CLI Reference#

cx is a conda runtime produced by conda-ship. It installs the conda-express base environment from the stamped runtime lock, then delegates ordinary commands to the installed conda executable.

This page covers the cx and cxz runtime interface. For the generic conda-ship runtime interface shared by other generated runtimes, see conda-ship’s runtime CLI reference.

Global Options#

--path PATH

Use a custom install path instead of the default stamped into the binary. For conda-express, the default is ~/.conda/express. The generic install-scheme rules are documented in conda-ship’s install location notes.

-v, --verbose

Show more runtime progress output.

-q, --quiet

Suppress non-essential runtime output.

-h, --help

Show help.

-V, --version

Show the runtime version. conda-express runtime versions follow the conda package version in the runtime lock.

Note

--path is a runtime override. Put it before the command:

cx --path /opt/cx bootstrap
cx --path /opt/cx status

cx bootstrap#

Bootstrap conda into the runtime install path.

cx bootstrap [OPTIONS]

Options#

--force

Re-bootstrap even if the install path already exists. Existing non-empty install paths are removed only when they contain conda-express runtime ownership metadata.

--bundle DIR

Bundle directory containing pre-downloaded .conda and/or .tar.bz2 package archives. The runtime pre-populates the package cache from this directory before installing. Can also be set via CX_BUNDLE.

--offline

Disable network access during bootstrap. Packages must already be available from the local package cache, --bundle, or an embedded cxz bundle. Can also be set via CX_OFFLINE.

After package installation, bootstrap writes conda-ship ownership metadata, .condarc, the CEP 22 frozen marker, and standard conda prefix metadata in conda-meta/history and conda-meta/initial-state.explicit.txt. The initial-state file records the package URLs and checksums from the stamped runtime lock so conda-self can reset the managed base prefix to the shipped package set.

Note

cxz is the embedded-bundle variant. It detects its embedded package bundle automatically, so --bundle is not needed. Use --offline when you want the runtime to refuse any network access.

Examples#

# Standard bootstrap into ~/.conda/express
cx bootstrap

# Re-bootstrap the managed install path
cx bootstrap --force

# Bootstrap into a custom location
cx --path /opt/cx bootstrap

# Offline bootstrap from a bundle directory
cx bootstrap --bundle ./packages --offline

# Bootstrap with cxz, using its embedded bundle and no network access
cxz bootstrap --offline

cx status#

Print conda-express runtime status, including the install path, configured channels, package metadata, installed package count, and delegate executable. For conda’s own environment information, use cx info, which is passed through to conda info.

cx status

Example output

cx 26.5.2.post4
  path:      /Users/you/.conda/express
  channels:  https://conda.anaconda.org/conda-forge/
  packages:  python, conda, conda-rattler-solver, ...
  installed: 103 packages
  delegate:  conda (/Users/you/.conda/express/bin/conda)

cx shell#

Activate an environment by spawning a new subshell. This is an alias for conda spawn.

cx shell [ENV] [-- CONDA-SPAWN-ARGS...]

Examples#

# Activate an environment
cx shell myenv

# Leave the environment
exit

cx uninstall#

Remove the conda-express install path and named environments managed by that install path. The command prints a hint for removing the cx binary through the package manager or install method you used.

cx uninstall [OPTIONS]

Options#

-y, --yes

Skip the interactive confirmation prompt.

What Gets Removed#

  1. The managed conda install path, for example ~/.conda/express

  2. Named environments stored under that install path

  3. PATH entries added by the standalone installer, when present

Examples#

# Interactive uninstall
cx uninstall

# Non-interactive uninstall
cx uninstall --yes

# Uninstall a custom install path
cx --path /opt/cx uninstall --yes

cx help#

Show a getting-started guide with conda-express commands, common workflows, and links to documentation.

cx help

Pass-Through Commands#

cx delegates conda commands after bootstrap

Any command not listed above is passed through to the installed conda binary. If the install path does not exist yet, cx bootstraps it first.

cx create -n myenv python=3.12
cx install -n myenv numpy
cx list -n myenv
cx env list
cx config --show
cx self update
cx self reset --snapshot installer-exact

Use global runtime options before the pass-through command:

cx --path /tmp/cx-smoke create -n test python=3.12