# Getting Started with Command Line Utilities

Command line utilities for Plesk for Linux are located in the `/usr/local/psa/bin` directory on the Plesk server. They are run using the plesk utility.

To run a command line utility:

1. Log in to the server via SSH.

2. Execute the following command:

       # plesk bin <utility name> [parameters] [options]

You can also run each utility in the same way as you run other executable files on Linux:

- From any directory:

      # /usr/local/psa/bin/<utility name> [parameters] [options]

- From the directory `/usr/local/psa/bin/`:

      plesk bin <utility name> [parameters] [options]

Upon successful execution, utilities return the `0` code. If an error occurs, utilities return code `1` and display the description of the encountered problem on `stderr`.

For exact command syntax for each utility, consult the corresponding sections in the Using Command Line Utilities chapter.

Note

All input parameters for the utilities must be passed in the UTF-8 encoding. It is the required condition for Plesk stable work.

Warning

Passing passwords through CLI as parameters of the `-passwd` option may potentially compromise the system’s security as command line can be observed by other users of the system. It is more secure to pass passwords through the environment variables. You can transfer non-encrypted passwords by using environment variable `PSA_PASSWORD` while using single quotes to specify the empty values in the command line for the argument of the `-passwd` option. Similarly, you can transfer encrypted passwords through the environment variable `PSA_CRYPTED_PASSWORD` while using single quotes to specify the empty values in the command line for the argument of the `-passwd` option.