---
layout: docs
page_title: Nomad command-line interface (CLI) reference
description: >
  The Nomad command-line interface (CLI) interacts with a Nomad cluster. This page contains reference information on how to install CLI autocomplete, configure remote usage, and specify CLI options. Review connection, access control list (ACL), mutual TLS (mTLS), and license environment variables.
---

# Nomad command-line interface (CLI) reference

The Nomad CLI is a well-behaved command-line application. In erroneous cases,
the CLI returns a non-zero exit status. To view a list of available commands,
run the `nomad` command with no arguments, `-h`, or `--help`. To access help for
any specific subcommand, run the subcommand with the `-h` argument.

## Autocomplete

Nomad's CLI supports command autocomplete.

To install autocomplete, run the `nomad` command with the
`-autocomplete-install` option.

```shell-session
$ nomad -autocomplete-install
```

To uninstall autocomplete, run the `nomad` command with the
`-autocomplete-uninstall` option.

```shell-session
$ nomad -autocomplete-uninstall
```

## Command contexts

Nomad's CLI commands have implied contexts in their naming convention. Because
the CLI is most commonly used to manipulate or query jobs, you can assume that
any given command is working in that context unless the command name implies
otherwise. For example, the `nomad job run` command runs a new job and the
`nomad status` command queries information about existing jobs. Conversely,
commands with a prefix in their name likely operate in a different context.
Examples include the `nomad agent-info` or `nomad node drain` commands,
which operate in the agent or node contexts respectively.

### Remote usage

You may use the Nomad CLI to interact with a remote Nomad cluster, even when the
local machine does not have a running Nomad agent. To do so, set the
`NOMAD_ADDR` environment variable or use the `-address=<addr>` flag when running
commands.

```shell-session
$ NOMAD_ADDR=https://remote-address:4646 nomad status
$ nomad status -address=https://remote-address:4646
```

The Nomad address must be reachable from your local machine. If the Nomad
port is exposed to the public internet, we recommend configuring TLS. Refer to
the [`tls` block in agent configuration] for details.

### Environment variables

Nomad can use environment variables to configure command-line tool options. You
may override these environment variables with individual flags.

#### Connection environment variables

- `NOMAD_ADDR` - The address of the Nomad server. Defaults to
  `http://127.0.0.1:4646`. For unix sockets, as with the [task API][],
  the format is either `unix:/path/to/api.sock` or `unix:///path/to/api.sock`.

- `NOMAD_REGION` - The region of the Nomad server to forward commands to.
  Defaults to the Agent's local region

- `NOMAD_NAMESPACE` - The target namespace for queries and actions bound to a
  namespace. If set to `*`, job and alloc subcommands query all namespacecs
  authorized to user. Defaults to the "default" namespace.

- `NOMAD_HTTP_AUTH` - (Optional) This allows users to supply "Basic" HTTP
  authentication scheme ([RFC 7617](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7617))
  information in environments where the Nomad API is behind an authenticating
  proxy server.

#### Access control list (ACL) environment variables

- `NOMAD_TOKEN` - The SecretID of an ACL token to use to authenticate API
  requests with.

#### CLI environment variables

- `NOMAD_CLI_NO_COLOR` - Disables colored command output.

#### Mutual TLS (mTLS) environment variables

- `NOMAD_CLI_SHOW_HINTS` - Enables ui-hints in common CLI command output.

- `NOMAD_CLIENT_CERT` - Path to a PEM encoded client certificate for TLS
  authentication to the Nomad server. Must also specify `NOMAD_CLIENT_KEY`.

- `NOMAD_CLIENT_KEY` - Path to an unencrypted PEM encoded private key matching
  the client certificate from `NOMAD_CLIENT_CERT`.

- `NOMAD_CACERT` - Path to a PEM encoded CA cert file to use to verify the
  Nomad server SSL certificate.

- `NOMAD_CAPATH` - Path to a directory of PEM encoded CA cert files to verify
  the Nomad server SSL certificate. If both `NOMAD_CACERT` and `NOMAD_CAPATH`
  are specified, `NOMAD_CACERT` is used.

- `NOMAD_SKIP_VERIFY` - Do not verify TLS certificate. **This is highly not
  recommended.**

- `NOMAD_TLS_SERVER_NAME` - The server name to use as the SNI host when
  connecting via TLS.

#### Nomad Enterprise license environment variables

- `NOMAD_LICENSE_PATH` - An absolute path to a Nomad Enterprise license file,
  for example `/etc/nomad.d/license.hclic`.

- `NOMAD_LICENSE` - The Nomad Enterprise license file contents as a string.


[task API]: /nomad/api-docs/task-api
[`tls` block in agent configuration]: /nomad/docs/configuration/tls
