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content/references/rippled-api/commandline-usage.md

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+# rippled Commandline Usage Reference
+
+The `rippled` executable usually runs as a daemon that powers the XRP Ledger, although it can also run in other modes. This page describes all the options you can pass to `rippled` when running it from the command line.
+
+## Available Modes
+
+- **Daemon Mode** - The default. Connect to the XRP Ledger to process transactions and build a ledger database.
+- **Stand-Alone Mode** - Use the `-a` or `--standalone` option. Like daemon mode, except it does not connect to other servers. You can use this mode to test transaction processing or other features.
+- **Client Mode** - Connect to another `rippled` server as a JSON-RPC client, then exit. You can use this to look up server status and ledger data if the executable is already running in another process.
+- **Version statement** - Use `--version` to have `rippled` print its version number, then exit.
+- **Unit Tests** - Use `-u` or `--unittest` to run unit tests, print a summary of results, then exit. Use this to confirm that the process compiled correctly.
+- **Help** - Print a usage statement, then exit.
+
+
+## Basic Information
+
+### Usage Statement
+
+```bash
+rippled --help
+rippled -h
+```
+
+Display a usage statement with available options, then exit.
+
+### Unit Testing
+
+```bash
+rippled --unittest
+rippled -u
+```
+
+Takes optional arguments ***TODO: what args why?***
+
+## Daemon Mode
+
+| Option | Short Version | Description |
+|---|---|---|
+| `--conf {FILE}` | | Use `{FILE}` as the configuration file instead of looking for config files in the default locations. ***TODO: list default config file paths in priority order*** |
+| `--fg` | | Run in the foreground instead of as a background process. ***TODO: does this work? rippled always runs in the foreground for me. --mDuo13*** |
+| `--import` | | Import ledger data from another `rippled` server's ledger store. Requires a valid `[import_db]` stanza in the config file. |
+| `--ledger {LEDGER}` |  | Load the ledger version identified by `{LEDGER}` (either a ledger hash or a ledger index) as the initial ledger. ***TODO: this is more useful in stand-alone but can be used in both, I think? Maybe reconsider the organization of options...*** |
+| `--ledgerfile {FILE}` | | Load the ledger version from the specified `{FILE}`. ***TODO: what sort of file should this be? where does it come from?*** |
+| `--load` |  | Load the initial ledger from the ledger store on disk. ***TODO: isn't this the default behavior anyway?*** |
+| `--net` |  | Load the initial ledger from the network. ***TODO: In what circumstances is this meaningfully different from `--load`?*** |
+| `--nodetoshard` | | Before fully starting, copy any complete [history shards](history-sharding.html) from the ledger store into the shard store, up to the shard store's configured maximum disk space. Uses large amounts of CPU and I/O. Caution: this command copies data (instead of moving it), so you must have enough disk space to store the data in both the shard store and the ledger store. <!--{# TODO: make a tutorial for this? #}--> |
+| `--quorum {QUORUM}` | (None) | Override the minimum quorum for validation by requiring a agreement of `{QUORUM}` trusted validators. ***TODO: is this even honored anymore?*** |
+| `--start` |  | Create a new genesis ledger to use as the initial ledger. |
+| `---valid` |  | Consider the initial ledger a valid network ledger. ***TODO: clarify how this is different from the default and why you might use it.*** |
+
+
+### Logging Options
+
+| Option | Short Version | Description |
+|---|---|---|
+| `--debug` |  | Print debug-level logging. ***TODO: to stdout and/or logs?*** |
+| `--quiet` | `-q` | Print fewer messages to standard out. ***TODO: and logs?*** |
+| `--silent` |  | After logging, print less to standard output. ***TODO: comparison with -q?*** |
+| `--verbose` | `-v` | Print more information (***TODO: how much?***) to logs and standard output. |