<!-- Code generated from the comments of the BootConfig struct in bootcommand/config.go; DO NOT EDIT MANUALLY -->

The boot configuration is very important: `boot_command` specifies the keys
to type when the virtual machine is first booted in order to start the OS
installer. This command is typed after boot_wait, which gives the virtual
machine some time to actually load.

The boot_command is an array of strings. The strings are all typed in
sequence. It is an array only to improve readability within the template.

There are a set of special keys available. If these are in your boot
command, they will be replaced by the proper key:

-   `<bs>` - Backspace

-   `<del>` - Delete

-   `<enter> <return>` - Simulates an actual "enter" or "return" keypress.

-   `<esc>` - Simulates pressing the escape key.

-   `<tab>` - Simulates pressing the tab key.

-   `<f1> - <f12>` - Simulates pressing a function key.

-   `<up> <down> <left> <right>` - Simulates pressing an arrow key.

-   `<spacebar>` - Simulates pressing the spacebar.

-   `<insert>` - Simulates pressing the insert key.

-   `<home> <end>` - Simulates pressing the home and end keys.

-   `<pageUp> <pageDown>` - Simulates pressing the page up and page down
    keys.

-   `<menu>` - Simulates pressing the Menu key.

-   `<leftAlt> <rightAlt>` - Simulates pressing the alt key.

-   `<leftCtrl> <rightCtrl>` - Simulates pressing the ctrl key.

-   `<leftShift> <rightShift>` - Simulates pressing the shift key.

-   `<leftSuper> <rightSuper>` - Simulates pressing the ⌘ or Windows key.

-   `<wait> <wait5> <wait10>` - Adds a 1, 5 or 10 second pause before
    sending any additional keys. This is useful if you have to generally
    wait for the UI to update before typing more.

-   `<waitXX>` - Add an arbitrary pause before sending any additional keys.
    The format of `XX` is a sequence of positive decimal numbers, each with
    optional fraction and a unit suffix, such as `300ms`, `1.5h` or `2h45m`.
    Valid time units are `ns`, `us` (or `µs`), `ms`, `s`, `m`, `h`. For
    example `<wait10m>` or `<wait1m20s>`.

-   `<XXXOn> <XXXOff>` - Any printable keyboard character, and of these
     "special" expressions, with the exception of the `<wait>` types, can
     also be toggled on or off. For example, to simulate ctrl+c, use
     `<leftCtrlOn>c<leftCtrlOff>`. Be sure to release them, otherwise they
     will be held down until the machine reboots. To hold the `c` key down,
     you would use `<cOn>`. Likewise, `<cOff>` to release.

-   `{{ .HTTPIP }} {{ .HTTPPort }}` - The IP and port, respectively of an
    HTTP server that is started serving the directory specified by the
    `http_directory` configuration parameter. If `http_directory` isn't
    specified, these will be blank!

-   `{{ .Name }}` - The name of the VM.

Example boot command. This is actually a working boot command used to start an
CentOS 6.4 installer:

In JSON:

```json
"boot_command": [
    "<tab><wait>",
    " ks=http://{{ .HTTPIP }}:{{ .HTTPPort }}/centos6-ks.cfg<enter>"
 ]
```

In HCL2:

```hcl
boot_command = [
    "<tab><wait>",
    " ks=http://{{ .HTTPIP }}:{{ .HTTPPort }}/centos6-ks.cfg<enter>"
 ]
```

The example shown below is a working boot command used to start an Ubuntu
12.04 installer:

In JSON:

```json
"boot_command": [
  "<esc><esc><enter><wait>",
  "/install/vmlinuz noapic ",
  "preseed/url=http://{{ .HTTPIP }}:{{ .HTTPPort }}/preseed.cfg ",
  "debian-installer=en_US auto locale=en_US kbd-chooser/method=us ",
  "hostname={{ .Name }} ",
  "fb=false debconf/frontend=noninteractive ",
  "keyboard-configuration/modelcode=SKIP keyboard-configuration/layout=USA ",
  "keyboard-configuration/variant=USA console-setup/ask_detect=false ",
  "initrd=/install/initrd.gz -- <enter>"
]
```

In HCL2:

```hcl
boot_command = [
  "<esc><esc><enter><wait>",
  "/install/vmlinuz noapic ",
  "preseed/url=http://{{ .HTTPIP }}:{{ .HTTPPort }}/preseed.cfg ",
  "debian-installer=en_US auto locale=en_US kbd-chooser/method=us ",
  "hostname={{ .Name }} ",
  "fb=false debconf/frontend=noninteractive ",
  "keyboard-configuration/modelcode=SKIP keyboard-configuration/layout=USA ",
  "keyboard-configuration/variant=USA console-setup/ask_detect=false ",
  "initrd=/install/initrd.gz -- <enter>"
]
```

For more examples of various boot commands, see the sample projects from our
[community templates page](/community-tools#templates).
