---
name: cloud-logs-cloud-logs-cli-ov
title: Working with the IBM Cloud Logs CLI
description: You can use the IBM® Cloud Logs command-line interface (CLI) to manage your IBM Cloud Logs instance.
last-updated: 2026-10-28
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-logs?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Working with the IBM Cloud Logs CLI
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov}

You can use the IBM® Cloud Logs command-line interface (CLI) to manage your IBM Cloud Logs instance.
{: shortdesc}

Both `ibmcloud cloud-logs` and `ibmcloud logs` can be used to run IBM Cloud Logs CLI commands.
{: tip}

Use `ibmcloud cloud-logs COMMAND --help` for more information about a command.
{: tip}

## Prerequisites
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-prereq}

* Install the [IBM Cloud CLI](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cli?topic=cli-getting-started&format=markdown).

## Installing the IBM Cloud Logs CLI Plugin
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-install}

Install the IBM Cloud Logs CLI plug-in by running the following command:

```text
ibmcloud plugin install logs
```
{: pre}

You're notified on the command line when updates to the IBM Cloud CLI and plug-ins are available. Be sure to keep your CLI up to date so that you can use the latest commands. You can view the current version of all installed plug-ins by running `ibmcloud plugin list`.
{: tip}

## Setting the IBM Cloud Logs instance
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-context}

To target the IBM Cloud Logs instance every time you run a CLI command, use one of the following options:

- Option 1: Run the `ibmcloud logs config set` command to configure the service URL and persist the value in the terminal that you use to run the commands.

    ```text
    ibmcloud logs config set service-url https://{API_endpoint}
    ```
    {: pre}

    Global parameters can be stored in a persistent configuration so that you do not need to manually specify each time you run a command.

    You can manage configuration parameters with the `ibmcloud logs config` commands.
    {: tip}

- Option 2: Set the service endpoint in each command that you run.

    Export an environment variable with your IBM Cloud Logs service endpoint URL.

    ```text
    export LOGS_URL=https://{API_endpoint}
    ```
    {: pre}

    Add the `--service-url` to each command.

    ```text
    ibmcloud logs --service-url $LOGS_URL
    ```
    {: pre}

    Replace `{API_endpoint}` with the API endpoint that is specific to your instance. The API endpoint information can be copied from the service details page in the IBM Cloud Logs UI. For more information, see [Service API endpoints](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-logs?topic=cloud-logs-endpoints_api&format=markdown).


## Commands to manage alerts
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-cl-cmd-alerts}

The following table lists the commands that you can use to manage alerts:

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `alert-definition` | Get an alert definition by ID. |
| `alert-definition-create` | Create an alert definition. |
| `alert-definition-delete` | Delete an alert definition by ID. |
| `alert-definition-update` | Update an alert definition by ID. |
| `alert-definitions` | List alert definitions. |
{: caption="IBM Cloud Logs V3 alert definition CLI commands" caption-side="bottom"}


## Commands to manage queries
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-cl-cmd-query}

The following table lists the command that you can use to manage queries:

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `query` | Run a query to search the logs. |
{: caption="IBM Cloud Logs query CLI commands" caption-side="bottom"}

The following table lists the commands that you can use to manage background queries:

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `background-query-cancel`, `bgq-cancel` | Cancel a background query. |
| `background-query-create`, `bgq-create` | Submit a background query to be processed asynchronously. |
| `background-query-data`, `bgq-data` | Data of the background query to search the logs. |
| `background-query-status`, `bgq-status` | Get the status of a background query. |
{: caption="IBM Cloud Logs background query (asynchronous archive query) CLI commands" caption-side="bottom"}

## Commands to manage data access rules
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-cl-cmd-bck}

The following table lists the commands that you can use to manage data access rules:

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `data-access-rule-create` | Create a data access rule. |
| `data-access-rule-delete` | Delete a data access rule. |
| `data-access-rule-update` | Update a data access rule. |
| `data-access-rules` | Get a service instance's data access rules by ID. |
{: caption="IBM Cloud Logs data access rule CLI commands" caption-side="bottom"}

## Commands to manage data usage
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-cl-cmd-data-usage}

The following table lists the commands that you can use to manage data usage:

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `data-usage` | Get the daily and detailed data usage. |
| `data-usage-metrics-export-status` | Get the data usage metrics export status. |
| `data-usage-metrics-export-status-update` | Update the data usage metrics export status. |
{: caption="IBM Cloud Logs data usage CLI commands" caption-side="bottom"}


## Commands to manage enrichments
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-cl-cmd-enrich}

The following table lists the commands that you can use to manage enrichments:

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `enrichment-create` | Create an enrichment. |
| `enrichment-delete` | Delete enrichments. |
| `enrichments` | List all enrichments. |
{: caption="IBM Cloud Logs enrichment CLI commands" caption-side="bottom"}


## Commands to manage streaming
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-cl-cmd-stream}

The following table lists the commands that you can use to manage streaming:

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `event-stream-target-create` | Create an IBM Event Streams for IBM Cloud integration. |
| `event-stream-target-delete` | Delete an Event Streams integration by ID. |
| `event-stream-target-update` | Update an Event Streams integration. |
| `event-stream-targets` | List all Event Streams integrations.
{: caption="IBM Cloud Logs Event Streams integration CLI commands" caption-side="bottom"}


## Commands to manage events2metrics
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-cl-cmd-e2m}

The following table lists the commands that you can use to manage events2metrics:

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `events2metrics`, `e2m` | Gets the events to metrics definitions by ID. |
| `events2metrics-create`, `e2m-create` | Creates the events to metrics definitions. |
| `events2metrics-delete`, `e2m-delete` | Deletes the events to metrics definitions by ID. |
| `events2metrics-list`, `e2m-list` | Lists the events to metrics definitions. |
| `events2metrics-update`, `e2m-update` | Updates the events to metrics definitions. |
{: caption="IBM Cloud Logs events to metrics CLI commands" caption-side="bottom"}

## Commands to manage webhooks
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-cl-cmd-wh}

The following table lists the commands that you can use to manage webhooks:

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `outgoing-webhook` | Gets an outbound integration by ID. |
| `outgoing-webhook-create` | Create an outbound integration. |
| `outgoing-webhook-delete` | Delete an outbound integration. |
| `outgoing-webhook-update` | Update an outbound integration. |
| `outgoing-webhooks` | List outbound integrations. |
{: caption="IBM Cloud Logs outbound integration CLI commands" caption-side="bottom"}

## Commands to manage policies
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-cl-cmd-pol}

The following table lists the commands that you can use to manage policies:

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `policies` | Gets policies. |
| `policy` | Gets policy by ID. |
| `policy-create` | Creates a new policy. |
| `policy-delete` | Deletes an existing policy. |
| `policy-update` | Updates an existing policy. |
{: caption="IBM Cloud Logs policy CLI commands" caption-side="bottom"}



## Commands to manage rule groups
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-cl-cmd-rg}

The following table lists the commands that you can use to manage rule groups:

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `rule-group` | Gets a rule group by groupid. |
| `rule-group-create` | Creates a rule group. |
| `rule-group-delete` | Deletes a rule group by groupid. |
| `rule-group-update` | Updates a rule group by groupid. |
| `rule-groups` | Gets all rule groups. |
{: caption="IBM Cloud Logs rules CLI commands" caption-side="bottom"}


## Commands to manage views
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-cl-cmd-view}

The following table lists the commands that you can use to manage views:

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `view` | Gets a view by ID. |
| `view-create` | Creates a new view. |
| `view-delete` | Deletes a view by ID. |
| `view-update` | Replaces an existing view. |
| `views` | Lists all company public views. |
{: caption="IBM Cloud Logs view CLI commands" caption-side="bottom"}

## Commands to manage view folders
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-cl-cmd-view-folder}

The following table lists the commands that you can use to manage view folders:

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `view-folder` | Get view folder. |
| `view-folder-create` | Create view folder. |
| `view-folder-delete` | Deletes a view folder by ID. |
| `view-folder-update` | Replaces an existing view folder. |
| `view-folders` | List view's folders. |
{: caption="IBM Cloud Logs view folder CLI commands" caption-side="bottom"}

## Commands to manage extensions
{: #cloud-logs-cli-ov-cl-cmd-ext}

The following table lists the commands that you can use to manage extensions:

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `extensions` | Gets an extension by ID. |
| `extension-deployment` | Get deplayment details by an extension. |
| `extension-deployment-delete` | Delete deployment of an extension. |
| `extension-deployment-managep` | Deploy or update deployment of an extension. |
| `extensions` | Get list of extensions. |
{: caption="IBM Cloud Logs extensions CLI commands" caption-side="bottom"}