proxmox-full
SKILL.md
Proxmox VE - Full Management
Complete control over Proxmox VE hypervisor via REST API.
Setup
export PVE_URL="https://192.168.1.10:8006"
export PVE_TOKEN="user@pam!tokenid=secret-uuid"
Create API token: Datacenter → Permissions → API Tokens → Add (uncheck Privilege Separation)
Auth Header
AUTH="Authorization: PVEAPIToken=$PVE_TOKEN"
Cluster & Nodes
# Cluster status
curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/cluster/status" | jq
# List nodes
curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes" | jq '.data[] | {node, status, cpu: (.cpu*100|round), mem_pct: (.mem/.maxmem*100|round)}'
# Node details
curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/status" | jq
List VMs & Containers
# All VMs on node
curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu" | jq '.data[] | {vmid, name, status}'
# All LXC on node
curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/lxc" | jq '.data[] | {vmid, name, status}'
# Cluster-wide (all VMs + LXC)
curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/cluster/resources?type=vm" | jq '.data[] | {node, type, vmid, name, status}'
VM/Container Control
# Start
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}/status/start"
# Stop (immediate)
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}/status/stop"
# Shutdown (graceful)
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}/status/shutdown"
# Reboot
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}/status/reboot"
# For LXC: replace /qemu/ with /lxc/
Create LXC Container
# Get next available VMID
NEWID=$(curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/cluster/nextid" | jq -r '.data')
# Create container
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/lxc" \
-d "vmid=$NEWID" \
-d "hostname=my-container" \
-d "ostemplate=local:vztmpl/debian-12-standard_12.2-1_amd64.tar.zst" \
-d "storage=local-lvm" \
-d "rootfs=local-lvm:8" \
-d "memory=1024" \
-d "swap=512" \
-d "cores=2" \
-d "net0=name=eth0,bridge=vmbr0,ip=dhcp" \
-d "password=changeme123" \
-d "start=1"
LXC Parameters:
| Param | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| vmid | 200 | Container ID |
| hostname | myct | Container hostname |
| ostemplate | local:vztmpl/debian-12-... | Template path |
| storage | local-lvm | Storage for rootfs |
| rootfs | local-lvm:8 | Root disk (8GB) |
| memory | 1024 | RAM in MB |
| swap | 512 | Swap in MB |
| cores | 2 | CPU cores |
| net0 | name=eth0,bridge=vmbr0,ip=dhcp | Network config |
| password | secret | Root password |
| ssh-public-keys | ssh-rsa ... | SSH keys (URL encoded) |
| unprivileged | 1 | Unprivileged container |
| start | 1 | Start after creation |
Create VM
# Get next VMID
NEWID=$(curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/cluster/nextid" | jq -r '.data')
# Create VM
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu" \
-d "vmid=$NEWID" \
-d "name=my-vm" \
-d "memory=2048" \
-d "cores=2" \
-d "sockets=1" \
-d "cpu=host" \
-d "net0=virtio,bridge=vmbr0" \
-d "scsi0=local-lvm:32" \
-d "scsihw=virtio-scsi-pci" \
-d "ide2=local:iso/ubuntu-22.04.iso,media=cdrom" \
-d "boot=order=scsi0;ide2;net0" \
-d "ostype=l26"
VM Parameters:
| Param | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| vmid | 100 | VM ID |
| name | myvm | VM name |
| memory | 2048 | RAM in MB |
| cores | 2 | CPU cores per socket |
| sockets | 1 | CPU sockets |
| cpu | host | CPU type |
| net0 | virtio,bridge=vmbr0 | Network |
| scsi0 | local-lvm:32 | Disk (32GB) |
| ide2 | local:iso/file.iso,media=cdrom | ISO |
| ostype | l26 (Linux), win11 | OS type |
| boot | order=scsi0;ide2 | Boot order |
Clone VM/Container
# Clone VM
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}/clone" \
-d "newid=201" \
-d "name=cloned-vm" \
-d "full=1" \
-d "storage=local-lvm"
# Clone LXC
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/lxc/{vmid}/clone" \
-d "newid=202" \
-d "hostname=cloned-ct" \
-d "full=1" \
-d "storage=local-lvm"
Clone Parameters:
| Param | Description |
|---|---|
| newid | New VMID |
| name/hostname | New name |
| full | 1=full clone, 0=linked clone |
| storage | Target storage |
| target | Target node (for migration) |
Convert to Template
# Convert VM to template
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}/template"
# Convert LXC to template
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/lxc/{vmid}/template"
Snapshots
# List snapshots
curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}/snapshot" | jq '.data[] | {name, description}'
# Create snapshot
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}/snapshot" \
-d "snapname=before-update" \
-d "description=Snapshot before system update"
# Rollback
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}/snapshot/{snapname}/rollback"
# Delete snapshot
curl -sk -X DELETE -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}/snapshot/{snapname}"
Backups
# Start backup
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/vzdump" \
-d "vmid={vmid}" \
-d "storage=local" \
-d "mode=snapshot" \
-d "compress=zstd"
# List backups
curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/storage/{storage}/content?content=backup" | jq
# Restore backup
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu" \
-d "vmid=300" \
-d "archive=local:backup/vzdump-qemu-100-2024_01_01-12_00_00.vma.zst" \
-d "storage=local-lvm"
Storage & Templates
# List storage
curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/storage" | jq '.data[] | {storage, type, avail, used}'
# List available templates
curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/storage/local/content?content=vztmpl" | jq '.data[] | .volid'
# List ISOs
curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/storage/local/content?content=iso" | jq '.data[] | .volid'
# Download template
curl -sk -X POST -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/aplinfo" \
-d "storage=local" \
-d "template=debian-12-standard_12.2-1_amd64.tar.zst"
Tasks
# Recent tasks
curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/tasks?limit=10" | jq '.data[] | {upid, type, status}'
# Task status
curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/tasks/{upid}/status" | jq
# Task log
curl -sk -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/tasks/{upid}/log" | jq -r '.data[].t'
Delete VM/Container
# Delete VM (must be stopped)
curl -sk -X DELETE -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}"
# Delete LXC
curl -sk -X DELETE -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/lxc/{vmid}"
# Force delete (purge)
curl -sk -X DELETE -H "$AUTH" "$PVE_URL/api2/json/nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}?purge=1&destroy-unreferenced-disks=1"
Quick Reference
| Action | Endpoint | Method |
|---|---|---|
| List nodes | /nodes | GET |
| List VMs | /nodes/{node}/qemu | GET |
| List LXC | /nodes/{node}/lxc | GET |
| Create VM | /nodes/{node}/qemu | POST |
| Create LXC | /nodes/{node}/lxc | POST |
| Clone | /nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}/clone | POST |
| Start | /nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}/status/start | POST |
| Stop | /nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}/status/stop | POST |
| Snapshot | /nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}/snapshot | POST |
| Delete | /nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid} | DELETE |
| Next ID | /cluster/nextid | GET |
Notes
- Use
-kfor self-signed certs - API tokens don't need CSRF
- Replace
{node}with node name (e.g.,pve) - Replace
{vmid}with VM/container ID - Use
qemufor VMs,lxcfor containers - All create/clone operations return task UPID for tracking
Weekly Installs
2
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