Get Started with the SAP BTP Command Line Interface (btp CLI)

The btp CLI is an alternative to the cockpit for users who prefer working on the command line. It consists of a client and a server. The client is installed on your computer and it interacts with SAP BTP through a server. You connect to this CLI server when you log on to your global account through the btp CLI.

The base call to enter on the command line is btp.

Here are some of the tasks you can use the btp CLI for:

• Creating subaccounts and directories
• Managing entitlements of global accounts and subaccounts
• Managing users and their authorizations in global accounts and subaccounts
• Subscribing to applications

SAP is currently migrating all global accounts from the existing cloud management tools feature set A to the renovated cloud management tools feature set B. One of the innovations of feature set B is the command line interface (btp CLI) for account management. With a trial account, you can try out the btp CLI and other features of feature set B.

Here you can read more about the Cloud Management Tools Feature Set B Innovations.

You may have worked with the Cloud Foundry CLI (cf CLI) to manage your Cloud Foundry environment. To avoid confusion, here’s how the btp CLI relates to the cf CLI:
The btp CLI is the CLI for working with global accounts on SAP BTP. You use the btp CLI for all tasks on global account, directory, and subaccount level. Going down the account hierarchy, the last step with btp CLI is creating a Cloud Foundry environment instance, which essentially creates a Cloud Foundry org. From org level onwards, i.e. for managing members in orgs and spaces, creating spaces, as well as assigning quota to orgs and spaces, you use the cf CLI.

Go to the SAP Development Tools page to download the latest version of the CLI client for your operating system. Unpack the archive and copy the client file (there is only one file inside, for example, btp.exe) to your local system. Make sure that you have read and write permissions in the target folder to run the executable.

In Windows, open the command line to the directory where the client file is located and enter btp. For example, you can open the folder and type cmd into the address bar.

If you are using macOS, make sure that the client file is in your PATH and open a terminal session. Note that btp CLI may be blocked because it is “from an unidentified developer”. Please refer to the macOS documentation to learn how to bypass this.

You get version and usage information, you learn where the configuration file is located, and you get useful tips how to log in and get help in the client.

Each command starts with the base call btp. The syntax of the command itself is very close to natural language: It starts with a verb, i.e. the action, followed by a group/object combination. So you build a command by combining btp with an action (let’s say list) and a group/object combination (let’s say accounts/subaccount): btp list accounts/subaccount

Note that the object is always a singular noun. Even for list commands, where you might naturally want to use a plural form.

Here are a few simple examples of commands on global account level that you can try out:

Or go through the documentation to learn more:

• Account Administration Using the SAP BTP Command Line Interface
• Commands in the btp CLI
• Check out this tutorial: Automate Account Operations with the Command Line Interface (CLI)