# Kcli > Comprehensive guide for kcli usage. Use when creating VMs, deploying plans, managing clusters, or performing any kcli operations. Covers all common user workflows. - Skill: `karmab/kcli` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add karmab/kcli` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/karmab/kcli/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: karmab (https://skillmd.com/u/karmab) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/karmab/kcli --- # kcli User Guide kcli is a unified CLI for managing virtual infrastructure across multiple providers (Libvirt/KVM, AWS, GCP, Azure, vSphere, KubeVirt, OpenStack, oVirt, Proxmox, Hetzner, IBM Cloud). ## Remote Host Optimization When the user asks to run a kcli command against a specific host that is **not** defined as a client in `~/.kcli/config.yml`, run the command directly on that host via SSH instead of trying to use `-C`: ```bash # Host not in config — run via SSH ssh root@myhost "kcli create vm -i centos9stream myvm" ssh root@myhost "kcli list vm" ssh root@myhost "kcli create plan -f plan.yml myplan" ``` This is both faster (libvirt calls stay local on the host) and avoids needing to add a client entry. ## Important Behavior - **Always run commands directly.** When the user asks to create/deploy/manage something, execute the command immediately — don't show it and wait for confirmation. ## Quick Reference ```bash # VM Operations kcli create vm -i # Create VM kcli list vm # List VMs kcli ssh # SSH into VM kcli console # Graphical console kcli start/stop/restart vm # Control VM state kcli delete vm # Delete VM # Plans (Infrastructure as Code) kcli create plan -f plan.yml # Deploy plan kcli list plan # List plans kcli delete plan # Delete plan and resources # Kubernetes Clusters kcli create kube # Deploy cluster kcli list kube # List clusters kcli delete kube # Delete cluster # Images kcli list available-images # Show downloadable images kcli download image # Download cloud image kcli list image # List local images # Infrastructure kcli list network / pool / host # List resources kcli create network -c # Create network kcli create pool -p # Create storage pool ``` ## Creating VMs ### Basic VM Creation ```bash # From cloud image (downloads if needed) kcli create vm -i fedora40 myvm # Create multiple VMs at once kcli create vm -c 3 myvm # Creates myvm-0, myvm-1, myvm-2 # Shorthand (kcli remembers last VM) kcli ssh # SSH to last created VM ``` ### With Custom Resources ```bash kcli create vm -i centos9stream \ -P memory=4096 \ -P numcpus=4 \ -P disks=[20,50] \ myvm ``` ### Common VM Parameters | Parameter | Default | Description | |-----------|---------|-------------| | `numcpus` | 2 | Number of CPUs | | `memory` | 512 | Memory in MB | | `disks` | [10] | Disk sizes in GB | | `nets` | [default] | Networks to attach | | `pool` | default | Storage pool | | `cloudinit` | true | Enable cloud-init | | `start` | true | Start VM after creation | | `keys` | [] | SSH public keys to inject | | `cmds` | [] | Commands to run at boot | | `files` | [] | Files to inject | ### Advanced VM Examples ```bash # With static IP kcli create vm -i centos9stream \ -P nets=['{"name":"default","ip":"192.168.122.100"}'] \ myvm # With post-boot commands kcli create vm -i fedora40 \ -P cmds=['dnf -y install nginx','systemctl enable --now nginx'] \ webserver # From profile kcli create vm -p myprofile myvm # Multiple disks with options kcli create vm -i ubuntu2204 \ -P disks=['{"size":20}','{"size":100,"pool":"data"}'] \ myvm ``` ## VM Management ```bash # List VMs kcli list vm # Table format kcli list vm -o yaml # YAML output kcli list vm -o json # JSON output # VM Information kcli info vm myvm # Full details kcli info vm myvm -f ip # Just IP address # State Control kcli start vm myvm kcli stop vm myvm kcli restart vm myvm # Access kcli ssh myvm # SSH as default user kcli ssh -u root myvm # SSH as root kcli console myvm # VNC/SPICE console kcli console myvm --serial # Serial console # Modify kcli update vm myvm -P memory=8192 # Change memory kcli update vm myvm -P numcpus=8 # Change CPUs kcli create disk -s 50 myvm # Add 50GB disk # Snapshots kcli create snapshot myvm snap1 kcli list snapshot myvm kcli revert snapshot myvm snap1 kcli delete snapshot myvm snap1 # Delete kcli delete vm myvm # With confirmation kcli delete vm myvm --yes # Skip confirmation ``` ## Plans (Infrastructure as Code) Plans are YAML files with Jinja2 templating for deploying complete environments. ### Basic Plan Structure ```yaml # myplan.yml parameters: base_image: centos9stream domain: lab.local # Network (created first) labnet: type: network cidr: 192.168.100.0/24 dhcp: true # VM (uses the network) webserver: image: {{ base_image }} memory: 2048 numcpus: 2 nets: - labnet cmds: - dnf -y install nginx - systemctl enable --now nginx ``` ### Plan Commands ```bash # Deploy kcli create plan -f myplan.yml myplan # Deploy with parameter overrides kcli create plan -f myplan.yml -P base_image=fedora40 myplan # List and manage kcli list plan kcli info plan myplan kcli delete plan myplan # Deletes all resources # Update existing plan kcli update plan -f myplan.yml myplan ``` ### Multi-VM Plan with Loop ```yaml parameters: cluster_name: web node_count: 3 {% for i in range(node_count) %} {{ cluster_name }}-node-{{ i }}: image: centos9stream memory: 2048 nets: - default {% endfor %} ``` ### Resource Types in Plans | Type | Description | |------|-------------| | (none) | VM (default if no type specified) | | `network` | Virtual network | | `pool` | Storage pool | | `image` | Download image from URL | | `profile` | Reusable VM template | | `container` | Container workload | | `kube` | Kubernetes cluster | ## Kubernetes Clusters ### Supported Types - `generic` / `kubeadm` - Standard Kubernetes - `openshift` / `okd` - OpenShift - `k3s` - Lightweight K3s - `rke2` - Rancher RKE2 - `microshift` - Edge MicroShift - `hypershift` - Hosted control planes - `aks` / `eks` / `gke` - Cloud managed ### Deploy Clusters ```bash # Generic Kubernetes kcli create kube generic -P ctlplanes=1 -P workers=2 myk8s # K3s (lightweight) kcli create kube k3s -P ctlplanes=1 -P workers=2 myk3s # OpenShift (requires pull secret) kcli create kube openshift \ -P pull_secret=~/pull-secret.json \ -P ctlplanes=3 \ -P workers=2 \ myocp ``` ### Cluster Management ```bash # List clusters kcli list kube # Get kubeconfig kcli get kubeconfig mycluster export KUBECONFIG=~/.kcli/clusters/mycluster/kubeconfig # Scale workers kcli scale kube generic -P workers=5 mycluster # Delete kcli delete kube mycluster ``` ## Images ```bash # List available cloud images kcli list available-images # Download image kcli download image fedora40 kcli download image centos9stream kcli download image ubuntu2204 # List downloaded images kcli list image # Delete image kcli delete image fedora40 ``` Common images: `fedora40`, `centos9stream`, `ubuntu2204`, `rhel9`, `debian12`, `rocky9`, `almalinux9` ## Networks and Storage ### Networks ```bash # Create network kcli create network -c 192.168.100.0/24 mynet kcli create network -c 10.0.0.0/24 --dhcp --nat privatenet # List and delete kcli list network kcli info network mynet kcli delete network mynet ``` ### Storage Pools ```bash # Create pool kcli create pool -p /var/lib/libvirt/images default kcli create pool -p /home/vms myvms # List and delete kcli list pool kcli delete pool myvms ``` ## Provider/Client Management ```bash # List configured clients kcli list client # Switch default client kcli switch mykvm # Use specific client for command kcli -C aws list vm kcli -C gcp create vm -i ubuntu2204 myvm # List VMs from all clients kcli -C all list vm # Host information kcli info host kcli list host ``` ## Profiles Profiles are reusable VM templates defined in `~/.kcli/profiles.yml`: ```yaml # ~/.kcli/profiles.yml small: numcpus: 1 memory: 1024 disks: - 10 webserver: image: centos9stream numcpus: 2 memory: 4096 cmds: - dnf -y install nginx - systemctl enable --now nginx ``` Usage: ```bash kcli create vm -p webserver myweb ``` ## Debug and Troubleshooting ```bash # Debug mode (verbose output) kcli -d create vm -i fedora40 myvm kcli -d list vm # Check VM details kcli info vm myvm # Check cloud-init logs (after SSH) kcli ssh myvm cat /var/log/cloud-init.log # Verify provider connectivity kcli list host kcli info host ``` ### Common Issues **No IP address**: Check DHCP on network, wait for cloud-init ```bash kcli info network default ``` **SSH fails**: Verify key injection worked ```bash kcli ssh -l myvm # Show SSH command ``` **Permission denied (libvirt)**: Add user to groups ```bash sudo usermod -aG qemu,libvirt $(id -un) newgrp libvirt ``` ## Configuration Files ``` ~/.kcli/ ├── config.yml # Client/provider configuration ├── profiles.yml # VM profiles ├── id_rsa # SSH private key (auto-used) └── clusters/ # Cluster state files ``` ### Minimal config.yml ```yaml default: client: local local: type: kvm host: 127.0.0.1 pool: default ``` ## Container Mode Run kcli without installation: ```bash # With libvirt socket alias kcli='podman run --rm -it \ -v ~/.kcli:/root/.kcli:z \ -v /var/run/libvirt:/var/run/libvirt:z \ quay.io/karmab/kcli' # Then use normally kcli list vm ``` ## Useful Tips 1. **Last VM shortcut**: Many commands work without VM name (uses last created) ```bash kcli ssh # SSH to last VM kcli console # Console of last VM ``` 2. **Output formats**: Most list commands support `-o yaml` or `-o json` 3. **Parameter files**: Use `kcli_parameters.yml` alongside plans for defaults 4. **Render plans**: Preview templated plans before deploying ```bash kcli render -f myplan.yml ``` 5. **Export VMs**: Create images from running VMs ```bash kcli export vm myvm ```