varnishadm(1) General Commands Manual varnishadm(1)

# [Name](#Name)

varnishadm - Control a running Varnish instance

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

varnishadm \[-h] \[-n workdir] \[-p] \[-S secretfile] \[-T \[address]:port] \[-t timeout] \[command \[...]]

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

The *varnishadm* utility establishes a CLI connection to varnishd either using -n *workdir* or using the -T and -S arguments. If -n *workdir* is given, the location of the secret file and the address:port are looked up in shared memory. If neither is given, *varnishadm* uses the -n defaults documented for [*varnishd(1)*](/man/os/varnish/varnishd.1).

If a command is given, the command and arguments are sent over the CLI connection and the result returned on stdout.

If no command argument is given *varnishadm* will pass commands and replies between the CLI socket and stdin/stdout.

# [OPTIONS](#OPTIONS)

[**-h**](#h)

Print program usage and exit.

[**-n workdir**](#n)

Specify the varnish working directory of the instance to attach to. See [*varnishd(1)*](/man/os/varnish/varnishd.1) **-n** option documentation for additional information and defaults.

[**-p**](#p)

Force *pass* mode and make the output follow the VCLI protocol. This disables command-history/command-completion and makes it easier for programs to parse the response(s).

[**-S secretfile**](#S)

Specify the authentication secret file. This should be the same -S argument as was given to *varnishd*. Only processes which can read the contents of this file, will be able to authenticate the CLI connection.

[**-T <address:port>**](#T)

Connect to the management interface at the specified address and port.

[**-t timeout**](#t)

Wait no longer than this many seconds for an operation to finish.

The syntax and operation of the actual CLI interface is described in the [*varnish-cli(7)*](/man/os/varnish/varnish-cli.7) manual page. Parameters are described in [*varnishd(1)*](/man/os/varnish/varnishd.1) manual page.

Additionally, a summary of commands can be obtained by issuing the *help* command, and a summary of parameters can be obtained by issuing the *param.show* command.

# [EXIT STATUS](#EXIT_STATUS)

If a command is given, the exit status of the *varnishadm* utility is zero if the command succeeded, and non-zero otherwise.

# [EXAMPLES](#EXAMPLES)

Some ways you can use varnishadm:

```
varnishadm -T localhost:999 -S /var/db/secret vcl.use foo
echo vcl.use foo | varnishadm -T localhost:999 -S /var/db/secret
echo vcl.use foo | ssh vhost varnishadm -T localhost:999 -S /var/db/secret
```

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

- [*varnishd(1)*](/man/os/varnish/varnishd.1)
- [*varnish-cli(7)*](/man/os/varnish/varnish-cli.7)

# [AUTHORS](#AUTHORS)

The *varnishadm* utility and this manual page were written by Cecilie Fritzvold. This man page has later been modified by Per Buer, Federico G. Schwindt and Lasse Karstensen.

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Document: varnishadm(1) from varnish 9.1.0-r3 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/varnish/varnish