backy-docs/content/config/commands.md

---
title: "Commands"
weight: 1
---

The yaml top-level map can be any string.

The top-level name must be unique.

```yaml
commands:
  stop-docker-container:
    cmd: docker
    Args:
      - compose
      - -f /some/path/to/docker-compose.yaml
      - down
    # if host is not defined, command will be run locally
    host: some-host 
  backup-docker-container-script:
    cmd: /path/to/script
    # The host has to be defined in either the config file or the SSH Config files
    host: some-host
    environment:
      - FOO=BAR
      - APP=$VAR
```

Values available for this section:

| name | description | type | required
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `cmd` | Defines the command to execute | `string` | yes |
| `args` | Defines the arguments to the command | `[]string` | no |
| `environment` | Defines evironment variables for the command | `[]string` | no |
| `host` | If not specified, the command will execute locally. | `string` | no |
| `shell` | Only applicable when host is not specified | `string` | no |

#### cmd

cmd must be a valid command or script to execute.

#### args

args must be arguments to cmd as they would be on the command-line:

```sh
cmd [arg1 arg2 ...]
```

Define them in an array:

```yaml
args:
  - arg1
  - arg2
  - arg3
```

#### host

{{% notice info %}}
If any `host` is not defined or left blank, the command will run on the local machine.
{{% /notice %}}

Host may or may not be defined in the `hosts` section.

{{% notice info %}}
If any `host` from the commands section does not match any object in the `hosts` section, the `Host` is assumed to be this value. This value will be used to search in the default SSH config files.

For example, say that I have a host defined in my SSH config with the `Host` defined as `web-prod`.
If I assign a value to host as `host: web-prod` and don't specify this value in the `hosts` object, web-prod will be used as the `Host` in searching the SSH config files.
{{% /notice %}}

### shell

If shell is defined and host is NOT defined, the command will run in the specified shell.
Make sure to escape any shell input.

### environment

The environment variables support expansion:

- using escaped values `$VAR` or `${VAR}`

For now the variables have to be defined in an `.env` file in the same directory as the config file.

If using it with host specified, the SSH server has to be configured to accept those env variables.

If the command is run locally, the OS's environment is added.