salt/doc/ref/cli/salt.rst

========
``salt``
========

Synopsis
========

    salt '*' [ options ] sys.doc

    salt -E '.*' [ options ] sys.doc cmd

    salt -G 'os:Arch.*' [ options ] test.ping

    salt -C 'G@os:Arch.* and webserv* or G@kernel:FreeBSD' [ options ] test.ping

Description
===========

Salt allows for commands to be executed across a swath of remote systems in
parallel. This means that remote systems can be both controlled and queried
with ease.

Options
=======

.. program:: salt

.. option:: -h, --help

    Print a usage message briefly summarizing these command-line options

.. option:: -t TIMEOUT, --timeout=TIMEOUT

    The timeout in seconds to wait for replies from the Salt minions.

.. option:: -s STATIC, --static=STATIC

    By default as of version 0.9.8 the salt command returns data to the
    console as it is received from minions, but previous releases would return
    data only after all data was received. To only return the data with a hard
    timeout and after all minions have returned then use the static option.

.. option:: -b BATCH, --batch-size=BATCH

    Instead of executing on all targeted minions at once, execute on a
    progressive set of minions. This option takes an argument in the form of
    an explicit number of minions to execute at once, or a percentage of
    minions to execute on.

.. option:: -a EAUTH, --auth=EAUTH

    Pass in an external authentication medium to validate against. The
    credentials will be prompted for. Can be used with the -T option.

.. option:: -T, --make-token

    Used in conjunction with the -a option. This creates a token that allows
    for the authenticated user to send commands without needing to
    re-authenticate.

.. option:: --version

    Print the version of Salt that is running.

.. option:: --versions-report

    Show program's dependencies version number and exit

.. option:: -E, --pcre

    The target expression will be interpreted as a pcre regular expression
    rather than a shell glob.

.. option:: -L, --list

    The target expression will be interpreted as a comma delimited list,
    example: server1.foo.bar,server2.foo.bar,example7.quo.qux

.. option:: -G, --grain

    The target expression matches values returned by the Salt grains system on
    the minions. The target expression is in the format of '<grain value>:<glob
    expression>'; example: 'os:Arch*'

    This was changed in version 0.9.8 to accept glob expressions instead of
    regular expression. To use regular expression matching with grains use
    the --grain-pcre option.

.. option:: --grain-pcre

    The target expression matches values returned by the Salt grains system on
    the minions. The target expression is in the format of '<grain value>:<
    regular expression>'; example: 'os:Arch.*'

.. option:: -C, --compound

    Utilize many target definitions to make the call very granular. This option
    takes a group of targets separated by and or or. The default matcher is a
    glob as usual, if something other than a glob is used preface it with the
    letter denoting the type, example: 'webserv* and G@os:Debian or E@db*'
    make sure that the compound target is encapsulated in quotes.

.. option:: -X, --exsel

    Instead of using shell globs use the return code of a function.

.. option:: -N, --nodegroup

    Use a predefined compound target defined in the Salt master configuration
    file.

.. option:: -I, --pillar
    
    Instead of using shell globs to evaluate the target use a pillar value to
    identify targets, the syntax for the target is the pillar key followed by
    a glob expression: "role:production*"

.. option:: -S, --ipcidr

    Match based on Subnet (CIDR notation) or IPv4 address.

.. option:: -R, --range

    Instead of using shell globs to evaluate the target use a range expression
    to identify targets. Range expressions look like %cluster.

    Using the Range option requires that a range server is set up and the
    location of the range server is referenced in the master configuration
    file.

.. option:: --return

    Chose an alternative returner to call on the minion, if an alternative
    returner is used then the return will not come back to the command line
    but will be sent to the specified return system.

.. option:: -c CONFIG_DIR, --config-dir=CONFIG_dir

    The location of the Salt configuration directory, this directory contains
    the configuration files for Salt master and minions. The default location
    on most systems is /etc/salt.

.. option:: -v VERBOSE, --verbose

    Turn on verbosity for the salt call, this will cause the salt command to
    print out extra data like the job id.

.. option:: -d, --doc, --documentation

    Return the documentation for the module functions available on the minions

.. option:: --out

    Pass in an alternative outputter to display the return of data. This
    outputter can be any of the available outputters:
    grains, highstate, json, key, overstatestage, pprint, raw, txt, yaml
    Some outputters are formatted only for data returned from specific
    functions, for instance the grains outputter will not work for non grains
    data.
    If an outputter is used that does not support the data passed into it, then
    Salt will fall back on the pprint outputter and display the return data
    using the python pprint library.

.. option:: --out-indent OUTPUT_INDENT, --output-indent OUTPUT_INDENT

    Print the output indented by the provided value in spaces. Negative values
    disables indentation. Only applicable in outputters that support indentation.

.. option:: --no-color

    Disable all colored output

See also
========

:manpage:`salt(7)`
:manpage:`salt-master(1)`
:manpage:`salt-minion(1)`