---
layout: default
title: Command flags
nav_order: 51
parent: Command reference
redirect_from: /benchmark/commands/command-flags/
grand_parent: OpenSearch Benchmark Reference
---

# Command flags
OpenSearch Benchmark uses command line flags to change Benchmark's behavior. Not all flags can be used with each command. To find out which flags are supported by a specific command, enter `opensearch-benchmark <command> --h`.

All command flags are added to a command using the following syntax:

```bash
opensearch-benchmark <command> --<command-flag>
```

Flags that accept comma-separated values, such `--telemetry`, can also accept a JSON array. This can be defined by passing a file path ending in `.json` or inline as a JSON string.

- Comma-seperated values: `opensearch-benchmark ... --test-procedure="ingest-only,search-aggregations"`
- JSON file: `opensearch-benchmark ... --workload-params="params.json"`
- JSON inline string: `opensearch-benchmark  ... --telemetry='["node-stats", "recovery-stats"]'`

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## workload-path
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This can be either a directory that contains a `workload.json` file or a `.json` file with an arbitrary name that contains a workload specification. `--workload-path` and `--workload-repository` as well as `--workload` are mutually exclusive.

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## workload-repositor
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This defines the repository from which OpenSearch Benchmark loads workloads. `--workload-path` and `--workload-repository` as well as `--workload` are mutually exclusive.

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## workload-revision
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Defines a specific revision from the workload source tree that OpenSearch Benchmark should use. 

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## workload
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Defines the workload to use based on the workload's name. You can find a list of preloaded workloads using `opensearch-benchmark list workloads`. `--workload-path` and `--workload-repository` as well as `--workload` are mutually exclusive.

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## workload-params
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Defines which variables to inject into the workload. Variables injected must be available in the workload. To see which parameters are valid in the official workloads, select the workload from [the workloads repository](https://github.com/opensearch-project/opensearch-benchmark-workloads).

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## test-procedure
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Defines the test procedures to use with each workload. You can find a list of test procedures that the workload supports by specifying the workload in the `info` command, for example, `opensearch-benchmark info --workload=<workload_name>`. To look up information on a specific test procedure, use the command `opensearch-benchmark info --workload=<workload_name> --test-procedure=<test-procedure>`.

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## test-execution-id
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Defines a unique ID for the test run.

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## include-tasks
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Defines a comma-separated list of test procedure tasks to run. By default, all tasks listed in a test procedure array are run.

Tests are executed in the order they are defined in `test-procedure`---not in the order they are defined in the command. 

All task filters are case sensitive.

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## exclude-tasks
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Defines a comma-separated list of test procedure tasks not to run.

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## baseline
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The baseline TestExecution ID used to compare the contender TestExecution.  

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## contender
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The TestExecution ID for the contender being compared to the baseline. 

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## results-format
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Defines the output format for the command line results, either `markdown` or `csv`. Default is `markdown`.


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## results-number-align
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Defines the column number alignment for when the `compare` command outputs results. Default is `right`.

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## results-file
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When provided a file path, writes the compare results to the file indicated in the path. 

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## show-in-results
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Determines whether or not to include the comparison in the results file. 

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## provision-config-repository
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Defines the repository from which OpenSearch Benchmark loads `provision-configs` and `provision-config-instances`. 

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## provision-config-revision
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Defines the specific Git revision in the `provision-config` that OpenSearch Benchmark should use. 

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## provision-config-path
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Defines the path to the `--provision-config-instance` and any OpenSearch plugin configurations to use. 

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## distribution-version
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Downloads the specified OpenSearch distribution based on version number. For a list of released OpenSearch versions, see [Version history](https://opensearch.org/docs/version-history/).

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## distribution-repository
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Defines the repository from which the OpenSearch distribution should be downloaded. Default is `release`.

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## provision-config-instance
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Defines the `--provision-config-instance` to use. You can view possible configuration instances by using the command `opensearch-benchmark list provision-config-instances`.  

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## provision-config-instance-params
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A comma-separated list of key-value pairs injected verbatim as variables for the `provision-config-instance`.

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## target-hosts
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Defines a comma-separated list of host-port pairs that should be targeted if using the pipeline `benchmark-only`. Default is `localhost:9200`. 

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## target-os
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The target operating system (OS) for which the OpenSearch artifact should be downloaded. Default is the current OS.

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## target-arch
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The name of the CPU architecture for which an artifact should be downloaded. 

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## revision
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Defines the current source code revision to use for running a benchmark test. Default is `current`.

This command flag can use the following options:

   - `current`: Uses the source tree's current revision based on your OpenSearch distribution. 
   - `latest`: Fetches the latest revision from the main branch of the source tree. 

You can also use a timestamp or commit ID from the source tree. When using a timestamp, specify `@ts`, where "ts" is a valid ISO 8601 timestamp, for example, `@2013-07-27T10:37:00Z`. 

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## opensearch-plugins
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Defines which [OpenSearch plugins]({{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/install-and-configure/plugins/) to install. By default, no plugins are installed.

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## plugin-params
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Defines a comma-separated list of key-value pairs that are injected verbatim into all plugins as variables.

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## runtime-jdk
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The major version of JDK to use. 


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## client-options
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Defines a comma-separated list of clients to use. All options are passed to the OpenSearch Python client. Default is `timeout:60`.

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## load-worker-coordinator-hosts
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Defines a comma-separated list of hosts that coordinate loads. Default is `localhost`.

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## enable-worker-coordinator-profiling
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Enables a performance analysis of OpenSearch Benchmark's worker coordinator. Default is `false`.

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## pipeline
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The `--pipeline` option selects a pipeline to run. You can find a list of pipelines supported by OpenSearch Benchmark by running `opensearch-benchmark list pipelines`.

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## telemetry
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Enables the provided telemetry devices when the devices are provided using a comma-separated list. You can find a list of possible telemetry devices by using `opensearch-benchmark list telemetry`.

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## telemetry-params
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Enables setting parameters for telemetry devices. Accepts a list of comma-separated key-value pairs, each of which are delimited by a colon or a JSON file name. 

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## on-error
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Controls how OpenSearch Benchmark responds to errors. Default is `continue`. 

You can use the following options with this command flag:

- `continue`: Continues to run the test despite the error.
- `abort`: Aborts the test when an error occurs.

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## preserve-install
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Keeps the Benchmark candidate and its index. Default is `false`.

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## kill-running-processes
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When set to `true`, stops any OpenSearch Benchmark processes currently running and allows Benchmark to continue to run. Default is `false`. 

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## chart-spec-path
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Sets the path to the JSON files containing chart specifications that can be used to generate charts.

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## chart-type
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Generates the indicated chart type, either `time-series` or `bar`. Default is `time-series`.

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## output-path
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The name and path used for the chart's output. Default is `stdout`. 

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## limit
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Limits the number of search results for recent test runs. Default is `10`.