Launch OpenStack CLI

Last update: May 30 2026

The process of launching OpenStack CLI depends on how you configured OpenStack API authentication:

• if you configured authentication via the operating system – launch OpenStack CLI in the OS;
• if you configured authentication in a Docker container – launch OpenStack CLI in a Docker container.

Launch OpenStack CLI in the OS

Linux/macOS

1. Open the CLI.

2. Apply environment variables from the RC file:

   source <rcfile_name>

   Specify <rcfile_name> — the name of the RC file you downloaded to configure OpenStack CLI. The default is rc.sh.

3. Enter your OpenStack password — the password of the service user for which you downloaded the RC file.

4. Make sure OpenStack CLI is working. To do this, open the list of cloud servers:

   openstack server list

   If cloud servers have been created in the pool and project specified in the variables, they will appear in the output. If no servers have been created yet, the output will be an empty string.

Windows

1. Open the CLI.

2. Add environment variables:

   set OS_AUTH_URL=<url>
   set OS_IDENTITY_API_VERSION=3
   set OS_VOLUME_API_VERSION=3
   set CLIFF_FIT_WIDTH=1
   set OS_PROJECT_DOMAIN_NAME=<account_id>
   set OS_PROJECT_ID=<project_id>
   set OS_TENANT_ID=<project_id>
   set OS_TENANT_NAME=<project_name>
   set OS_REGION_NAME=<pool>
   set OS_USER_DOMAIN_NAME=<account_id>
   set OS_USERNAME=<user_name>
   set OS_PASSWORD=<user_password>

   Specify:

   • <url> — the address (URL) for API authentication. The address depends on the region and pool; you can view it in the list of URLs;
   • <account_id> — account ID. You can find it in the control panel in the top-right corner;
   • <project_id> — project ID. You can copy it in the control panel: in the top menu, click Products and select Cloud Servers → open the projects menu (the name of the current project) → in the project line, click ;
   • <project_name> — project name. You can find it in the control panel: in the top menu, click Products and select Cloud Servers → open the projects menu (name of the current project) → copy the project name;
   • <pool> — pool, for example, ru-2. You will be able to manage project infrastructure only in this pool;
   • <user_name> — the service user name that has access to manage resources;
   • <user_password> — service user password. Once created, you cannot view the password; you can only generate a new one. For details, see the Change service user password section of the Edit user data and role guide.

3. Make sure OpenStack CLI is working. To do this, open the list of cloud servers:

   openstack server list

   If cloud servers have been created in the pool and project specified in the variables, they will appear in the output. If no servers have been created yet, the output will be an empty string.

Launch OpenStack CLI in a Docker container

1. Open the CLI.

2. Launch the Docker container:

   docker run -ti --rm -v $(pwd):/workspace osc:dalmatian

3. Apply environment variables from the RC file:

   source <rcfile_name>

   Specify <rcfile_name> — the name of the RC file you downloaded to configure OpenStack CLI. The default is rc.sh.

4. Enter your OpenStack password — the password of the service user for which you downloaded the RC file.

5. Make sure OpenStack CLI is working. To do this, open the list of cloud servers:

   openstack server list

   If cloud servers have been created in the pool and project specified in the variables, they will appear in the output. If no servers have been created yet, the output will be an empty string.

6. After working with OpenStack CLI, exit the Docker container:

   exit