> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://datum-4926dda5-mintlify-style-consistency-1774830500.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Overview

> datumctl is the command-line tool for working with Datum Cloud and follows a similar model to kubectl: resources, commands, and predictable structure.

`datumctl` is the command-line tool for working with Datum Cloud. You can download and install it via [our downloads page](https://www.datum.net/download/datumctl/).

If you’ve used kubectl, `datumctl` follows a similar model: resources, commands, and predictable structure.

It lets you log in to your Datum account and then both create and manage resources (projects, AI Edges, DNS, etc.)

If you’re comfortable in a terminal, `datumctl` is the fastest and best way to interact with Datum.

## Design Goals

`datumctl` is designed with a few core principles in mind:

* **Security** - Uses modern authentication (OIDC with PKCE). No static API keys required.
* **Consistency** - Commands follow a predictable structure so they’re easy to learn and remember.
* **Scalability** - New resources can be added without changing how the CLI feels.

## How It Works

At a high level, `datumctl` does three things:

1. **Authenticates you** - Opens a browser login, stores credentials securely, and refreshes tokens automatically
2. **Talks to the Datum API** - Sends requests to create, read, update, and delete resources with authentication handled behind the scenes
3. **Formats output** - Displays results as tables by default (supports JSON and YAML)