openstack-manuals/doc/common/section_cli_overview.xml

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    xml:id="section_cli_overview">
    <title>Overview</title>
    <para>You can use the OpenStack command-line clients to run simple
        commands that make API calls. You can use these commands in
        scripts to automate tasks. Internally, each client command
        runs cURL commands that embed API requests. The OpenStack APIs
        are RESTful APIs that use the HTTP protocol, including
        methods, URIs, media types, and response codes.</para>
    <para>These open-source Python clients run on Linux or Mac OS X
        systems and are easy to learn and use. Each OpenStack service
        has its own command-line client. On some client commands, you
        can specify a <parameter
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        parameter to show the underlying API request for the command.
        This is a good way to become familiar with the OpenStack API
        calls.</para>
    <para>The following command-line clients are available for the
        respective services' APIs:</para>
    <itemizedlist>
        <listitem>
            <para><emphasis role="bold">ceilometer</emphasis>
                    (<application>python-ceilometerclient</application>).
                Client for the Metering API that lets you create and
                collect measurements across OpenStack.</para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
            <para><emphasis role="bold">cinder</emphasis>
                    (<application>python-cinderclient</application>).
                Client for the Block Storage Service API that lets you
                create and manage volumes.</para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
            <para><emphasis role="bold">glance</emphasis>
                    (<application>python-glanceclient</application>).
                Client for the Image Service API that lets you create
                and manage images.</para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
            <para><emphasis role="bold">heat</emphasis>
                    (<application>python-heatclient</application>).
                Client for the Orchestration API that lets you launch
                stacks from templates, view details of running stacks
                including events and resources, and update and delete
                stacks.</para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
            <para><emphasis role="bold">keystone</emphasis>
                    (<application>python-keystoneclient</application>).
                Client for the Identity Service API that lets you
                create and manage users, tenants, roles, endpoints,
                and credentials.</para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
            <para><emphasis role="bold">neutron</emphasis>
                    (<application>python-neutronclient</application>).
                Client for the Networking API that lets you configure
                networks for guest servers. This client was previously
                known as <emphasis role="bold"
                >quantum</emphasis>.</para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
            <para><emphasis role="bold">nova</emphasis>
                    (<application>python-novaclient</application>).
                Client for the Compute API and its extensions. Use to
                create and manage images, instances, and
                flavors.</para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
            <para><emphasis role="bold">swift</emphasis>
                    (<application>python-swiftclient</application>).
                Client for the Object Storage API that lets you gather
                statistics, list items, update metadata, upload,
                download and delete files stored by the Object Storage
                service. Provides access to a swift installation for
                ad hoc processing.</para>
        </listitem>
    </itemizedlist>
    <para>An OpenStack common client is in development.</para>
    <para os="adminuser">See <link
            xlink:href="http://docs.openstack.org/user-guide/content/install_clients.html"
            >Install the OpenStack command-line clients</link> for
        client installation instructions. See <link
            xlink:href="http://docs.openstack.org/user-guide/content/cli_openrc.html"
            >Download and source the OpenStack RC file</link> for
        information about the OpenStack RC file. Both topics are in
        the <link
            xlink:href="http://docs.openstack.org/user-guide/content/index.html"
                ><citetitle>OpenStack End User
            Guide</citetitle></link>.</para>
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