Using the Dagger CLI

The Dagger CLI lets you call both the core and extended Dagger API (the core APIs plus the new APIs provided by external Dagger modules) directly from the command-line.

You can call the API interactively (dagger) or non-interactively (dagger -c, dagger call, or dagger core).

Examples

Here are a few examples:

Create a simple workflow that is fully satisfied by the core Dagger API, without needing to program a Dagger module:

System shell

dagger <<EOF
container |
  from cgr.dev/chainguard/wolfi-base |
  with-exec apk add go |
  with-directory /src https://github.com/golang/example#master |
  with-workdir /src/hello |
  with-exec -- go build -o hello . |
  file ./hello |
  export ./hello-from-dagger
EOF

Dagger Shell

First type 'dagger' for interactive mode.

container |
  from cgr.dev/chainguard/wolfi-base |
  with-exec apk add go |
  with-directory /src https://github.com/golang/example#master |
  with-workdir /src/hello |
  with-exec -- go build -o hello . |
  file ./hello |
  export ./hello-from-dagger

Dagger CLI

dagger core container from --address="cgr.dev/chainguard/wolfi-base" \
  with-exec --args="apk","add","go" \
  with-directory --path="/src" --directory="https://github.com/golang/example#master" \
  with-workdir --path="/src/hello" \
  with-exec --args="go","build","-o","hello","." \
  file --path="./hello" \
  export --path="./hello-from-dagger"

Use Dagger as an alternative to docker run.

System shell

dagger -c 'container | from cgr.dev/chainguard/wolfi-base | terminal'

Dagger Shell

First type 'dagger' for interactive mode.

container | from cgr.dev/chainguard/wolfi-base | terminal

Dagger CLI

dagger core container \
  from --address=cgr.dev/chainguard/wolfi-base \
  terminal

tip

If only the core Dagger API is needed, the -M (--no-mod) flag can be provided. This results in quicker startup, because the Dagger CLI doesn't try to find and load a current module. This also makes dagger -M equivalent to dagger core.

Call one of the auto-generated Dagger Functions:

System shell

dagger -c 'container-echo "Welcome to Dagger!" | stdout'

Dagger Shell

First type 'dagger' for interactive mode.

container-echo "Welcome to Dagger!" | stdout

Dagger CLI

dagger call container-echo --string-arg="Welcome to Dagger!" stdout

tip

When using the Dagger CLI, all names (functions, arguments, struct fields, etc) are converted into a shell-friendly "kebab-case" style.

Modules don't need to be installed locally. Dagger lets you consume modules from GitHub repositories and call their Dagger Functions as though you were calling them locally:

System shell

dagger <<EOF
github.com/jpadams/daggerverse/trivy@v0.5.0 |
  scan-image ubuntu:latest
EOF

Dagger Shell

First type 'dagger' for interactive mode.

github.com/jpadams/daggerverse/trivy@v0.5.0 | scan-image ubuntu:latest

Dagger CLI

dagger -m github.com/jpadams/daggerverse/trivy@v0.5.0 call \
  scan-image --image-ref=ubuntu:latest

List all the Dagger Functions available in a module using context-sensitive help:

System shell

dagger -c '.help github.com/jpadams/daggerverse/trivy@v0.5.0'

Dagger Shell

First type 'dagger' for interactive mode.

.help github.com/jpadams/daggerverse/trivy@v0.5.0

Dagger CLI

dagger -m github.com/jpadams/daggerverse/trivy@v0.5.0 call --help

List all the optional and required arguments for a Dagger Function using context-sensitive help:

System shell

dagger -c 'github.com/jpadams/daggerverse/trivy@v0.5.0 | scan-image | .help'

Dagger Shell

First type 'dagger' for interactive mode.

github.com/jpadams/daggerverse/trivy@v0.5.0 | scan-image | .help

Dagger CLI

dagger -m github.com/jpadams/daggerverse/trivy@v0.5.0 call scan-image --help