OS Manuals

/usr/bin/nbdkit

NBD (Network Block Device) server with a stable plugin ABI

From nbdkit 1.49.4-r2 (enterprise-packages), captured 2026-11-08 by running nbdkit --help (exit 0) · terse output. permalink

nbdkit [-4|--ipv4-only] [-6|--ipv6-only]
       [-D|--debug PLUGIN|FILTER|nbdkit.FLAG=N]
       [--exit-with-parent] [-e|--exportname EXPORTNAME]
       [--filter=FILTER ...] [-f|--foreground]
       [-g|--group GROUP] [-i|--ipaddr IPADDR] [--keepalive]
       [--log=default|stderr|syslog|null|/path]
       [--mask-handshake=MASK] [--name=NAME]
       [-n|--newstyle] [--no-mc|--no-meta-contexts]
       [--no-sr|--no-structured-replies] [-o|--oldstyle]
       [-P|--pidfile PIDFILE] [-p|--port PORT] [--print-uri]
       [-r|--readonly] [--run 'COMMAND ARGS ...']
       [--selinux-label=LABEL] [-s|--single]
       [--swap] [-t|--threads THREADS]
       [--timeout=TIMEOUT] [--tls=off|on|require]
       [--tls-certificates=/path/to/certificates]
       [--tls-priority=PRIORITY]
       [--tls-psk=/path/to/pskfile] [--tls-verify-peer]
       [-U|--unix SOCKET|-] [-u|--user USER]
       [-v|--verbose] [--vsock]
       PLUGIN
       [[KEY=]VALUE [KEY=VALUE [...]]] | @PATH

nbdkit --dump-config

nbdkit PLUGIN --dump-plugin

nbdkit --help

nbdkit [-V|--version]

nbdkit [--short-options|--long-options]

Network Block Device (NBD) is a network protocol for accessing block
devices over the network.  Block devices are hard disks and things that
behave like hard disks such as disk images and virtual machines.

nbdkit is both a toolkit for creating NBD servers from “unconventional”
sources, and the name of an NBD server.  nbdkit ships with many plugins
for performing common tasks like serving local files.

Please read the nbdkit(1) manual page for full usage.
Options (72)
OptionDescriptionSource
--helpDisplay brief command line usage information and exit.man
-4man
--ipv4-onlyman
-6man
--ipv6-onlyWhen a non-numeric argument is passed to the -i option (such as a Fully Qualified Domain Name, or a host name from "/etc/hosts"), restrict the name resolution to IPv4 or IPv6 addresses.man
-D PLUGIN.FLAG=Nman
--debug PLUGIN.FLAG=Nman
--dump-configDump out the compile-time configuration values and exit.man
--dump-pluginDump out information about the plugin and exit.man
--exit-with-parentIf the parent process exits, we exit.man
-e EXPORTNAMEman
--export EXPORTNAMEman
--export-name EXPORTNAMEman
--exportname EXPORTNAMESet a preferred exportname to expose in the shell environment created during --run.man
--filter FILTERAdd a filter before the plugin.man
-fman
--foregroundman
--no-forkDon't fork into the background.man
-g GROUPman
--group GROUPChange group to "GROUP" after starting up.man
-i IPADDRman
--ip-addr IPADDRman
--ipaddr IPADDRListen on the specified interface.man
--keep-aliveman
--keepaliveEnable TCP keepalive ("SO_KEEPALIVE") on TCP sockets.man
--log stderrman
--long-optionsList the long command line options (those starting with --) supported by this build of nbdkit.man
--mask-handshake MASKThis option can be used to mask off particular global features which are advertised during new-style handshake (defaulting to all supported bits set).man
--name NAMEName this nbdkit instance.man
-nman
--new-styleman
--newstyleUse the newstyle NBD protocol.man
--no-mcman
--no-meta-contextsDo not advertise meta contexts.man
--no-srman
--no-structured-repliesDo not advertise structured replies.man
-oman
--old-styleman
--oldstyleUse the oldstyle NBD protocol.man
-P PIDFILEman
--pid-file PIDFILEman
--pidfile PIDFILEWrite "PIDFILE" (containing the process ID of the server) after nbdkit becomes ready to accept connections.man
-p PORTman
--port PORTChange the TCP/IP port number on which nbdkit serves requests.man
--print-uriPrint the URI.man
-rman
--read-onlyman
--readonlyThe export will be read-only.man
--run 'COMMANDRun nbdkit as a captive subprocess of the command.man
--selinux-label SOCKET-LABELApply the SELinux label "SOCKET-LABEL" to the nbdkit listening socket.man
--short-optionsList the short command line options (single letter options starting with -) supported by this build of nbdkit.man
-sman
--singleman
--stdinDon't fork.man
--swap(nbdkit ≥ 1.18)man
-t THREADSman
--threads THREADSSet the number of threads to be used per connection, which in turn controls the number of outstanding requests that can be processed at once.man
--timeout TIMEOUT(nbdkit ≥ 1.42, not Windows)man
--tls offman
--tls-certificates /path/to/certificatesSet the path to the TLS certificates directory.man
--tls-priority PRIORITYOverride the TLS priority string.man
--tls-psk /path/to/pskfileSet the path to the pre-shared keys (PSK) file.man
--tls-verify-peerEnables TLS client certificate verification.man
-U SOCKETman
--unix SOCKETman
-u USERman
--user USERChange user to "USER" after starting up.man
-vman
--verboseEnable verbose messages.man
-Vman
--versionPrint the version number of nbdkit and exit.man
--vsock(nbdkit ≥ 1.16)man
Examples (2) from the manual page, untested

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.