Extend the Elastic CLI

Extensions add new top-level subcommands to the CLI. Once installed, an extension named demo is invoked as elastic demo.

Install extensions

		# from a GitHub repository (github:owner/repo or shorthand owner/repo)
elastic extension install github:elastic/elastic-demo
elastic extension install elastic/elastic-demo

# from an npm package
elastic extension install npm:elastic-demo
		
	

The CLI clones or installs the extension into ~/.elastic/extensions/elastic-<name>/, discovers the entrypoint from the package.json bin field, and registers it. If the repository includes a package.json, npm install --production is run automatically after cloning.

Create a local extension

extension create scaffolds a new extension and registers it in one step. It is the quickest way to start writing your own extension.

		# create a fresh extension at ~/.elastic/extensions/elastic-my-tool/
elastic extension create my-tool

# register an existing directory as a local extension (files are not overwritten)
elastic extension create demo --path ./path/to/my-extension

The scaffolded index.js is a runnable starting point that outputs JSON with the current context. Edit it to implement real logic.

Pass the context to an extension

The CLI passes the selected context to every extension via environment variables before spawning it:

Variable	Description
`ELASTIC_ES_URL`	Elasticsearch URL from the selected context
`ELASTIC_ES_API_KEY`	Elasticsearch API key
`ELASTIC_ES_USERNAME`	Elasticsearch username, when the context uses basic authentication
`ELASTIC_ES_PASSWORD`	Elasticsearch password, when the context uses basic authentication
`ELASTIC_KIBANA_URL`	Kibana URL
`ELASTIC_KIBANA_API_KEY`	Kibana API key
`ELASTIC_KIBANA_USERNAME`	Kibana username, when the context uses basic authentication
`ELASTIC_KIBANA_PASSWORD`	Kibana password, when the context uses basic authentication
`ELASTIC_CLOUD_URL`	Elastic Cloud API URL
`ELASTIC_CLOUD_API_KEY`	Elastic Cloud API key

The selected context is the current context unless you choose another one. Put the global --config-file, --use-context, and --command-profile options before the extension name, or put the context options directly after it, before the extension's own arguments:

		elastic --use-context staging demo
elastic demo --use-context staging

The CLI forwards everything from the extension's first own argument, or from --, to the extension untouched.

Manage extensions

		# list installed extensions
elastic extension list

# upgrade one extension (github and npm sources only)
elastic extension upgrade my-tool

# upgrade all extensions
elastic extension upgrade

# remove an extension
elastic extension remove my-tool
		
	

Try the demo extension

The examples/extensions/basic/ directory in the CLI repository contains a minimal working example. Register it locally with:

		elastic extension create demo --path ./examples/extensions/basic
elastic demo