---
layout: default
navsection: userguide
-navmenu: Reference
title: "Command line interface"
...
-h1. Reference: Command Line Interface
-
-*First, you should be "logged into an Arvados VM instance":{{site.basedoc}}/user/getting_started/ssh-access.html#login, and have a "working environment.":{{site.basedoc}}/user/getting_started/check-environment.html*
+*First, you should be "logged into an Arvados VM instance":{{site.baseurl}}/user/getting_started/ssh-access.html#login, and have a "working environment.":{{site.baseurl}}/user/getting_started/check-environment.html*
h3. Usage
h4. Global options
-- @--format=json@ := Output response as JSON
+- @--format=json@ := Output response as JSON. This is the default format.
+
- @--format=yaml@ := Output response as YAML
+
- @--format=uuid@ := Output only the UUIDs of object(s) in the API response, one per line.
h3. Basic examples
Get record for current user
-@arv -h user current@
+@arv user current@
Get entire record for some specific user
-@arv -h user get --uuid 6dnxa-tpzed-iimd25zhzh84gbk@
+@arv user get --uuid 6dnxa-tpzed-iimd25zhzh84gbk@
Update user record
@arv user update --uuid 6dnxa-tpzed-iimd25zhzh84gbk --first-name "Bob"@