CLI Modes

You can use the CLI in either Interactive Mode or Shell Mode. In either mode, the OpenStack client has to be configured by using the OpenStack RC Script or by providing the command line switches. For more information about the usage of the OpenStack client, run openstack --help.

Interactive Mode

The Interactive Mode allows you to use the openstack commands through an interactive prompt. To start the Interactive Mode, type openstack in the configured terminal. Once entering the Interactive Mode, you will see a (openstack) prompt. Type the command you would like to run at the prompt. To find out the commands, type help.

Shell Mode

Each CLI command can be used in your terminal exactly the same way that it appears in the Interactive Mode, simply by preceding the command with openstack. For example, the command image list in the Interactive Mode is equivalent to the command openstack image list in the Shell Mode.