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Getting Started with VDC CLI

Welcome to VDC CLI! This guide will take you from installation to executing your first successful commands. Follow these steps in order for the smoothest learning experience.

Learning Path

Step 1: Install CLI

Time: 2-3 minutes

If you haven't installed VDC CLI yet, start with our installation guide:

Installation & update

Quick install commands:

# Windows (PowerShell)
$ProgressPreference = "SilentlyContinue"; (Invoke-WebRequest -Uri 'https://af01p-fm.devtools.intel.com/artifactory/vdc-client-fm-local/vdc/cli/prod/win-x64/vdc.exe' -OutFile '.\vdc.exe') | Out-Null; .\vdc.exe install; rm .\vdc.exe

# Linux
wget https://af01p-fm.devtools.intel.com/artifactory/vdc-client-fm-local/vdc/cli/prod/linux-x64/vdc && chmod +x vdc && sudo ./vdc install && rm vdc

Step 2: Set Up Authentication

Time: 3-5 minutes

Configure secure access to VDC:

Authentication setup

Key steps:

  1. Generate token (Windows machine required): vdc token create
  2. Store securely: export VDC_TOKEN="your-token-here"
  3. Test: vdc ingredient get --help

Step 3: Learn the Basics

Time: 10-15 minutes

Now you're ready to start using VDC CLI effectively!

Your First Commands

Once you have CLI installed and authentication configured, try these essential operations:

Check CLI is Working

# Verify installation
vdc --version

# Get help
vdc --help

# Test authentication (with a real project)
vdc ingredient get --project validation-team --feed main --name IFWI_NVL --token $VDC_TOKEN

Core Operations You'll Use Daily

1. Get Ingredient Information

# Basic ingredient lookup
vdc ingredient get --project PROJECT --feed FEED --name INGREDIENT --token $VDC_TOKEN

# Human-readable format
vdc ingredient get --project PROJECT --feed FEED --name INGREDIENT --format yaml --token $VDC_TOKEN

2. Download Releases

# Download latest version
vdc download --project PROJECT --feed FEED --name INGREDIENT --token $VDC_TOKEN

# Download specific version
vdc download --project PROJECT --feed FEED --name INGREDIENT --version VERSION --token $VDC_TOKEN

3. Submit New Releases

# Submit a release
vdc submit --project PROJECT --feed FEED --name INGREDIENT --version VERSION --packageFile FILE.zip --token $VDC_TOKEN

Understanding Command Structure

VDC CLI commands follow predictable patterns:

Basic Pattern

vdc <command> <subcommand> [options] --token $VDC_TOKEN

Understanding CLI Help Output

Each command shows detailed help with --help. Here's how to read it:

vdc ingredient get --help

Example Help Output:

Options:
  -p, --project <project>  The project name in VDC (REQUIRED)
  -f, --feed <feed>        The feed name (REQUIRED)  
  -n, --name <name>        The ingredient name (REQUIRED)
      --format <json|yaml> Output format [default: json]
      --verbose            Enable detailed logging [default: False]
      --token <token>      The VDC user token (REQUIRED)
  -?, -h, --help          Show help and usage information

Reading the Help Format

  • Short form: -p (single dash, one letter)
  • Long form: --project (double dash, full word)
  • Required: Marked as (REQUIRED) or needed for command to work
  • Optional: Have [default: value] or enhance behavior
  • Parameters: <project> shows you need to provide a value

Using Shortcuts

You can use either form - short is faster to type:

# Long form (clear and readable)
vdc ingredient get --project validation-team --feed main --name IFWI_NVL --token $VDC_TOKEN

# Short form (quick to type)
vdc ingredient get -p validation-team -f main -n IFWI_NVL --token $VDC_TOKEN

# Mixed (common pattern)
vdc ingredient get -p validation-team -f main -n IFWI_NVL --format yaml --token $VDC_TOKEN

Practice Exercises

Try these exercises to build confidence:

Exercise 1: Exploration

# Find information about an ingredient
vdc ingredient get --project validation-team --feed main --name IFWI_NVL --format yaml --token $VDC_TOKEN

# Look at the output and identify:
# - How many releases it has (ReleaseCount)
# - What type of ingredient it is (IngredientType)
# - Whether it has packages (HasPackages)

Exercise 2: Download Test

# Create a test directory
mkdir -p ./vdc-test

# Download an ingredient
vdc download --project validation-team --feed main --name IFWI_NVL --target ./vdc-test --token $VDC_TOKEN

# Check what was downloaded
ls -la ./vdc-test

# In case the release has more than 1 package you will need to add the `packageFile` option

Exercise 3: Get Release Details

# Get details about a specific release
vdc ingredient-release get --project validation-team --feed main --name IFWI_NVL --version LATEST_VERSION --format yaml --token $VDC_TOKEN

# Look for:
# - Dependencies (what other components it needs)
# - Package information (files included)
# - Release metadata (description, date)

Getting Help When Stuck

Built-in Help

# General help
vdc --help

# Command-specific help
vdc ingredient --help
vdc ingredient get --help
vdc submit --help

Debugging with Verbose Mode

# Add --verbose to see what's happening
vdc ingredient get --project myproject --feed main --name ingredient --verbose --token $VDC_TOKEN

Common Error Solutions

  • "Command not found": CLI not installed or not in PATH
  • "Authentication failed": Token expired or invalid
  • "Ingredient not found": Check project/feed/name spelling and access permissions
  • "File not found": Check package file paths for submission

What's Next?

Ready for Specific Operations?

Want to Go Deeper?

Need Reference Material?

Success Checklist

Before moving on, make sure you can:

  • ✅ Run vdc --version successfully
  • ✅ Execute vdc ingredient get with a real ingredient
  • ✅ Download a release to a local directory
  • ✅ Understand basic command structure and options
  • ✅ Use --help to get information about commands
  • ✅ Use --verbose for debugging when things go wrong

Once you can do all of these, you're ready to explore the full power of VDC CLI!

Questions or Issues?