Outdated Documentation
You're viewing documentation for version v1.0.5. This version may contain outdated information.
Command line syntax
Last reviewed: 2026-02-23 / Plakar v1.1.0
General syntax
Every Plakar invocation follows this pattern:
plakar [OPTIONS] [at REPOSITORY] COMMAND [COMMAND_OPTIONS]...
| Component | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
OPTIONS |
No | Global options that apply to all commands (see below) |
at REPOSITORY |
No | Target repository; defaults to $PLAKAR_REPOSITORY or ~/.plakar if omitted |
COMMAND |
Yes | The operation to perform (e.g. backup, restore, check) |
COMMAND_OPTIONS |
No | Options and arguments specific to the command (documented under each command reference) |
A few examples to make the structure concrete:
# Simplest form: just a command
plakar version
# Operating on a repository
plakar at /backup ls
# Global option + repository + command + command options
plakar -time at /backup ls -tag daily-backups
Global options
Global options appear before the at clause and apply to every command. Options that come after the command are command-specific and are documented in each command reference page.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
-concurrency int |
Limit the number of concurrent operations (default: -1) |
-config string |
Configuration directory (default: ~/.config/plakar) |
-cpu int |
Limit the number of usable CPU cores |
-disable-security-check |
Disable update check |
-enable-security-check |
Enable update check |
-keyfile string |
Use passphrase from key file when prompted |
-profile-cpu string |
Profile CPU usage |
-profile-mem string |
Profile memory usage |
-quiet |
No output except errors |
-silent |
No output at all |
-stdio |
Use stdio user interface |
-time |
Display command execution time |
-trace string |
Display trace logs, comma-separated (all, trace, repository, snapshot, server) |
Option order matters
Options must appear in the correct position. Global options go before at, command options go after the command.
# Correct: -tag is a command option for ls
plakar -time at /backup ls -tag daily-backups
# Wrong: -tag is placed before the command — plakar sees it as the command name
plakar -time at /backup -tag daily-backups ls
# → command not found: -tag
A misplaced option will either be ignored or cause an error. When something doesn’t work as expected, check option placement first.
Getting help
Plakar has built-in help at every level.
# Show global usage, all options and available commands
plakar -h
plakar help
# Show the manual page for a specific command
plakar help <command>
The built-in help is always in sync with the version of Plakar you have installed, making it the most reliable reference for available options and commands.
Found a bug or mistake in the documentation? Create an issue on GitHub