Beta Version
You're viewing documentation for version v1.1.0. Beta versions are subject to changes and may not represent the final stable release. Do not use in production environments.
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.
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