **[MEO Overview](../meo-overview/SKILL.md)** for the full command set.

---

## Installation

### macOS & Linux

#### Option 1: Native Binary (Recommended)

The native binary requires no PHP installation and works on any modern macOS or Linux system.

```bash
# Download the latest release
curl -fsSL https://github.com/acquia/cli/releases/latest/download/acli \
  -o /usr/local/bin/acli

# Make it executable
chmod +x /usr/local/bin/acli

# Verify it works
acli --version
```

#### Option 2: PHP Archive (PHAR)

If you prefer or already have PHP 8.2 installed:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://github.com/acquia/cli/releases/latest/download/acli.phar \
  -o /usr/local/bin/acli.phar
chmod +x /usr/local/bin/acli.phar

# Use as:
acli.phar --version
# Or create an alias
alias acli='acli.phar'
```

#### Using Homebrew (macOS)

```bash
brew tap acquia/cli
brew install acli
acli --version
```

---

## Your First Command: Authentication

Acquia CLI uses OAuth to authenticate with your Acquia account. You'll only need to do this once.

```bash
acli auth:login
```

This will:
1. Open your browser
2. Prompt you to authorize Acquia CLI
3. Generate an access token
4. Store it locally in `~/.acquia/cloud_api/credentials.json` (encrypted)

**Tokens are valid for 30 days.** If your token expires, run `acli auth:login` again.

### Verify Authentication

```bash
acli auth:me
```

Shows your name, email, and account information.

---

## Your First Command: List Applications

See which applications you have access to:

```bash
acli api:applications:list
```

Output:
```
Select a Cloud Platform application:
  [0] My First App (prod, staging, dev)
  [1] Client Project (prod, staging)
  [2] Development App (dev)
```

---

## Shell Completion

Enable tab completion for faster command entry.

### Bash

```bash
eval "$(acli shell:complete bash)"
```

Add to `~/.bashrc` for permanent setup:

```bash
echo 'eval "$(acli shell:complete bash)"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
```

### Zsh

```bash
eval "$(acli shell:complete zsh)"
```

Add to `~/.zshrc`:

```bash
echo 'eval "$(acli shell:complete zsh)"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc
```

### Fish

```bash
acli shell:complete fish | source
```

Add to `~/.config/fish/config.fish`:

```bash
acli shell:complete fish | source
```

---

## Getting Help

### Command Help

Every command has a built-in help page:

```bash
# General help
acli --help
acli -h

# Help for a specific command
acli ide:create --help
acli ide:create -h

# List all available commands by category
acli list
```

### Verbose Output

For debugging, show detailed output:

```bash
# -v (normal), -vv (detailed), -vvv (very detailed)
acli ide:list -vvv
acli ide:create -v
```

### Debug Mode

Run any command in debug mode to see behind-the-scenes details:

```bash
acli ide:create --debug
```

---

## Configuration

### Config File Location

Configuration is stored at: `~/.acquia/`

```
~/.acquia/
├── cloud_api/
│   └── credentials.json       # Your API token (encrypted)
├── config.yaml                # Settings
└── cache/                      # Cached data
```

### Linking a Local Project

Run `acli app:link` in your project directory to associate it with a Cloud application. See **[Application Management](../application-management/SKILL.md)** for details.

---

## Common First Steps

### Step 1: Authenticate

```bash
acli auth:login
acli auth:me
```

### Step 2: Set Up a Project

```bash
cd /path/to/project
acli app:link
```

### Step 3: Create an IDE (or connect to existing)

```bash
acli ide:create    # Create a new one
# OR
acli ide:list      # Connect to existing
```

### Step 4: Set Up SSH

```bash
acli ssh-key:list   # See your SSH keys
# If no keys, create one
acli ssh-key:create
```

### Step 5: Try a Drush Command

```bash
acli remote:drush status
acli remote:drush cr   # Clear caches
```

---

## Troubleshooting

### "Command not found: acli"

Make sure the binary is in your `PATH`. Try:

```bash
which acli
# If nothing, add to PATH
export PATH="/usr/local/bin:$PATH"
acli --version
```

### "Error: Failed to authenticate"

Your token has expired or isn't valid. Try:

```bash
acli auth:login
```

### "Error: Access denied"

You don't have permission to access that application or resource. Check:
- Are you logged in with the right Acquia account?
- Do you have permissions in Acquia Cloud UI?

Run `acli auth:me` to verify you're using the right account.

### Need more help?

See [Troubleshooting Guide](../troubleshooting/SKILL.md) for more issues.

---

## Acquia Site Factory (ACSF) Authentication

If your organization uses Acquia Site Factory, register separate credentials:

```bash
acli auth:acsf-login
```

Options:

```bash
acli auth:acsf-login \
  --username=myuser \
  --key=MY_API_KEY \
  --factory-url=https://www.myfactory.com
```

To log out:

```bash
acli auth:acsf-logout
```

---

## Cache Management

Clear local acli caches (useful when commands behave unexpectedly):

```bash
acli self:clear-caches
```

Aliases: `acli cc`, `acli cr`

---

## Telemetry

acli collects anonymous usage data by default to help improve the tool. To opt out:

```bash
acli self:telemetry:disable
```

To re-enable:

```bash
acli self:telemetry:enable
```

Toggle interactively:

```bash
acli self:telemetry:toggle
```

Alias: `acli telemetry`

---

## Open Product Documentation

Open Acquia product docs in your browser:

```bash
acli docs
```

For a specific product:

```bash
acli docs acli
acli docs cloud-ide
```

---

## Best Practices

1. **Authenticate first** — Run `acli auth:login` before anything else; most commands require it.
2. **Discover commands** — Use `acli list` to see all available commands grouped by topic.
3. **Enable shell completion** — Run `acli shell:complete` once to get tab-completion for commands and flags.
4. **Verify your setup** — Run `acli self:info` to confirm your authenticated identity and acli version.
5. **Stay updated** — Run `acli self:update` regularly to get bug fixes and new features.
6. **Clear caches on odd behavior** — Run `acli self:clear-caches` if commands return unexpected results.

---

## Next Steps

Now that you're set up, try:

- **[Create your first IDE](../ide-management/SKILL.md)** — Set up a development environment
- **[Explore applications](../application-management/SKILL.md)** — Learn about your apps
- **[Set up SSH keys](../ssh-key-management/SKILL.md)** — Secure authentication