Pads

Create, list, update, and destroy Pads.

`pad up`

Create and start a new Pad from a Padfile in the current directory. This is the declarative entry point: point it at a project that has a Padfile and run.

pad up
pad up --ssh             # connect via SSH once ready
pad up --no-padfile      # skip the Padfile and use defaults

For CI and scripting, where committing a Padfile to every repo isn't practical, use instead.

`pad create`

Create a Pad from explicit flags or an explicit Padfile path. Intended for CI pipelines and scripts.

Authentication

SSH and exec

Connect to and run commands in your Pads.

# Minimal: just pick a template
pad create --template myorg/ubuntu-24

# Full structured pad
pad create \
  --template myorg/node-20 \
  --source-repo me/proj --source-branch main \
  --port 3000 --port 8080 \
  --agent claude \
  --setup 'install=npm ci' \
  --start 'web=npm run dev&background' \
  --env NODE_ENV=production

Flag	Purpose
`--template <slug>`	Template reference, e.g. `myorg/ubuntu-24`.
`--template-id <id>`	Template by ID.
`--project-id <id>`	Associate the Pad with a project.
`--source-repo <owner/repo>`	Repository to clone (auth via your installed connection, falls back to anonymous HTTPS for public repos).
`--source-url <https://...>`	Full HTTPS clone URL. GitHub URLs use the same connection as `--source-repo` (so private repos work once `pad connect github` has run); URLs to other hosts are cloned anonymously.
`--source-branch <branch>`	Branch to clone.
`--source-path <rel/path>`	Where to clone, relative to `/home/pad`.
`--visibility <user\|organization>`	Pad visibility (default `user`).
`--port <int>`	Guest port to expose. Repeatable. Port 22 is reserved.
`--agent <name[:scope]>`	Preauthenticate an AI agent, e.g. `claude` or `claude:organization`. Repeatable.
`--setup <[name=]run>`	Setup command. `'npm ci'` or `'install=npm ci'`. Repeatable.
`--start <[name=]run[&background]>`	Start command, e.g. `'web=npm run dev&background'`. Repeatable.
`--env <KEY=value>`	Plain env var. Repeatable.
`--env-secret <KEY=secret-name>`	Env var backed by a Pad secret. Repeatable.
`--padfile <path\|->`	Read Padfile TOML from this path; use `-` for stdin.
`--no-wait`	Return after creation without waiting for ready.
`--wait-timeout <duration>`	Maximum time to wait for ready (default `30m`).
`--ssh`	SSH into the Pad once ready. Incompatible with `--no-wait`.

Pads / Pad

Pads

`pad up`

`pad create`

On this page

Required input

Flag reference

`pad ls`

`pad stop`

`pad start`

`pad update`

`pad down`