Aleph Cloud Command-Line Interface

The Aleph Cloud CLI provides a powerful command-line interface to interact with all features of the Aleph Cloud network directly from your terminal.

Installation

Prerequisites

Before installing the CLI, ensure you have the necessary dependencies:

Linux

apt-get install -y python3-pip libsecp256k1-dev

macOS

brew tap cuber/homebrew-libsecp256k1
brew install libsecp256k1

Recommended Installation (pipx)

We recommend using pipx to install the CLI:

pipx installs tools in isolated environments, ensuring that it does not mess up with your system.

# Install pipx if you don't have it
python3 -m pip install --user pipx
python3 -m pipx ensurepath

# Install Aleph CLI
pipx install aleph-client

Alternative Installation Methods

Python

python3 -m venv aleph-env
source aleph-env/bin/activate
pip install aleph-client

Docker

docker run --rm -ti \
    -v $(pwd)/data:/data \
    ghcr.io/aleph-im/aleph-client/aleph-client:master \
    --help

INFO

⚠️ Using Docker will create an ephemeral key that will be discarded when the container stops.

Command Overview

The Aleph CLI is organized into logical command groups that correspond to different Aleph Cloud features:

Options	Argument	Description
--install-completion	[bash / zsh / fish / powershell /pwsh]	Install completion for the specified shell. [default: None]
--show-completion	[bash / zsh / fish / powershell / pwsh]	Show completion for the specified shell to copy it or customize the installation [default: None]
--help		Show the usage message

Command	Description
account	Manage accounts, keys, and balances
message	Create, find, and manage messages
aggregate	Work with aggregate messages and permissions
file	Upload, pin, and manage files on IPFS
program	Deploy and manage serverless functions
instance	Create and manage virtual machine instances
domain	Configure custom domains for your deployments
node	Get information about network nodes
pricing	View pricing for Aleph Cloud services

Getting Started

First-time Setup

When using the CLI for the first time, you'll need to create or import a private key:

# Create a new Ethereum private key
aleph account create

# Import an existing private key
aleph account create --private-key YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY

Checking Your Configuration

Verify your setup is working correctly:

# Show your account configuration
aleph account show

# Display your public address
aleph account address

# Check your ALEPH token balance
aleph account balance

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues with the CLI:

• Ensure you have the latest version: pip install -U aleph-client
• Check that your private key is correctly configured: aleph account show
• For permission errors, verify you have the correct permissions for the operation
• If you find a bug, please report an issue

Next Steps

Explore the detailed documentation for each command group:

• Account Management
• Message Management
• File Operations
• Program Deployment
• Instance Management
• Pricing Information
• Aggregate Management
• Domain Configuration
• Node Computing
• About