Stable Last updated: Dec 12, 2024 • 5 min read

CLI Installation & Setup

The CloudNexus CLI is the fastest way to manage your infrastructure from the terminal. Install it, authenticate with your API key, and start deploying in seconds.

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Prerequisites

You need an active CloudNexus account and an API token with read/write permissions. Generate one from Dashboard → Settings → API Keys.

Installation

Choose your operating system to get started:

macOS

Terminal

# Using Homebrew
brew tap cloudnexus/cli
brew install cnx-cli

# Or download directly
curl -fsSL https://cli.cloudnexus.io/install.sh | sh

Linux

Terminal

# Debian/Ubuntu
curl -1sLf 'https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/cloudnexus/cli/setup.deb.sh' | sudo bash
sudo apt install cnx-cli

# RHEL/CentOS/Fedora
curl -1sLf 'https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/cloudnexus/cli/setup.rpm.sh' | sudo bash
sudo dnf install cnx-cli

Windows

PowerShell

winget install CloudNexus.CNXCli

# Or via Scoop
scoop bucket add cloudnexus https://github.com/cloudnexus/homebrew-cli
scoop install cnx-cli

Authentication

After installation, authenticate your CLI session:

Terminal

cnx auth login

# Output:
🔑 Paste your API token: cnx_sk_live_8f3a2c...
✅ Successfully authenticated as: developer@yourcompany.io
🌍 Default region set to: us-east-1

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Security Note

Never commit API tokens to version control. Use environment variables or secret managers for CI/CD pipelines.

Verify Installation

Run the following command to verify everything is working:

Terminal

cnx system status

# Expected output:
CLOUDNEXUS v2.4.1
REGION     us-east-1
CONNECTION ✓ Connected (14ms)
QUOTA      3/10 instances active

Configuration File

The CLI stores configuration in ~/.cloudnexus/config.yaml. You can customize defaults:

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
region	string	us-east-1	Default deployment region
output	string	table	Output format: `table`, `json`, `yaml`
auto_confirm	boolean	false	Skip confirmation prompts
retry_count	integer	3	API retry attempts on failure

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Pro Tip

Enable auto_confirm for scripting, but always use dry_run: true in CI pipelines to prevent accidental production changes.

Next Steps

Deploy your first instance: cnx compute create --plan pro --region eu-west
Read the Kubernetes integration guide for cluster management
Explore CLI reference for all available commands