Getting Started#

Get up and running with GeoServer CLI in minutes.

Quick Navigation#

  1. Installation - Install GeoServer CLI
  2. Configuration - Configure your GeoServer connection
  3. Quick Start - First steps and basic workflow
  4. Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions

What is GeoServer CLI?#

GeoServer CLI is a command-line tool for managing GeoServer instances via the REST API. It provides a fast, scriptable interface for:

  • Managing workspaces and datastores
  • Publishing layers from PostGIS and files
  • Managing styles (SLD)
  • Configuring layers
  • Exporting to QGIS

Prerequisites#

Before you begin, ensure you have:

  • Go 1.24 or later - For building from source
  • Access to GeoServer - A running GeoServer instance with REST API enabled
  • Basic command-line knowledge - Familiarity with terminal/shell

Installation Overview#

Three ways to install:

  1. Build from source (recommended for development)
  2. Download binary (coming soon)
  3. Docker (for containerized environments)

See Installation Guide for details.

Configuration Overview#

GeoServer CLI uses a flexible configuration system:

  • Config files - TOML files in configs/ directory
  • Environment variables - Override any config setting
  • CLI flags - Override per-command

See Configuration Guide for details.

First Steps#

After installation, follow these steps:

  1. Initialize configuration:

    1

    ./geoserver-cli config init

  2. Edit configuration:

    1

    vim configs/default.config.toml

  3. Test connection:

    1

    ./geoserver-cli workspace list

  4. Follow Quick Start: See Quick Start Guide for a complete workflow

Learning Path#

Beginner#

  1. Installation - Get the CLI installed
  2. Configuration - Set up your connection
  3. Quick Start - First workflow
  4. Commands - Explore available commands

Intermediate#

  1. Publishing Workflows - Advanced publishing
  2. Configuration Management - Multi-environment setup
  3. QGIS Integration - Export to QGIS
  4. Best Practices - Production guidelines

Advanced#

  1. Building - Build customized versions
  2. Contributing - Contribute code
  3. API Reference - Deep dive into internals

Next Steps#

Installation Forward