The cardano-cli Commands

The command line interface (CLI) provides a collection of tools for generating keys, constructing transactions, creating certificates, and performing other important tasks. It is organized in a hierarchy of subcommands, and each level comes with its own built-in documentation of command syntax and options.

This section provides a reference of the core cardano-cli commands and their associated sub commands:

cardano-cli The set of cardano-cli commands include:

• address: payment address commands
• stake-address: stake address commands
• transaction: transaction commands
• node: node operation commands
• stake-pool: stake pool commands
• query: node query commands. This queries the local node whose Unix domain socket is obtained from the CARDANO_NODE_SOCKET_PATH environment variable.
• genesis: genesis block commands
• text-view: commands for dealing with text view files that are stored on disk such as transactions or addresses
• governance: governance commands

cardano-cli address The address command contains the following sub commands:

• key-gen: creates a single address key pair
• key-hash: prints the hash of an address to stdout
• build: builds a payment address, with optional delegation to a stake address
• build-script: builds a token locking script
• info: prints details about the address

cardano-cli stake-address The stake-address command contains the following sub commands:

• key-gen: creates a single address key pair
• build: builds a stake address
• registration-certificate: creates a registration certificate
• delegation-certificate: creates a stake address delegation certificate
• deregistration-certificate: creates a de-registration certificate

cardano-cli transaction The transaction command contains the following sub commands:

• build-raw: builds a low-level transaction (uses the --cardano-mode, --byron-mode, --shelley-mode flags)
• sign: signs the transaction
• assemble : combines and assembles the transaction witness(es) with a transaction body to create a transaction
• witness: witnesses a transaction
• submit: submits the transaction to the local node whose Unix domain socket is obtained from the CARANO_NODE_SOCKET_PATH environment variable (uses the --cardano-mode, --byron-mode, --shelley-mode flags)
• calculate-min-fee: calculates the minimum fee for the transaction
• txid: retrieves the transaction ID
• policyid: retrieves the policy ID

cardano-cli node The node command contains the following sub commands:

• key-gen: creates a key pair for a node operator’s offline key and a new certificate issue counter
• key-gen-KES: creates a key pair for a node KES operational key
• key-gen-VRF: creates a key pair for a node VRF operational key
• key-hash-VRF: creates a key hash for a node VRF operational key
• new-counter: keeps track of the number of KES evolutions for a given operational certificate hot key
• issue-op-cert: issues a node operational certificate

cardano-cli stake-pool The stake-pool command contains the following sub commands:

• registration-certificate: creates a stake pool registration certificate
• de-registration-certificate: creates a stake pool de-registration certificate
• id: builds pool id from the offline key
• metadata-hash: retrieves the metadata hash

cardano-cli query The query command contains the following sub commands:

• protocol-parameters (advanced): retrieves the node’s current pool parameters (a raw dump of Ledger.ChainDepState).
• tip: gets the node’s current tip (slot number, hash, and block number)
• utxo: retrieves the node’s current UTxO, filtered by address
• ledger-state (advanced): dumps the current state of the node (a raw dump of Ledger.NewEpochState)
• stake-address-info: Get the current delegations and reward accounts filtered by stake address.
• stake-distribution: Get the node's current aggregated stake distribution
• stake-snapshot (advanced): Get the stake snapshot information for a stake pool
• pool-params (advanced): Get the current and future parameters for a stake pool

cardano-cli governance The governance command contains the following sub commands:

• create-mir-certificate: creates an MIR (move instantaneous rewards) certificate
• create-update-proposal: creates an update proposal
• create-genesis-key-certificate: retrieves the genesis key certificate

cardano-cli genesis The genesis command contains the following sub commands:

• key-gen-genesis: creates a genesis key pair
• key-gen-delegate: creates a genesis delegate key pair
• key-gen-utxo: creates a genesis UTxO key pair
• key-hash: prints the identifier, or hash, of a public key
• get-ver-key: derives verification key from a signing key
• initial-addr: gets the address for an initial UTxO based on the verification key
• initial-txin: gets the transaction ID for an initial UTxO based on the verification key.
• create: creates a genesis file from a genesis template, as well as genesis keys, delegation keys, and spending keys.
• create-staked: creates a staked genesis file
• hash: retrieves the hash value

cardano-cli text-view The text-view command contains the following sub command:

• decode-cbor: prints a text view file, as decoded CBOR.