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vers execute

Execute a command within the Vers environment on the specified VM.
Commands must be wrapped in quotes! Use vers execute "command" not vers execute command

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Usage

vers execute ""               # Run on current HEAD VM
vers execute [vm-id|alias] "" # Run on specific VM

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Options

OptionDescription
--hostSpecify the host IP to connect to (overrides default)

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Examples

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Execute on HEAD VM

vers execute "ls -la"
vers execute "python app.py"
vers execute "systemctl status nginx"

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Execute on specific VM

vers execute vm-abc123 "ps aux"
vers execute my-alias "tail -f /var/log/app.log"

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Commands with pipes and redirections

# Always use quotes for complex commands
vers execute "ps aux | grep python"
vers execute "find /app -name '*.py' | wc -l"
vers execute "echo 'Hello World' > /tmp/test.txt"
vers execute "grep -r 'error' /var/log/ | head -10"

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Development and testing

vers execute "npm test"
vers execute "python -m pytest tests/"
vers execute "curl -f http://localhost:3000/health"
vers execute "df -h"

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How it works

The execute command provides a way to run single commands on VMs without opening an interactive SSH session:
  1. VM detection: If no VM is specified, uses the current HEAD VM
  2. SSH connection: Establishes a secure connection using managed SSH keys
  3. Command execution: Runs the command as root inside the VM
  4. Output streaming: Returns stdout/stderr directly to your terminal
  5. Exit code preservation: Maintains the original command’s exit status

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Argument handling

The command intelligently handles VM identification:
  • One argument: Treats as command, runs on HEAD VM
  • Two+ arguments: First argument attempted as VM identifier
    • If valid VM: runs command on that VM
    • If invalid VM: treats all arguments as command, runs on HEAD VM

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Prerequisites

  • VM must be in “Running” state
  • VM must have SSH port configured
  • Valid authentication (handled automatically)

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See Also