---
title: 'Scripts'
weight: 14
slug: scripts
aliases:
  - /docs/no14-scripts.html
---

{{< toc >}}
Rport allows to store your scripts for later reuse, so you can share them with your teammates and to have access to them from anywhere.

## Scripts management

You can manage script with the [REST API](https://apidoc.rport.io/master/#tag/Scripts).

The `/library/scripts` endpoints allow you to create, update, delete and list scripts.

### Create

To create a script, provide following input:

```shell
curl -X POST 'http://localhost:3000/api/v1/library/scripts' \
-u admin:foobaz \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data-raw '{
 "name": "current_directory",
 "interpreter": "/bin/sh",
 "is_sudo": true,
 "cwd": "/root",
 "script": "pwd"
}'
```

### Params

`name`
: any text to identify the script

`interpreter`
: script syntax interpreter which is used for execution, e.g. `sh`, `cmd.exe`, `powershell`, `tacoscript`,
default values: `sh` (under Linux) and `cmd.exe` (under Windows). See more about interpreter option below.

`sudo`
: true or false if this script should be executed under a sudo user

`cwd`
: an optional directory where the script will be executed

`script`
: the text of the script to execute

### Update

You should know the script unique id to update it e.g. `4943d682-7874-4f7a-999c-b4ff5493fc3f`.
You can use scripts list API to find ID of a corresponding script.

```shell
curl -X PUT 'http://localhost:3000/api/v1/library/scripts/4943d682-7874-4f7a-999c-b4ff5493fc3f' \
-u admin:foobaz \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data-raw '{
 "name": "current_directory",
 "interpreter": "/bin/sh",
 "is_sudo": true,
 "cwd": "/root",
 "script": "pwd"
}'
```

Please note, that you should provide all parameters as partial updates are not supported.

### List scripts

This API allows to list all stored scripts.

```shell
curl -X GET 'http://localhost:3000/api/v1/library/scripts' \
-u admin:foobaz \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json'
```

The response will be

```json
{
    "data": [
        {
            "id": "4943d682-7874-4f7a-999c-b4ff5493fc3f",
            "name": "current directory",
            "created_by": "admin",
            "created_at": "2021-05-18T09:30:27+03:00",
            "interpreter": "/bin/bash",
            "is_sudo": true,
            "cwd": "/root",
            "script": "pwd"
        },
        {
            "id": "4943d682-7874-4f7a-999c-12r2343241",
            "name": "hostname",
            "created_by": "admin",
            "created_at": "2021-05-19T19:31:57+03:00",
            "interpreter": "/bin/sh",
            "is_sudo": false,
            "cwd": "/root",
            "script": "hostname"
        }
    ]
}
```

### Sort

You can sort entries by `id`,`name`,`created_by`,`created_at` fields:

e.g. `http://localhost:3000/api/v1/library/scripts?sort=created_at` - gives you scripts sorted by date of creation
in ascending order.

To change the sorting order by adding `-` to a field name.
e.g. `http://localhost:3000/api/v1/library/scripts?sort=-created_at` - gives you scripts sorted by date of creation
where the newest entries will be listed first.

You can sort by multiple fields and any combination of sort directions:
e.g. `http://localhost:3000/api/v1/library/scripts?sort=created_at&sort=-name` - gives you entries sorted by creation
date. If multiple entries are created at the same time, they will be sorted by name in descending order.

### Filter

You can filter entries by `id`,`name`,`created_by`,`created_at` fields:

`http://localhost:3000/api/v1/library/scripts?filter[name]=current_directory` will list scripts with the name `current_directory`.

You can combine filters for multiple fields:
`http://localhost:3000/api/v1/library/scripts?filter[name]=current_directory&filter[created_by]=admin` -
gives you a list of scripts with name `current_directory` and created by `admin`.

You can also specify multiple filter values e.g.
`http://localhost:3000/api/v1/library/scripts?filter[name]=script1,scriptX` - gives you scripts `script1` or `scriptX`.

You can also combine both sort and filter queries in a single request:

`http://localhost:3000/api/v1/library/scripts?sort=created_at&filter[created_by]=admin` - gives you scripts created by
`admin` sorted by `created_at` in order of creation.

### Delete

You should know the script unique id to delete it e.g. `4943d682-7874-4f7a-999c-b4ff5493fc3f`.
You can use scripts list API to find ID of a corresponding script.

```shell
curl -u admin:foobaz -X DELETE \
'http://localhost:3000/api/v1/library/scripts/4943d682-7874-4f7a-999c-b4ff5493fc3f'
```

### Show a single script

To show a single script you need to know it's id e.g. `4943d682-7874-4f7a-999c-b4ff5493fc3f`.
You can use scripts list API to find ID of a corresponding script.

```shell
curl -u admin:foobaz -XGET \
'http://localhost:3000/api/v1/library/scripts/4943d682-7874-4f7a-999c-b4ff5493fc3f'
```

The response will be:

```json
{
    "data": {
        "id": "4943d682-7874-4f7a-999c-b4ff5493fc3f",
        "name": "current directory",
        "created_by": "admin",
        "created_at": "2021-05-18T09:30:27+03:00",
        "interpreter": "/bin/bash",
        "is_sudo": true,
        "cwd": "/root",
        "script": "pwd"
    }
}
```

## Scripts execution

On the client using the `rport.conf` you can enable or disable execution of remote scripts.

```text
[remote-scripts]
## Enable or disable remote scripts.
## Defaults: true
#enabled = true
```

Please note that scripts execution requires commands execution to be enabled
(check [securing-your-environment](/docs/get-started/no06-command-execution.md) or
`[remote-commands]` enabled flag of configuration).

Similar to command execution, you can run scripts both by calling a REST or websocket interface.
In all cases the scripts are executed by the following algorithm:

- Rport server calls each client to create a script file. The script file will get a random unique
  name and will be placed in the folder specified as `data_dir` from configuration + `scripts`:

  ```text
  [client]
  data_dir = '/var/lib/rport/scripts'
  ```

- Rport calls the existing command API to execute the script on the target client, e.g.:

  ```text
   #Linux/macOS
  sh /var/lib/rport/scripts/f68a779d-1d46-414a-b165-d8d2df5f348c.sh

  #Windows non-powershell execution
  cmd C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Temp\68a779d-1d46-414a-b165-d8d2df5f348c.bat

  #Windows powershell execution
  powershell -executionpolicy bypass -file C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Temp\68a779d-1d46-414a-b165-d8d2df5f348c.ps1
  ```

- Rport deletes the temp script file in any case disregard if script execution fails or not.

**NOTE**
To execute scripts you need to allow execution of the corresponding script command
(see [securing-your-environment](/docs/get-started/no06-command-execution.md))

### Script execution via REST interface

To execute script on a certain client you would need a client id e.g. `b6b28b13-be4a-4a78-bb39-eca132c434fb` and an
access token. The script's payload should be base64 encoded:

```shell
curl -X POST 'http://localhost:3000/api/v1/clients/4943d682-7874-4f7a-999c-b4ff5493fc3f/scripts' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer eyJhbGcidfasjfl...snip...snap \
-H 'Content-Type: application/javascript' \
--data-raw '{
  "script": "cHdkCg==",
  "timeout_sec": 60,
  "interpreter":"powershell"
}'
```

as a result you will get a unique job id for the executable script e.g.

```json
{
    "data": {
        "jid": "24bd86ba-1fd4-48c1-9620-6879f196b8de"
    }
}
```

to customize script execution you can provide additional JSON fields in the request body:

- `interpreter:powershell` to execute script with powershell under Windows
- `is_sudo:true` to execute script as sudo under Linux or macOS
- `cwd:/tmp/script` to change the default folder for the script execution
- `timeout:10s` to set the timeout for the corresponding script execution

Here is an example of a script execution with all parameters enabled:

```shell
curl -X POST 'http://localhost:3000/api/v1/clients/4943d682-7874-4f7a-999c-b4ff5493fc3f/scripts' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer Bearer eyJhbGcidfasjfl...snip...snap \
-H 'Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded' \
--data-raw '{
  "script": "cHdkCg==",
  "interpreter": "cmd",
  "cwd": "string",
  "is_sudo": true,
  "timeout_sec": 60
}'
```

you can check the status of the command execution by calling
[client commands API](https://apidoc.rport.io/master/#operation/ClientCommandsJobGet).

You can execute a script on multiple clients by calling `scripts` API, in this case you should provide client ids in
the input body:

```shell
curl -X POST 'http://localhost:3000/api/scripts' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer Bearer eyJhbGcidfasjfl...snip...snap \
-H 'Content-Type: application/javascript' \
--data-raw '{
  "script": "cHdkCg==",
  "client_ids": [
    "8e995525-b18f-44a4-ae83-f3b8fd5a5ff8",
    "eabb80c4-fa17-46e5-a965-0ea442fa0e83"
  ],
  "timeout_sec": 60,
  "execute_concurrently": false,
  "abort_on_error": true,
  "interpreter":"powershell"
}'
```

### Customizing an interpreter

You can specify an interpreter for the script execution. Default values are `/bin/sh` for Linux/Mac OS and `cmd` for Windows.
Alternative values as `powershell` for Windows or `tacoscript` for Linux and Windows are also possible.

You can use an absolute path to a non-standard interpreters of your choice, e.g.
`/usr/local/bin/zsh` or `C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\pwsh.exe`.

For Linux or Mac OS make sure, that your non-standard interpreter supports `-c` flag which is used to provide a command
to execute.

If you use a custom powershell path under Windows, e.g. `C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\pwsh.exe`, the parameters for
script execution `-Noninteractive -executionpolicy bypass -File` will be added automatically only if the path to the
executable contains "powershell" word (case-insensitive).

For fast and unified script execution with different interpreters and shells, you can specify aliases. Instead of
providing the full path to the shell, sending the alias is sufficient. You can specify aliases in `rport.conf`
(see `rport.example.conf`), see `[interpreter-aliases]` section. Having aliases list

```text
 ## Examples:
 # pwsh7 = 'C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\pwsh.exe'
 # latestbash = 'C:\Program Files\Gitinash.exe'
```

allows you to use `pwsh7` or `latestbash` as interpreter in the script execution APIs.

### Script execution via websocket interface

You can use [our testing API for Websockets](https://apidoc.rport.io/master/#operation/WsCommandsGet).
To use this API, enable testing endpoints by setting `enable_ws_test_endpoints` flag to true in the `[server]`
section of configuration file:

```text
[server]
...
  enable_ws_test_endpoints = true
```

Restart Rport server and go to: `{YOUR_RPORT_ADDRESS}/api/v1/test/scripts/ui`

Put an access token and a client ids in the corresponding fields. You can also provide `interpreter`, `is_sudo`, `cwd`,
`timeout` parameters as described above.

Click Open to start websocket connection.

Put the input data in JSON format with the base64 encoded script to the input field and click Send. The payload will be
transmitted via Websocket protocol. Once the clients finish the execution, they will send back the response which you'll
see in the Output field.

### Execution of taco scripts

[tacoscript](https://github.com/realvnc-labs/tacoscript) interpreter can be used to execute scripts in a
Saltstack similar format for both Windows and Linux machines. Tacoscript interpreter doesn't require additional libraries
or tools to be installed in the system and it has capabilities for:

- conditional execution depending on command exit codes, present/missing files, host system information (e.g. os version)
- installing/uninstalling/upgrading packages
- creating files
- dependant executions (e.g. script A depends on execution of script B etc)
- reserved values from the information about the host system
- reusable variables

To execute a taco script, you need to specify `tacoscript` as an interpreter, e.g.

```shell
curl -X POST 'http://localhost:3000/api/v1/clients/4943d6...snip...snap/scripts' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer eyJhbGcidfasjfl...snip...snap \
-H 'Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded' \
--data-raw '{
  "script": "IwojIHRoZSB0YXNrLCBjYW4gYmUgYW55IHN...snip...snap",
  "interpreter": "tacoscript"
}'
```

Where the base64 encoded script looks like this:

```yaml
#
# First example of a tacoscript following the syntax of Salt
# but not implementing all options
# https://docs.saltstack.com/en/latest/ref/states/all/salt.states.cmd.html
#
# unique id of the task, can be any string
date command:
  cmd.run:
    - names:
      - date
```

As a result this script will output the current date.
In order to execute taco scripts, there should be `tacoscript` binary available in the system path
(see here [the installation instructions](https://github.com/realvnc-labs/tacoscript#installation))
