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Command Reference: rdctl

rdctl is a command-line tool, included in Rancher Desktop that enables command-line access to GUI features. rdctl is developed to help users with tasks such as scripting (for automation, CI/CD), troubleshooting, remote management, etc. The current version of rdctl supports the below commands (with support for more commands to be added in upcoming releases):

info

As the current version of rdctl is experimental, all subcommand names, their arguments, and their output are still subject to change.

For many rdctl commands, there are corresponding API calls that can be applied. Listed below are the available commands shown in both formats. The api examples will assume curl as the tool being used to talk to the API.

Additionally, some examples make use of credentials which can be found in these locations across platforms:

  • Linux: ~/.local/share/rancher-desktop/
  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/rancher-desktop/
  • Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\rancher-desktop\
warning

The Rancher Desktop application must be running for the following commands:

Command List
  • rdctl list-settings
  • rdctl set
  • rdctl shutdown

rdctl or rdctl help​

Run rdctl or rdctl help to see the list of available commands.

Example Output
> rdctl help
The eventual goal of this CLI is to enable any UI-based operation to be done from the command-line as well.

Usage:
  rdctl [command]

Available Commands:
  api            Run API endpoints directly
  completion     Generate the autocompletion script for the specified shell
  create-profile Generate a deployment profile in either macOS plist or Windows registry format
  extension      Manage extensions
  factory-reset  Clear all the Rancher Desktop state and shut it down.
  help           Help about any command
  list-settings  Lists the current settings.
  set            Update selected fields in the Rancher Desktop UI and restart the backend.
  shell          Run an interactive shell or a command in a Rancher Desktop-managed VM
  shutdown       Shuts down the running Rancher Desktop application
  snapshot       Manage Rancher Desktop snapshots
  start          Start up Rancher Desktop, or update its settings.
  version        Shows the CLI version.

Flags:
      --config-path string   config file (default ~/$HOME/rancher-desktop/rd-engine.json)
  -h, --help                 help for rdctl
      --host string          default is 127.0.0.1; most useful for WSL
      --password string      overrides the password setting in the config file
      --port string          overrides the port setting in the config file
      --user string          overrides the user setting in the config file

Use "rdctl [command] --help" for more information about a command.

rdctl api​

Run rdctl api / to list all endpoints globally.

Example Output
$ rdctl api / | jq -r .[]
GET /
GET /v0
GET /v1
GET /v1/about
GET /v1/backend_state
PUT /v1/backend_state
GET /v1/diagnostic_categories
GET /v1/diagnostic_checks
POST /v1/diagnostic_checks
GET /v1/diagnostic_ids
GET /v1/extensions
POST /v1/extensions/install
POST /v1/extensions/uninstall
PUT /v1/factory_reset
PUT /v1/propose_settings
GET /v1/settings
PUT /v1/settings
GET /v1/settings/locked
PUT /v1/shutdown
POST /v1/snapshot/restore
GET /v1/snapshots
DELETE /v1/snapshots
POST /v1/snapshots
GET /v1/transient_settings
PUT /v1/transient_settings

rdctl api /vX​

Run rdctl api /v1 to list all endpoints in version 1.

Example Output
$ rdctl api /v1 | jq -r .[]
GET /v1
GET /v1/about
GET /v1/backend_state
PUT /v1/backend_state
GET /v1/diagnostic_categories
GET /v1/diagnostic_checks
POST /v1/diagnostic_checks
GET /v1/diagnostic_ids
GET /v1/extensions
POST /v1/extensions/install
POST /v1/extensions/uninstall
PUT /v1/factory_reset
PUT /v1/propose_settings
GET /v1/settings
PUT /v1/settings
GET /v1/settings/locked
PUT /v1/shutdown
POST /v1/snapshot/restore
GET /v1/snapshots
DELETE /v1/snapshots
POST /v1/snapshots
GET /v1/transient_settings
PUT /v1/transient_settings

rdctl api /v1/settings​

rdctl api [endpoints] are commands that are most useful for users working directly with the API itself, and therefore they would not be for everyday use, such as rdctl set might be. For example,

a command such as

rdctl api /v1/settings --method PUT --body '{"kubernetes": {"enabled": false}}'

is the same as

rdctl set --kubernetes-enabled=false

but less concise and user-friendly.

rdctl create-profile​

Generates a deployment profile for Rancher Desktop settings in either macOS .plist or Windows .reg format.

rdctl create-profile <options> <options-input>
Options & Example Command

Options

--input [FILE]              File containing a JSON document.
--body [JSON]               Command-line option containing a JSON document
--from-settings             Use current settings.
--output [plist, reg]       An output of .plist files for macOS and .reg files for Windows.

Additional options for --output reg:
--type [locked, defaults]   The locked field is set as default, otherwise the default type can be specified.
--hive [hklm, hkcu]         The hklm field is set as default, otherwise hkcu can be specified.

Example

rdctl create-profile --output reg --hive=Hkcu --from-settings

rdctl extension install​

Installs a Rancher Desktop extension.

rdctl extension install <image-id>
Options & Example Output

Options

--force               Avoids any interactivity.
<image-id>:<tag>      The <tag> is optional, e.g. splatform/epinio-docker-desktop:latest.

Example

$ rdctl extension install docker/logs-explorer-extension:0.2.2
Installing image docker/logs-explorer-extension:0.2.2: Created

rdctl extension ls​

Lists currently installed images.

rdctl extension ls
Example Output

Example

$ rdctl extension ls
Extension IDs

docker/logs-explorer-extension:0.2.2

rdctl extension uninstall​

Uninstalls a Rancher Desktop extension.

rdctl extension uninstall <image-id>
Options & Example Output

Options

<image-id>:<tag>      The <tag> is optional, e.g. splatform/epinio-docker-desktop:latest.

Example

$ rdctl extension uninstall docker/logs-explorer-extension:0.2.2
Uninstalling image docker/logs-explorer-extension:0.2.2: Deleted docker/logs-explorer-extension:0.2.2

rdctl list-settings​

Run rdctl list-settings to see the current active configuration.

Options & Example Output

Options


> rdctl list-settings --help 
Lists the current settings in JSON format.

Usage:
  rdctl list-settings [flags]

Flags:
  -h, --help   help for list-settings

Global Flags:
      --config-path string   config file (default ~/HOME/rancher-desktop/rd-engine.json)
      --host string          default is 127.0.0.1; most useful for WSL
      --password string      overrides the password setting in the config file
      --port string          overrides the port setting in the config file
      --user string          overrides the user setting in the config file

Example Output Using macOS Environment

> rdctl list-settings
{
  "version": 10,
  "application": {
    "adminAccess": true,
    "debug": false,
    "extensions": {
      "allowed": {
        "enabled": false,
        "list": []
      },
      "installed": {}
    },
    "pathManagementStrategy": "rcfiles",
    "telemetry": {
      "enabled": true
    },
    "updater": {
      "enabled": true
    },
    "autoStart": false,
    "startInBackground": false,
    "hideNotificationIcon": false,
    "window": {
      "quitOnClose": false
    }
  },
  "containerEngine": {
    "allowedImages": {
      "enabled": false,
      "patterns": [],
      "locked": false
    },
    "name": "containerd"
  },
  "virtualMachine": {
    "memoryInGB": 4,
    "numberCPUs": 2,
    "hostResolver": true
  },
  "WSL": {
    "integrations": {}
  },
  "kubernetes": {
    "version": "1.28.2",
    "port": 6443,
    "enabled": true,
    "options": {
      "traefik": true,
      "flannel": true
    },
    "ingress": {
      "localhostOnly": false
    }
  },
  "portForwarding": {
    "includeKubernetesServices": false
  },
  "images": {
    "showAll": true,
    "namespace": "k8s.io"
  },
  "diagnostics": {
    "showMuted": true,
    "mutedChecks": {
      "STATIC_FALSE": true
    }
  },
  "experimental": {
    "virtualMachine": {
      "type": "vz",
      "useRosetta": false,
      "socketVMNet": true,
      "mount": {
        "type": "reverse-sshfs",
        "9p": {
          "securityModel": "none",
          "protocolVersion": "9p2000.L",
          "msizeInKib": 128,
          "cacheMode": "mmap"
        }
      },
      "networkingTunnel": false,
      "proxy": {
        "enabled": false,
        "address": "",
        "password": "",
        "port": 3128,
        "username": "",
        "noproxy": [
          "0.0.0.0/8",
          "10.0.0.0/8",
          "127.0.0.0/8",
          "169.254.0.0/16",
          "172.16.0.0/12",
          "192.168.0.0/16",
          "224.0.0.0/4",
          "240.0.0.0/4"
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

rdctl set​

Run rdctl set [flags] to set properties. In most of the cases, Kubernetes would be reset on running the set command. You can set multiple properties by chaining in a single command. See some examples below.

Example Command
> rdctl set --kubernetes-enabled=false
> rdctl set --container-engine docker --kubernetes-version 1.21.2

rdctl shutdown​

Run rdctl shutdown to gracefully shut down Rancher Desktop.

Example Output
> rdctl shutdown
Shutting down.

rdctl snapshot​

Run rdctl snapshot to store the current configuration of your virtual machine and all associated settings as a snapshot.

Options & Example Commands

Options

Usage:
  rdctl snapshot [command]

Available Commands:
  create      Create a snapshot
  delete      Delete a snapshot
  list        List snapshots
  restore     Restore a snapshot
  unlock      Remove snapshot lock

Flags:
  -h, --help   help for snapshot

Global Flags:
      --config-path string   config file (default /Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/rancher-desktop/rd-engine.json)
      --host string          default is 127.0.0.1; most useful for WSL
      --password string      overrides the password setting in the config file
      --port string          overrides the port setting in the config file
      --user string          overrides the user setting in the config file

Use "rdctl snapshot [command] --help" for more information about a command.

Example




$ rdctl snapshot create example_snapshot
$ rdctl snapshot delete example_snapshot
$ rdctl snapshot list --json
{"created":"2023-10-23T13:11:45.311273-07:00","name":"Snap_2023-10-23_13_11_25","description":""}
{"created":"2023-10-23T13:13:34.439465-07:00","name":"Example_Snapshot_1","description":"Snapshot descriptions can be entered in this field."}

rdctl start​

Run rdctl start to ensure that Rancher Desktop is running and configured as requested.

Options & Example Command

Options:

Usage:
  rdctl start [flags]

Flags:
      --application.admin-access                                        enable privileged operations
      --application.auto-start                                          start app when logging in
      --application.debug                                               generate more verbose logging
      --application.hide-notification-icon                              don't show notification icon
      --application.path-management-strategy string                     update PATH to include ~/.rd/bin (allowed values: [manual, rcfiles])
      --application.start-in-background                                 start app without window
      --application.telemetry.enabled                                   allow collection of anonymous statistics
      --application.updater.enabled                                     automatically update to the latest release
      --application.window.quit-on-close                                terminate app when the main window is closed
      --container-engine.allowed-images.enabled                         only allow images to be pulled that match the allowed patterns
      --container-engine.name string                                    set engine (allowed values: [containerd, docker, moby])
      --diagnostics.show-muted                                          unhide muted diagnostics
      --experimental.virtual-machine.mount.9p.cache-mode string         (allowed values: [none, loose, fscache, mmap])
      --experimental.virtual-machine.mount.9p.msize-in-kib int          maximum packet size
      --experimental.virtual-machine.mount.9p.protocol-version string   (allowed values: [9p2000, 9p2000.u, 9p2000.L])
      --experimental.virtual-machine.mount.9p.security-model string     (allowed values: [passthrough, mapped-xattr, mapped-file, none])
      --experimental.virtual-machine.mount.type string                  how directories are shared (allowed values: [reverse-sshfs, 9p, virtiofs])
      --experimental.virtual-machine.socket-vmnet                       use socket-vmnet instead of vde-vmnet
      --experimental.virtual-machine.type string                        (allowed values: [qemu, vz])
      --experimental.virtual-machine.use-rosetta                        
      -h, --help                                                        help for start
      --images.namespace string                                         select only images from this namespace (containerd only)
      --images.show-all                                                 show system images on Images page
      --kubernetes.enabled                                              run Kubernetes
      --kubernetes.options.flannel                                      use flannel networking; disable to install your own CNI
      --kubernetes.options.traefik                                      install and run traefik
      --kubernetes.port int                                             apiserver port
      --kubernetes.version string                                       choose which version of Kubernetes to run
      --no-modal-dialogs                                                avoid displaying dialog boxes
      -p, --path string                                                 path to main executable
      --port-forwarding.include-kubernetes-services                     show Kubernetes system services on Port Forwarding page
      --virtual-machine.memory-in-gb int                                reserved RAM size
      --virtual-machine.number-cpus int                                 reserved number of CPUs

Global Flags:
      --config-path string   config file (default /Users/{username}/Library/Application Support/rancher-desktop/rd-engine.json)
      --host string          default is localhost; most useful for WSL
      --password string      overrides the password setting in the config file
      --port string          overrides the port setting in the config file
      --user string          overrides the user setting in the config file

Example:

> rdctl start --container-runtime dockerd -- kubernetes-version 1.19.3

rdctl version​

Run rdctl version to see the current rdctl CLI version.

Example Output
> rdctl version
rdctl client version: 1.1.0, targeting server version: v1