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Chapter 1. Commands listed by group

These are the commands presently available in virsh.
Command Availability Description
attach-device
From libvirt 0.2.3
Attach device from an XML file
attach-disk
From libvirt 0.3.0
Attach disk device
attach-interface
From libvirt 0.3.0
Attach network interface
autostart
From libvirt 0.2.1
Enable and disable the automatic starting of a guest domain when the libvirt daemon starts
console
From libvirt 0.2.0
Connect the virtual serial console for the guest
cpu-baseline
From libvirt 0.7.7
Compute baseline CPU
cpu-compare
From libvirt 0.7.5
Compare host CPU with a CPU described by an XML file
create
From libvirt 0.1.0
Create a guest domain from an XML file
define
From libvirt 0.1.6
Define, but don't start, a guest domain from an XML file
destroy
From libvirt 0.0.1
Immediately terminates a running guest domain, releasing any resources in use by it
detach-device
From libvirt 0.2.3
Detach a device from an XML file
detach-disk
From libvirt 0.3.0
Detach a disk device
detach-interface
From libvirt 0.3.0
Detach a network interface
domid
From libvirt 0.1.0
Prior to version 0.1.0, this command was known as idof
Convert a domain name or UUID to domain id
domjobabort
From libvirt 0.7.7
Aborts the currently running guest domain job
domjobinfo
From libvirt 0.7.7
Returns information about jobs running on a domain
domname
From libvirt 0.1.0
Prior to version 0.1.0, this command was known as nameof
Convert a guest domain id or UUID to guest domain name
domuuid
From libvirt 0.1.1
Convert a guest domain name or id to guest domain UUID
domxml-from-native
From libvirt 0.6.4
Convert native guest configuration format to domain XML format
domxml-to-native
From libvirt 0.6.4
Convert guest domain XML config to a native guest configuration format
dump
From libvirt 0.1.9
Core dump a guest domain
dumpxml
From libvirt 0.0.1
Output the guest domain information as an XML dump to stdout
edit
From libvirt 0.4.6
Edit the XML configuration for a guest domain
managedsave
From libvirt 0.8.0
Save and destroy a running guest domain, so it can be restarted from the same state at a later time. When the virsh start command is next run for the guest domain, it will automatically be started from this saved state
managedsave-remove
From libvirt 0.8.3
Remove an existing managed save state file from a guest domain
maxvcpus
From libvirt 0.8.5
Show maximum number of virtual CPUs for guest domains on this connection
memtune
From libvirt 0.8.5
Gets or sets the current memory parameters for a guest domain
migrate
From libvirt 0.3.2
Migrates a guest domain to another host
migrate-setmaxdowntime
From libvirt 0.8.0
Set maximum tolerable downtime of a guest domain which is being live-migrated to another host
reboot
From libvirt 0.1.0
Run a reboot command in a guest domain
restore
From libvirt 0.0.2
Restore a guest domain
resume
From libvirt 0.0.1
Resume a guest domain
save
From libvirt 0.0.2
Save the running state of a guest domain to a file
schedinfo
From libvirt 0.2.3
Show or set scheduler parameters
setmaxmem
From libvirt 0.1.4
Change the maximum memory allocation limit in the guest domain
setmem
From libvirt 0.1.4
Change the current memory allocation in the guest domain
setvcpus
From libvirt 0.1.4
Change the number of virtual CPUs in the guest domain
shutdown
From libvirt 0.0.1
Run shutdown in a guest domain
start
From libvirt 0.1.6
Start a guest domain, either from the last managedsave state, or via a fresh boot if no managedsave state is present
suspend
From libvirt 0.0.1
Suspend a running guest domain
ttyconsole
From libvirt 0.3.2
Output the device for the TTY console
undefine
From libvirt 0.1.6
Remove the configuration for an inactive guest domain
update-device
From libvirt 0.8.0
Update device from an XML file
vcpucount
From libvirt 0.8.5
Returns the number of virtual CPUs used by a guest domain
vcpuinfo
From libvirt 0.1.4
Returns basic information about a guest domains virtual CPUs
vcpupin
From libvirt 0.1.4
Pin guest domain virtual CPUs to physical host CPUs
version
From libvirt 0.0.1
Display the system version information
vncdisplay
From libvirt 0.2.0
Output the IP address and port number for the VNC display
Table 1.1. Domain management commands

Command Availability Description
domblkinfo
From libvirt 0.8.1
Get block device size info for a guest domain
domblkstat
From libvirt 0.3.2
Get device block stats for a running guest domain
domifstat
From libvirt 0.3.2
Get network interface stats for a running guest domain
dominfo
From libvirt 0.1.0
Returns basic information about a guest domain
dommemstat
From libvirt 0.7.5
Get memory statistics for a runnng guest domain
domstate
From libvirt 0.1.0
Prior to version 0.1.0, this command was known as dstate
Returns state about a guest domain
list
From libvirt 0.0.1
Returns a list of guest domains
Table 1.2. Domain monitoring commands

Command Availability Description
capabilities
From libvirt 0.2.1
Returns capabilities of hypervisor/driver
connect
From libvirt 0.0.1
Connect to local hypervisor
freecell
From libvirt 0.3.3
Display available free memory for a NUMA cell
hostname
From libvirt 0.3.0
Display the name of the hypervisor host
nodeinfo
From libvirt 0.1.0
Returns basic information about the node
qemu-monitor-command
From libvirt 0.8.6
Qemu monitor command
uri
From libvirt 0.3.0
Display the hypervisor canonical URI
Table 1.3. Host and hypervisor commands

Command Availability Description
iface-define
From libvirt 0.7.0
Define a physical host network interface
iface-destroy
From libvirt 0.7.0
Shut down and disable a physical host network interface
iface-dumpxml
From libvirt 0.7.0
Output information for a physical host network interface, as an XML dump to stdout
iface-edit
From libvirt 0.7.0
Edit the XML configuration for a physical host network interface
iface-list
From libvirt 0.7.0
Returns a list of physical host network interfaces
iface-mac
From libvirt 0.7.0
Returns the MAC address for a physical host network interface
iface-name
From libvirt 0.7.0
Returns the physical host interface name for a MAC address
iface-start
From libvirt 0.7.0
Enables and starts a physical host network interface
iface-undefine
From libvirt 0.7.0
Removes the configuration information for a physical host network interface
Table 1.4. Interface commands

Command Availability Description
nwfilter-define
From libvirt 0.8.0
Define a new network filter or update an existing one
nwfilter-dumpxml
From libvirt 0.8.0
Output the network filter information as an XML dump to stdout
nwfilter-edit
From libvirt 0.8.0
Edit the XML configuration for a network filter
nwfilter-list
From libvirt 0.8.0
Returns the list of network filters
nwfilter-undefine
From libvirt 0.8.0
Undefine a network filter
Table 1.5. Network filter commands

Command Availability Description
net-autostart
From libvirt 0.2.1
Enable or disable the automatic starting of a virtual network, when the libvirt daemon starts
net-create
From libvirt 0.2.0
Creates a new transient virtual network from an XML file
net-define
From libvirt 0.2.0
Adds a new permanent virtual network from an XML file, without starting it
net-destroy
From libvirt 0.2.0
Shuts down a running virtual network
net-dumpxml
From libvirt 0.2.0
Displays the XML configuration for a virtual network (to stdout)
net-edit
From libvirt 0.4.6
Allows the user to edit the XML configuration of a virtual network, using their preferred editor
net-info
From libvirt 0.8.6
Displays basic information for a virtual network
net-list
From libvirt 0.2.0
Lists the virtual networks libvirt is aware of
net-name
From libvirt 0.2.0
When given a network UUID, returns its corresponding network name
net-start
From libvirt 0.2.0
Starts a (previously defined) inactive virtual network
net-undefine
From libvirt 0.2.0
Removes an inactive virtual network from the libvirt configuration
net-uuid
From libvirt 0.2.0
When given a network name, returns its corresponding UUID
Table 1.6. (Virtual) Networking commands

Command Availability Description
nodedev-create
From libvirt 0.6.5
Create a device on the physical host, which can then be assigned to a guest domain
nodedev-destroy
From libvirt 0.6.5
Destroys a device on a physical host
nodedev-dettach
From libvirt 0.6.1
Dettach a node device from its device driver before assigning to a guest domain
nodedev-dumpxml
From libvirt 0.5.0
Output the details for a node device as an XML dump to stdout
nodedev-list
From libvirt 0.5.0
Enumerate devices on the host
nodedev-reattach
From libvirt 0.6.1
Reattach a node device to its device driver, once released by the guest domain
nodedev-reset
From libvirt 0.6.1
Reset a node device before or after assigning to a domain
Table 1.7. Node device commands

Command Availability Description
secret-define
From libvirt 0.7.1
Define or modify a secret
secret-dumpxml
From libvirt 0.7.1
Output attributes of a secret as an XML dump to stdout
secret-get-value
From libvirt 0.7.1
Output a secret value to stdout
secret-list
From libvirt 0.7.1
Returns a list of secrets
secret-set-value
From libvirt 0.7.1
Set a secret value
secret-undefine
From libvirt 0.7.1
Undefine a secret
Table 1.8. Secrets, commands for managing them

Command Availability Description
snapshot-create
From libvirt 0.8.0
Creates a snapshot of a domain
snapshot-current
From libvirt 0.8.0
Gets the current snapshot for a domain
snapshot-delete
From libvirt 0.8.0
Removes a snapshot, and all of it's children, from a domain
snapshot-dumpxml
From libvirt 0.8.0
Displays the XML fragment for a domain snapshot
snapshot-list
From libvirt 0.8.0
Lists the snapshots for a domain
snapshot-revert
From libvirt 0.8.0
Reverts a domain to a given snapshot
Table 1.9. (Domain) Snapshot commands

Command Availability Description
find-storage-pool-sources
From libvirt 0.4.6
Discover potential storage pool sources
find-storage-pool-sources-as
From libvirt 0.4.6
Discover potential storage pool sources
pool-autostart
From libvirt 0.4.1
Enable or disable the automatic starting of a storage pool, when the libvirt daemon starts
pool-build
From libvirt 0.4.1
Build a storage pool
pool-create
From libvirt 0.4.1
Create and start a transient storage pool, that will not persist across system restarts, using settings from an XML file
pool-create-as
From libvirt 0.4.1
Create and start a transient storage pool, that will not persist across system restarts, using settings passed as options
pool-define
From libvirt 0.4.1
Add a new persistent storage pool to the configuration, without starting it, using settings from an XML file
pool-define-as
From libvirt 0.4.1
Add a new persistent storage pool to the configuration, without starting it, using settings passed as options
pool-delete
From libvirt 0.4.1
Delete a storage pool
pool-destroy
From libvirt 0.4.1
Shuts down a storage pool (from the libvirt point of view), releasing any resources in use by it
pool-dumpxml
From libvirt 0.4.1
Displays the XML configuration for a storage pool (to stdout)
pool-edit
From libvirt 0.4.6
Allows the user to edit the XML configuration of a storage pool, using their preferred editor
pool-info
From libvirt 0.4.1
Returns basic information about a storage pool
pool-list
From libvirt 0.4.1
Displays a list of the storage pools libvirt is aware of
pool-name
From libvirt 0.4.1
When given a pool UUID, returns the name of the corresponding storage pool
pool-refresh
From libvirt 0.4.1
Re-examines the storage in a storage pool, updating the internal list of volumes present and their details
pool-start
From libvirt 0.4.1
Starts a (previously defined) inactive storage pool
pool-undefine
From libvirt 0.4.1
Removes an inactive storage pool from the libvirt configuration
pool-uuid
From libvirt 0.4.1
When given a storage pool name, returns the corresponding storage pool UUID
Table 1.10. Storage pool commands

Command Availability Description
vol-clone
From libvirt 0.6.4
Copies an existing storage volume, including data, to a new storage volume
vol-create
From libvirt 0.4.1
Creates a new storage volume, on a given storage pool, using settings from an XML file
vol-create-as
From libvirt 0.4.1
Creates a new storage volume, on a given storage pool, using settings passed as options
vol-create-from
From libvirt 0.6.4
Create a new storage volume from an existing storage volume
vol-delete
From libvirt 0.4.1
Removes a storage volume from a storage pool
vol-dumpxml
From libvirt 0.4.1
Displays the XML configuration for a storage volume, to stdout
vol-info
From libvirt 0.4.1
Returns basic information about a storage volume
vol-key
From libvirt 0.4.1
When given a storage volume name or path, returns the corresponding key for that volume
vol-list
From libvirt 0.4.1
Displays a list of the storage volumes libvirt is aware of, in a given storage pool
vol-name
From libvirt 0.4.1
When given a storage volume path or key, returns the corresponding name for that volume
vol-path
From libvirt 0.4.1
When given a storage volume name or key, returns the corresponding path for that volume
vol-pool
From libvirt 0.8.2
Returns the storage pool name or UUID for a given storage volume
vol-wipe
From libvirt 0.8.0
Ensure data previously on a volume is not accessible to future reads
Table 1.11. Storage volume commands

Command Availability Description
cd
From libvirt 0.7.0
Change the current directory
echo
From libvirt 0.8.5
Echo back arguments, possibly with quoting
exit
From libvirt 0.8.0
Quit this interactive terminal. Alternative name for the quit command, doing exactly the same thing.
help
From libvirt 0.0.1
Prints global help, command specific help, or help for a group of related commands
pwd
From libvirt 0.7.0
Displays the current directory
quit
From libvirt 0.0.1
Quit this interactive terminal. Alternative name for the exit command, doing exactly the same thing.
Table 1.12. Virsh commands