Managing Hetzner
Manage Hetzner infrastructure using the hcloud CLI and Hetzner Robot API.
MANDATORY: Discovery-First Pattern
Always discover available resources before performing analysis.
Phase 1: Discovery
#!/bin/bash
echo "=== Hetzner Cloud Servers ==="
hcloud server list -o columns=id,name,status,server_type,datacenter,ipv4,created 2>/dev/null | head -30
echo ""
echo "=== Volumes ==="
hcloud volume list -o columns=id,name,size,server,location,created 2>/dev/null | head -20
echo ""
echo "=== Networks ==="
hcloud network list -o columns=id,name,ip_range,servers 2>/dev/null | head -10
echo ""
echo "=== Firewalls ==="
hcloud firewall list -o columns=id,name,rules_count,applied_to_count 2>/dev/null | head -10
echo ""
echo "=== Load Balancers ==="
hcloud load-balancer list -o columns=id,name,type,location,ipv4 2>/dev/null | head -10
echo ""
echo "=== SSH Keys ==="
hcloud ssh-key list -o columns=id,name,fingerprint 2>/dev/null | head -10
Phase 2: Analysis
#!/bin/bash
SERVER_ID="${1:?Server ID required}"
echo "=== Server Details ==="
hcloud server describe "$SERVER_ID" 2>/dev/null
echo ""
echo "=== Server Metrics (CPU, Disk, Network) ==="
hcloud server metrics "$SERVER_ID" --type cpu,disk,network --start "$(date -u -v-1H +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ 2>/dev/null || date -u -d '1 hour ago' +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)" --end "$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)" 2>/dev/null | head -30
echo ""
echo "=== Snapshots ==="
hcloud image list --type snapshot -o columns=id,description,created,image_size,disk_size 2>/dev/null | head -10
echo ""
echo "=== Floating IPs ==="
hcloud floating-ip list -o columns=id,type,ip,server,home_location 2>/dev/null | head -10
Output Format
ID NAME STATUS TYPE DATACENTER IP
123456 web-01 running cx21 fsn1-dc14 1.2.3.4
123457 db-01 running cx31 nbg1-dc3 5.6.7.8
Safety Rules
- Use read-only commands:
list, describe, metrics
- Never run
delete, shutdown, reset without explicit user confirmation
- Use
-o columns= for clean, targeted output
- Limit output with
| head -N to stay under 50 lines
Anti-Hallucination Rules
- NEVER assume resource names — always discover via CLI/API in Phase 1 before referencing in Phase 2.
- NEVER fabricate metric names or dimensions — verify against the service documentation or
--help output.
- NEVER mix CLI commands between service versions — confirm which version/API you are targeting.
- ALWAYS use the discovery → verify → analyze chain — every resource referenced must have been discovered first.
- ALWAYS handle empty results gracefully — an empty response is valid data, not an error to retry.
Counter-Rationalizations
| Shortcut |
Counter |
Why |
| "I'll skip discovery and check known resources" |
Always run Phase 1 discovery first |
Resource names change, new resources appear — assumed names cause errors |
| "The user only asked for a quick check" |
Follow the full discovery → analysis flow |
Quick checks miss critical issues; structured analysis catches silent failures |
| "Default configuration is probably fine" |
Audit configuration explicitly |
Defaults often leave logging, security, and optimization features disabled |
| "Metrics aren't needed for this" |
Always check relevant metrics when available |
API/CLI responses show current state; metrics reveal trends and intermittent issues |
| "I don't have access to that" |
Try the command and report the actual error |
Assumed permission failures prevent useful investigation; actual errors are informative |
1---2name: managing-hetzner3description: Use when working with Hetzner — hetzner Cloud and dedicated server management via the hcloud CLI and Hetzner API. Covers servers, volumes, networks, firewalls, load balancers, and snapshots. Use when managing Hetzner infrastructure or checking server health.4---56# Managing Hetzner78Manage Hetzner infrastructure using the `hcloud` CLI and Hetzner Robot API.910## MANDATORY: Discovery-First Pattern1112**Always discover available resources before performing analysis.**1314### Phase 1: Discovery1516```bash17#!/bin/bash1819echo "=== Hetzner Cloud Servers ==="20hcloud server list -o columns=id,name,status,server_type,datacenter,ipv4,created 2>/dev/null | head -302122echo ""23echo "=== Volumes ==="24hcloud volume list -o columns=id,name,size,server,location,created 2>/dev/null | head -202526echo ""27echo "=== Networks ==="28hcloud network list -o columns=id,name,ip_range,servers 2>/dev/null | head -102930echo ""31echo "=== Firewalls ==="32hcloud firewall list -o columns=id,name,rules_count,applied_to_count 2>/dev/null | head -103334echo ""35echo "=== Load Balancers ==="36hcloud load-balancer list -o columns=id,name,type,location,ipv4 2>/dev/null | head -103738echo ""39echo "=== SSH Keys ==="40hcloud ssh-key list -o columns=id,name,fingerprint 2>/dev/null | head -1041```4243### Phase 2: Analysis4445```bash46#!/bin/bash4748SERVER_ID="${1:?Server ID required}"4950echo "=== Server Details ==="51hcloud server describe "$SERVER_ID" 2>/dev/null5253echo ""54echo "=== Server Metrics (CPU, Disk, Network) ==="55hcloud server metrics "$SERVER_ID" --type cpu,disk,network --start "$(date -u -v-1H +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ 2>/dev/null || date -u -d '1 hour ago' +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)" --end "$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)" 2>/dev/null | head -305657echo ""58echo "=== Snapshots ==="59hcloud image list --type snapshot -o columns=id,description,created,image_size,disk_size 2>/dev/null | head -106061echo ""62echo "=== Floating IPs ==="63hcloud floating-ip list -o columns=id,type,ip,server,home_location 2>/dev/null | head -1064```6566## Output Format6768```69ID NAME STATUS TYPE DATACENTER IP70123456 web-01 running cx21 fsn1-dc14 1.2.3.471123457 db-01 running cx31 nbg1-dc3 5.6.7.872```7374## Safety Rules75- Use read-only commands: `list`, `describe`, `metrics`76- Never run `delete`, `shutdown`, `reset` without explicit user confirmation77- Use `-o columns=` for clean, targeted output78- Limit output with `| head -N` to stay under 50 lines7980## Anti-Hallucination Rules81821. **NEVER assume resource names** — always discover via CLI/API in Phase 1 before referencing in Phase 2.832. **NEVER fabricate metric names or dimensions** — verify against the service documentation or `--help` output.843. **NEVER mix CLI commands between service versions** — confirm which version/API you are targeting.854. **ALWAYS use the discovery → verify → analyze chain** — every resource referenced must have been discovered first.865. **ALWAYS handle empty results gracefully** — an empty response is valid data, not an error to retry.8788## Counter-Rationalizations8990| Shortcut | Counter | Why |91|----------|---------|-----|92| "I'll skip discovery and check known resources" | Always run Phase 1 discovery first | Resource names change, new resources appear — assumed names cause errors |93| "The user only asked for a quick check" | Follow the full discovery → analysis flow | Quick checks miss critical issues; structured analysis catches silent failures |94| "Default configuration is probably fine" | Audit configuration explicitly | Defaults often leave logging, security, and optimization features disabled |95| "Metrics aren't needed for this" | Always check relevant metrics when available | API/CLI responses show current state; metrics reveal trends and intermittent issues |96| "I don't have access to that" | Try the command and report the actual error | Assumed permission failures prevent useful investigation; actual errors are informative |97
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