Operations
The binary registers five command groups: sandbox, template, config, mcp, and provider. deploy is a top-level shortcut, not a group. Each row is the one command for that job. Flags, exit codes, and the full option list are in the linked reference.
The top-level names abx create, list, info, kill, exec, connect, upload, download, run and deploy are a fixed set of shortcuts, shown under Sandbox shortcuts in abx --help. Each is the same command as its group path (abx create is abx sandbox create). They cannot be configured. See CLI Command Reference.
abx <group> -h prints that group's commands.
sandbox — a running sandbox
| Job | Command | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Create a sandbox from a template | abx create --template base |
abx create |
| Create from a sentence (generates a template, then a sandbox) | abx create "a Python environment with pandas" |
abx create |
| List sandboxes | abx list |
abx list |
| Show one sandbox | abx info <SANDBOX_ID> |
abx info |
| Destroy a sandbox | abx kill <SANDBOX_ID> |
abx kill |
| Run one command | abx exec <SANDBOX_ID> -- echo hello |
abx exec |
| Open a line-by-line command REPL (every line is a new process, not a PTY) | abx connect <SANDBOX_ID> |
abx connect |
| Copy a file in | abx upload <SANDBOX_ID> <LOCAL> <REMOTE> |
abx upload |
| Copy a file out | abx download <SANDBOX_ID> <REMOTE> <LOCAL> |
abx download |
| List / run named commands registered on the in-sandbox server | abx sandbox command list <SANDBOX_ID> / abx run <SANDBOX_ID> <NAME> |
named commands |
| List files inside the sandbox | abx sandbox files list <SANDBOX_ID> --path /app |
sandbox files |
| List processes | abx sandbox process list <SANDBOX_ID> |
sandbox process |
| Read host metrics and env | abx sandbox system info <SANDBOX_ID> |
sandbox system |
| See which capability groups are on | abx sandbox capabilities <SANDBOX_ID> |
sandbox capabilities |
| Stream output live / start in the background | abx exec <SANDBOX_ID> --stream -- CMD / abx exec <SANDBOX_ID> --background -- CMD |
abx exec |
files also has stat, mkdir, rm, mv, and search. process also has info and signal. system also has env, ports, packages, and metrics. The same pages list those subcommands.
template — local project and cloud template
| Job | Command | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Scaffold a new template directory | abx template init -t python ./my-template |
template init |
| Write template files from a sentence, and stop | abx template init "a Python data analysis environment" |
template init |
| Add template files to a project that already has source | abx template init --adopt . |
template init |
| Build, push, and register | abx template deploy ./my-template |
template deploy |
| Build the image only | abx template build ./my-template |
template build |
| Push an image | abx template push <IMAGE> |
template push |
| Register an image that is already in the registry | abx template create <IMAGE> --name <NAME> |
template create |
| Search the catalog | abx template search pandas |
template search |
| Install a catalog template | abx template install python-hello |
template install |
| List registered templates | abx template list |
template list |
| Show one template | abx template info <NAME> |
template info |
| Delete a template | abx template delete <NAME> |
template delete |
There is no top-level abx init or abx install; use abx template init and abx template install.
deploy — shortcut for build, push, and register
| Job | Command | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy the current directory | abx deploy |
abx deploy |
| Deploy a directory you name | abx deploy ./my-template |
abx deploy |
This is the same pipeline as abx template deploy. It is registered as a shortcut (deploy), not as a sixth group.
config — keys on this machine
| Job | Command | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Guided first-time setup | abx config init |
config init |
| Store one key | abx config set llm_model qwen3-coder-plus |
config set |
| Read one key | abx config get region |
config get |
| Show every key and its source | abx config list |
config list |
| Remove one stored value | abx config delete acr_namespace |
config delete |
| Show the current configuration names | abx config list |
Providers — credentials and configuration keys |
There is no abx config reset. Clearing one key is abx config delete <KEY> or abx config set <KEY> "".
mcp — IDE agent tools
| Job | Command | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Write the IDE config snippet | abx mcp install |
mcp install |
| Run the stdio server | abx mcp start |
mcp start |
| Stop a server this CLI started | abx mcp stop |
mcp stop |
| Show whether it is running | abx mcp status |
mcp status |
| Deploy the HTTP MCP app | abx mcp deploy |
mcp deploy |
provider — sandbox backends
The group is hidden from abx --help until a plugin is installed or a non-built-in default is set. The commands still run. They are documented in Providers; the command reference does not repeat them.
| Job | Command | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| See built-in and installed providers | abx provider list |
Install, inspect, remove |
| Install a local directory while developing | abx provider install ./my-cloud --link --yes |
Authoring providers |
| Install from git, pinned to a commit | abx provider install <git-url> --ref <40-hex> |
Authoring providers — install from git |
| Show the manifest the user will consent to | abx provider info <id> |
Install, inspect, remove |
| Make one provider the default | abx provider default <id> |
Choose a provider |
| Check manifest, config, and handshake | abx provider doctor <id> |
Install, inspect, remove |
| Run the contract suite | abx provider test <id> |
Install, inspect, remove |
| Use that provider for one sandbox command | abx --provider <id> create --template base |
Choose a provider |
When to pass --provider, --model, and llm_model, and when to install the standalone binary: Best practices.