# CLI quickstart

> Source: https://docs.clonepartner.com/getting-started/cli-quickstart/

The Envoy CLI executes task and job YAML without the web control plane. It is useful for local development, validation, automation, and controlled one-off runs.

The examples assume the supplied executable is on `PATH` as `envoy` and that you are in a bundle containing `tasks/` and `jobs/`.

## 1. Prepare input data

Create `data/users/users.csv`:

```csv
id,first_name,last_name,email,status
1,Ada,Lovelace,ada@example.com,active
2,Grace,Hopper,grace@example.com,active
```

## 2. Create connector configuration

Create `connectors.yaml` outside version control:

```yaml
connectors:
  csv_source:
    type: csv
    config:
      directory: ./data

  db:
    type: sqlite
    config:
      path: ./quickstart.db
```

Connector names must match the slots used by the standalone task. Types must also match.

:::callout{type="warning"}
Do not put production credentials in task YAML. Keep connector configuration outside tasks and use `${ENV_VAR}` references for secrets in `connectors.yaml`.
:::

## 3. Validate the task

```bash
envoy validate csv-to-sqlite
```

Validation checks the YAML structure and compiles expressions. It does not contact connectors and cannot catch errors that depend on live data.

## 4. Run the task

```bash
envoy csv-to-sqlite \
  --config connectors.yaml \
  --output none
```

The task creates the `users` table in `quickstart.db` and upserts both rows. Use `--debug` if you need human-readable step input, config, and output on stderr.

## Pass runtime arguments

Tasks with an `arguments` schema accept a JSON object:

```bash
envoy my-task \
  --config connectors.yaml \
  --arguments='{"limit": 10, "dry_run": true}'
```

Argument values are coerced to the types declared by the task before execution.

## Use environment variables

Connector environment references are resolved only for connector slots used by the task:

```yaml
connectors:
  destination:
    type: postgres
    config:
      connection_string: ${DESTINATION_DATABASE_URL}
```

```bash
export DESTINATION_DATABASE_URL='postgres://...'
envoy my-task --config connectors.yaml
```

## Next

- [CLI commands, configuration, and logs](/cli/commands-configuration-and-logs) covers task and job commands, output channels, and job state files.
- [Task structure](/reference/tasks/task-structure) documents the complete YAML schema.
- [Troubleshooting](/operations/troubleshooting) covers diagnostics and common runtime failures.