CLI Overview

Overview of the Leo command-line interface, global options, and common patterns

The Leo CLI provides a comprehensive set of commands for developing, building, testing, and deploying Aleo programs.

Installation

Install the Leo CLI using the installation guide in the Getting Started section.

Command Structure

All Leo commands follow the structure:

leo <COMMAND> [OPTIONS] [ARGS]

Global Options

The following options are available across multiple commands:

--private-key · string

Private key to use for transactions. Overrides the PRIVATE_KEY environment variable.

Use APrivateKey1zkp8CZNn3yeCseEtxuVPbDCwSyhGW6yZKUYKfgXmcpoGPWH for local devnets only. NEVER use this key in production.

--network · string

Network type to use: mainnet, testnet, or canary. Overrides the NETWORK environment variable.

--endpoint · string

Endpoint URL for network operations. Overrides the ENDPOINT environment variable.

• Use https://api.explorer.provable.com/v1 for live networks
• Use http://localhost:3030 for local devnets

--devnet · boolean

Whether the network is a devnet. Defaults to the DEVNET environment variable.

--consensus-heights · string

Custom consensus heights (comma-separated). Only use with custom devnets.

Environment Variables

Leo reads configuration from environment variables and .env files:

• PRIVATE_KEY - Default private key for transactions
• NETWORK - Default network (mainnet, testnet, canary)
• ENDPOINT - Default network endpoint
• DEVNET - Whether the network is a devnet
• CONSENSUS_VERSION_HEIGHTS - Custom consensus heights

Common Patterns

Development Workflow

# Create a new project
leo new my_project
cd my_project

# Build the program
leo build

# Run tests
leo test

# Execute locally
leo run main "1u32" "2u32"

# Deploy to network
leo deploy --broadcast --private-key <KEY>

# Execute on-chain
leo execute main "1u32" "2u32" --broadcast

Using Environment Files

Create a .env file in your project:

PRIVATE_KEY=APrivateKey1zkp...
NETWORK=testnet
ENDPOINT=https://api.explorer.provable.com/v1

Working with Dependencies

# Add a network dependency
leo add credits.aleo --network

# Add a local dependency
leo add my_lib --local ../my_lib

# Remove a dependency
leo remove credits.aleo

Command Categories

Project Management

• leo new - Create new Leo project
• leo clean - Clean build artifacts
• leo update - Update Leo CLI

Building & Testing

• leo build - Compile Leo programs
• leo test - Run program tests

Execution

• leo run - Execute programs locally
• leo execute - Execute programs on-chain

Deployment

• leo deploy - Deploy programs to network
• leo upgrade - Upgrade existing programs

Development Tools

• leo devnet - Run local devnet
• leo devnode - Run local devnode
• leo fmt - Format Leo source files
• leo abi - Generate ABI from bytecode
• leo synthesize - Generate proving/verifying keys

Network Operations

• leo query - Query network data
• leo account - Manage Aleo accounts

Dependencies

• leo add - Add dependencies
• leo remove - Remove dependencies

Getting Help

Get help for any command:

leo --help
leo <command> --help

Verbose Output

Use the RUST_LOG environment variable for detailed logging:

RUST_LOG=trace leo build