flow/docs/versioned_docs/version-1.8.0/Develop/configuration-cli.mdx

---
title: Hanzo Flow CLI
slug: /configuration-cli
---

import Tabs from '@theme/Tabs';
import TabItem from '@theme/TabItem';
import Icon from "@site/src/components/icon";

The Hanzo Flow command line interface is the main interface for managing and running the Hanzo Flow server.

The Hanzo Flow CLI is automatically installed when you [install the Hanzo Flow package](/get-started-installation).
It isn't available for Hanzo Flow Desktop.

## How to use the CLI

The Hanzo Flow CLI can be invoked in several ways, depending on your installation method and environment.

The recommended approach is to run the CLI with `uv run` from within a virtual environment where Hanzo Flow is installed.

For example, to start Hanzo Flow on the default port, run the following command:

    ```bash
    uv run flow run
    ```

If Hanzo Flow is installed globally or added to your PATH, you can execute the CLI directly with `flow`.

    ```bash
    flow run
    ```

## Precedence

Hanzo Flow CLI options override the values of [environment variables](/environment-variables) set in your terminal or primary `.env` file.

For example, if you have `FLOW_PORT=7860` defined as an environment variable, and you run the CLI with `--port 7880`, then Hanzo Flow sets the port to `7880` because the CLI option overrides the environment variable.

This also applies to Boolean environment variables.
For example, if you set `FLOW_REMOVE_API_KEYS=True` in your `.env` file, you can change it to `False` at runtime by running the CLI with `--no-remove-api-keys`.

## Hanzo Flow CLI options

All Hanzo Flow CLI commands support options that modify the command's behavior or set environment variables.

To set values for options, you can use either of the following syntax styles:

* `--option value`
* `--option=value`

Values with spaces must be surrounded by quotation marks:

* `--option 'Value with Spaces'`
* `--option="Value with Spaces"`

### Boolean options

Boolean options enable and disable settings.
They have a true (enabled) and false (disabled) form:

* Enabled (true): `--option`
* Disabled (false): `--no-option`

The following examples compare Boolean option forms for `REMOVE_API_KEYS`.

<Tabs>
<TabItem value="true" label="True" default>

`--remove-api-keys` is equivalent to setting `FLOW_REMOVE_API_KEYS=True` in `.env`:

```bash
uv run flow run --remove-api-keys
```

</TabItem>
<TabItem value="false" label="False">

`--no-remove-api-keys` is equivalent to `FLOW_REMOVE_API_KEYS=False` in `.env`:

```bash
uv run flow run --no-remove-api-keys
```

</TabItem>
</Tabs>

In the following command references, default values for Booleans include both the CLI flag and the equivalent Boolean evaluation, such as "`--option` (true)" and "`--no-option` (false)".

### Universal options

The following options are available for all Hanzo Flow CLI commands:

* `--version`, `-v`: Show the version and exit.
* `--install-completion`: Install auto-completion for the current shell.
* `--show-completion`: Show the location of the auto-completion config file, if installed.
* `--help`: Print information about command usage, options, and arguments.

## CLI commands

The following sections describe the available CLI commands and any additional options (beyond the [universal options](#universal-options)) available for each command.

### flow

Running the CLI without any arguments prints a list of available options and commands.

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  <TabItem value="uv (recommended)" label="uv (recommended)" default>

```bash
uv run flow
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem value="Direct" label="Direct">

```bash
flow
```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

### flow api-key {#flow-api-key}

Creates a Hanzo Flow API key.

You must be a superuser to create API keys with the CLI.
For more information, see [Hanzo Flow API keys](/api-keys-and-authentication#flow-api-keys).

<Tabs groupId="Invocation">
  <TabItem value="uv (recommended)" label="uv (recommended)" default>

```bash
uv run flow api-key
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem value="Direct" label="Direct">

```bash
flow api-key
```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

#### Options

| Option | Default | Type | Description |
|--------|---------|--------|-------------|
| `--log-level` | `error` | String | The logging level. One of `debug`, `info`, `warning`, `error`, or `critical`. |

### flow copy-db

Copies the Hanzo Flow database files from the cache directory to the current Hanzo Flow installation directory, which is the directory containing `__main__.py`.
You can find the copy target directory by running `which flow`.

The following files are copied if they exist in the cache directory:

* `flow.db`: The main Hanzo Flow database, stored in the user cache directory
* `flow-pre.db`: The pre-release database, if it exists

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  <TabItem value="uv (recommended)" label="uv (recommended)" default>

```bash
uv run flow copy-db
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem value="Direct" label="Direct">

```bash
flow copy-db
```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

### flow migration

Manages Hanzo Flow database schema changes using [Alembic](https://alembic.sqlalchemy.org/en/latest/), a database migration tool for SQLAlchemy.

The `migration` command has two modes:

* **Test mode (default)**: Checks if migrations can be applied safely without actually running the migrations.
Use this mode to previews the changes that would be made to the database schema before proceeding with the migrations.

* **Fix mode**: Applies the migrations to update the database schema.

    :::warning
    `flow migration --fix` is a destructive operation that can delete data.
    Always run `flow migration` first to preview the changes.
    :::

<Tabs groupId="Invocation">
  <TabItem value="uv (recommended)" label="uv (recommended)" default>

1. Run test mode:

  ```bash
  uv run flow migration
  ```

2. Preview the changes returned by the test to determine if it's safe to proceed with the migration.

3. Run fix mode to apply the changes:

  ```bash
  uv run flow migration --fix
  ```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem value="Global" label="Global">

1. Run test mode:

  ```bash
  flow migration
  ```

2. Preview the changes returned by the test to determine if it's safe to proceed with the migration.

3. Run fix mode to apply the changes:

  ```bash
  flow migration --fix
  ```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

### flow run {#flow-run}

Starts the Hanzo Flow server.

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  <TabItem value="uv (recommended)" label="uv (recommended)" default>

```bash
uv run flow run [OPTIONS]
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem value="Direct" label="Direct">

```bash
flow run [OPTIONS]
```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

#### Options

This command supports some common and non-sensitive configuration options for your Hanzo Flow server.
Other options must be set in the `.env` or your terminal.
For more information Hanzo Flow configuration options, see [Hanzo Flow environment variables](/environment-variables).

| Option | Default | Type | Description |
|--------|---------|--------|-------------|
| `--auto-saving` | `--auto-saving` (true) | Boolean | Whether to enable flow auto-saving in the visual editor. Use `--no-auto-saving` to disable flow auto-saving. |
| `--auto-saving-interval` | `1000` | Integer | The interval for flow auto-saving in milliseconds. |
| `--backend-only` | `--no-backend-only` (false) | Boolean | Whether to run Hanzo Flow's backend service only (no frontend). Omit or use `--no-backend-only` to start both the frontend and backend. See [Start Hanzo Flow in headless mode](#start-flow-in-headless-mode). |
| `--cache` | `async` | String | The type of [cache storage](/memory) to use. One of `async`, `redis`, `memory`, or `disk`. |
| `--components-path` | Not set | String | The path to the directory containing your custom components. |
| `--dev` | `--no-dev` (false) | Boolean | Whether to run in development mode (may contain bugs). |
| `--env-file` | Not set | String | The path to the `.env` file containing Hanzo Flow environment variables. See [Start Hanzo Flow with a specific .env file](#start-flow-with-a-specific-env-file). |
| `--frontend-path` | Not set | String | The path to the frontend directory containing build files. This is only used when [contributing to the Hanzo Flow codebase](/contributing-how-to-contribute) or developing a custom Hanzo Flow image that includes customized frontend code. |
| `--health-check-max-retries` | `5` | Integer | The maximum number of retries for your Hanzo Flow server's health check. |
| `--host` | `localhost` | String | The host on which the Hanzo Flow server will run. |
| `--log-file` | `logs/flow.log` | String | The path to the log file for Hanzo Flow. |
| `--log-level` | `critical` | String | The logging level as one of `debug`, `info`, `warning`, `error`, or `critical`. |
| `--log-rotation` | Not set | String | The log rotation interval, either a time duration or file size. |
| `--max-file-size-upload` | `1024` | Integer | The maximum size in megabytes for file uploads. |
| `--open-browser` | `--no-open-browser` (false) | Boolean | Whether to open the system web browser on startup. Use `--open-browser` to open the system's default web browser when Hanzo Flow starts. |
| `--port` | `7860` | Integer | The port on which the Hanzo Flow server will run. The server automatically selects a free port if the specified port is in use. |
| `--remove-api-keys` | `--no-remove-api-keys` (false) | Boolean | Whether to remove API keys and tokens from flows saved in the Hanzo Flow database. |
| `--ssl-cert-file-path` | Not set | String | The path to the SSL certificate file on the local system for SSL-encrypted connections. |
| `--ssl-key-file-path` | Not set | String | The path to the SSL key file on the local system for SSL-encrypted connections. |
| `--worker-timeout` | `300` | Integer | The Hanzo Flow server worker timeout in seconds. |
| `--workers` | `1` | Integer | The number of Hanzo Flow server worker processes. |

#### Start Hanzo Flow with a specific .env file {#start-flow-with-a-specific-env-file}

The `--env-file` option starts Hanzo Flow using the configuration defined in the given `.env` file.
Additional options appended to this command override the values in the `.env` file if there are duplicates.

If `--env-file` is omitted or doesn't include all required variables, Hanzo Flow uses the default values for those variables.

<Tabs groupId="Invocation">
  <TabItem value="uv (recommended)" label="uv (recommended)" default>

```bash
uv run flow run --env-file PATH/TO/FLOW/.env
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem value="Direct" label="Direct">

```bash
flow run --env-file PATH/TO/FLOW/.env
```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

#### Start Hanzo Flow in headless mode {#start-flow-in-headless-mode}

The `--backend-only` option starts Hanzo Flow's backend service only.
This headless mode has no frontend (visual editor), and you can only access the server programmatically with the Hanzo Flow API and CLI.

<Tabs groupId="Invocation">
  <TabItem value="uv (recommended)" label="uv (recommended)" default>

```bash
uv run flow run --backend-only
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem value="Direct" label="Direct">

```bash
flow run --backend-only
```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

### flow superuser {#flow-superuser}

Creates a superuser account with the given username and password.

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  <TabItem value="uv (recommended)" label="uv (recommended)" default>

```bash
uv run flow superuser --username [NAME] --password [PASSWORD] [OPTIONS]
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem value="Direct" label="Direct">

```bash
flow superuser --username [NAME] --password [PASSWORD] [OPTIONS]
```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

#### Options

| Option | Default | Type | Description |
|--------|---------|--------|-------------|
| `--log-level` | `error` | String | The logging level. One of `debug`, `info`, `warning`, `error`, or `critical`. |

For this command, `--username` and `--password` aren't optional, and they have no default value.
The command fails if you don't provide these arguments.
For more information, see [`FLOW_SUPERUSER` and `FLOW_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD`](/api-keys-and-authentication#flow-superuser).

#### Disable CLI superuser creation

The `flow superuser` command is controlled by the [`FLOW_ENABLE_SUPERUSER_CLI`](/api-keys-and-authentication#flow-enable-superuser-cli) environment variable:

* **`FLOW_ENABLE_SUPERUSER_CLI=True` (default)**: The `flow superuser` command is available, and superuser creation is unrestricted.
* **`FLOW_ENABLE_SUPERUSER_CLI=False` (recommended)**: Disables the `flow superuser` command.
For security reasons, this is recommended to prevent unauthorized superuser creation, especially in production environments.

To disable the `flow superuser` command, you must set `FLOW_ENABLE_SUPERUSER_CLI=False` in your Hanzo Flow `.env` file, and then [start Hanzo Flow with your `.env` file](#start-flow-with-a-specific-env-file).