DataHub Init CLI - Agent Context
Best practices for AI agents using datahub init to set up authentication.
What it does
Writes ~/.datahubenv with the GMS URL and an access token. Run once before using any other
CLI commands that require authentication.
Quickstart (local instance)
# Default credentials on localhost — no --host, no --force needed
datahub init --username datahub --password datahub
Non-interactive signals (credentials via flags or env vars) trigger all agent-friendly defaults automatically — no extra flags required.
Key defaults
| Situation | Default behaviour |
|---|---|
--host omitted + credentials provided | silently uses http://localhost:8080 |
--token-duration omitted, localhost | ONE_MONTH |
--token-duration omitted, remote host | ONE_HOUR |
| Config file already exists, non-TTY | silently overwrites (no prompt) |
| Config file already exists, TTY | prompts for confirmation |
Common scenarios
# Local instance — minimal form
datahub init --username datahub --password datahub
# Local instance — explicit duration override
datahub init --username datahub --password datahub --token-duration NO_EXPIRY
# Remote instance — always pass --host explicitly
datahub init --host https://your-instance.acryl.io/gms --username alice --password secret
# Already have a token — skip credential exchange
datahub init --host https://your-instance.acryl.io/gms --token <your-token>
# CI/CD — fully non-interactive via env vars
export DATAHUB_GMS_URL=https://prod.example.com/gms
export DATAHUB_GMS_TOKEN=<your-token>
datahub init
Environment variables
| Variable | CLI equivalent |
|---|---|
DATAHUB_GMS_URL | --host |
DATAHUB_GMS_TOKEN | --token |
DATAHUB_USERNAME | --username |
DATAHUB_PASSWORD | --password |
CLI flags take precedence over environment variables.
Available token durations
ONE_HOUR, ONE_DAY, ONE_WEEK, ONE_MONTH, THREE_MONTHS, SIX_MONTHS, ONE_YEAR,
NO_EXPIRY