---
title:  Tutorial—Performing Common Tasks with gfsh
---

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This topic takes you through a typical sequence of tasks that you execute after starting `gfsh`.

<a id="concept_0B7DE9DEC1524ED0897C144EE1B83A34__section_C183031258CF493D9E334593729E156D"></a>
Step 1: Create a scratch working directory and change to that directory. For example:

``` pre
$ mkdir gfsh_tutorial
$ cd gfsh_tutorial
```

**Step 1: Start a gfsh prompt.**

``` pre
$ gfsh
    _________________________     __
   / _____/ ______/ ______/ /____/ /
  / /  __/ /___  /_____  / _____  /
 / /__/ / ____/  _____/ / /    / /
/______/_/      /______/_/    /_/

Monitor and Manage <%=vars.product_name%>
gfsh>
```

See [Starting gfsh](starting_gfsh.html#concept_DB959734350B488BBFF91A120890FE61) for details.

**Step 2: Start up a locator.** Enter the following command:

``` pre
gfsh>start locator --name=locator1
```

The following output appears:

``` pre
gfsh>start locator --name=locator1
.....
Locator in /home/username/gfsh_tutorial/locator1 on 192.0.2.0[10334]
as locator1 is currently online.
Process ID: 67666
Uptime: 6 seconds
<%=vars.product_name%> Version: <%=vars.product_version%>
Java Version: 1.8.0_92
Log File: /home/username/gfsh_tutorial/locator1.log
JVM Arguments: -Dgemfire.enable-cluster-configuration=true
 -Dgemfire.load-cluster-configuration-from-dir=false
 -Dgemfire.launcher.registerSignalHandlers=true
 -Djava.awt.headless=true -Dsun.rmi.dgc.server.gcInterval=9223372036854775806
Class-Path: /home/username/geode/geode-assembly/build/install/apache-geode/lib
/geode-core-1.2.0.jar:/home/username/geode/geode-assembly/build/install/apache-geode
/lib/geode-dependencies.jar

Successfully connected to: JMX Manager [host=192.0.2.0, port=1099]

Cluster configuration service is up and running.
```

If you run `start locator` from gfsh without specifying the member name, gfsh will automatically pick a random member name. This is useful for automation.

In your file system, examine the folder location where you executed `gfsh`. Notice that the `start
locator` command has automatically created a working directory (using the name of the locator), and
within that working directory, it has created a log file, a status file, and a .pid (containing the
locator's process ID) for this locator.

In addition, because no other JMX Manager exists yet, notice that `gfsh` has automatically started an embedded JMX Manager on port 1099 within the locator and has connected you to that JMX Manager.

**Step 3: Examine the existing gfsh connection.**

In the current shell, type the following command:

``` pre
gfsh>describe connection
```

If you are connected to the JMX Manager started within the locator that you started in Step 2, the following output appears:

``` pre
gfsh>describe connection
Connection Endpoints
--------------------
ubuntu.local[1099]
```

Notice that the JMX Manager is on 1099 whereas the locator was assigned the default port of 10334.

**Step 4: Connect to the same locator/JMX Manager from a different terminal.**

This step shows you how to connect to a locator/JMX Manager. Open a second terminal window, and start a second `gfsh` prompt. Type the same command as you did in Step 3 in the second prompt:

``` pre
gfsh>describe connection
```

This time, notice that you are not connected to a JMX Manager, and the following output appears:

``` pre
gfsh>describe connection
Connection Endpoints
--------------------
Not connected
```

Type the following command in the second `gfsh` terminal:

``` pre
gfsh>connect
```

The command will connect you to the currently running local locator that you started in Step 2.

``` pre
gfsh>connect
Connecting to Locator at [host=localhost, port=10334] ..
Connecting to Manager at [host=ubuntu.local, port=1099] ..
Successfully connected to: [host=ubuntu.local, port=1099]
```

Note that if you had used a custom `--port` when starting your locator, or you were connecting from the `gfsh` prompt on another member, you would also need to specify `--locator=hostname[port]` when connecting to the distributed system. For example (type `disconnect` first if you want to try this next command):

``` pre
gfsh>connect --locator=localhost[10334]
Connecting to Locator at [host=localhost, port=10334] ..
Connecting to Manager at [host=ubuntu.local, port=1099] ..
Successfully connected to: [host=ubuntu.local, port=1099]
```

Another way to connect your `gfsh` prompt to the distributed system would be to connect to directly to the JMX Manager running inside the locator. For example (type `disconnect` first if you want to try this next command):

``` pre
gfsh>connect --jmx-manager=localhost[1099]
Connecting to Manager at [host=localhost, port=1099] ..
Successfully connected to: [host=localhost, port=1099]
```

In addition, you can connect to remote clusters over HTTP. See [Using gfsh to Manage a Remote Cluster Over HTTP or HTTPS](../../configuring/cluster_config/gfsh_remote.html).

**Step 5: Disconnect and close the second terminal window.** Type the following commands to disconnect and exit the second `gfsh` prompt:

``` pre
gfsh>disconnect
Disconnecting from: localhost[1099]
Disconnected from : localhost[1099]
gfsh>exit
```

Close the second terminal window.

**Step 6: Start up a server.** Return to your first terminal window, and start up a cache server that uses the locator you started in Step 2. Type the following command:

``` pre
gfsh>start server --name=server1 --locators=localhost[10334]
```

If the server starts successfully, the following output appears:

``` pre
gfsh>start server --name=server1 --locators=localhost[10334]
Starting a <%=vars.product_name%> Server in /home/username/gfsh_tutorial/server1/server1.log...
...
Server in /home/username/gfsh_tutorial/server1 on 192.0.2.0[40404] as server1
is currently online.
Process ID: 68375
Uptime: 4 seconds
<%=vars.product_name%> Version: <%=vars.product_version%>
Java Version: 1.8.0_92
Log File: /home/username//gfsh_tutorial/server1/server1.log
JVM Arguments: -Dgemfire.locators=localhost[10334]
 -Dgemfire.use-cluster-configuration=true -Dgemfire.start-dev-rest-api=false
 -XX:OnOutOfMemoryError=kill -KILL %p
 -Dgemfire.launcher.registerSignalHandlers=true
 -Djava.awt.headless=true -Dsun.rmi.dgc.server.gcInterval=9223372036854775806
Class-Path: /home/username/geode/geode-assembly/build/install/apache-geode/lib
/geode-core-1.2.0.jar:/home/username/geode/geode-assembly/build/install
/apache-geode/lib/geode-dependencies.jar
```

If you run `start server` from gfsh without specifying the member name, gfsh will automatically pick a random member name. This is useful for automation.

In your file system, examine the folder location where you executed `gfsh`. Notice that just like
the `start locator` command, the `start server` command has automatically created a working
directory (named after the server), and within that working directory, it has created a log file and
a .pid (containing the server's process ID) for this cache server. In addition, it has also written
log files.

**Step 7: List members.** Use the `list members` command to view the current members of the <%=vars.product_name_long%> distributed system you have just created.

``` pre
gfsh>list members
  Name       | Id
------------ | ---------------------------------------
Coordinator: | ubuntu(locator1:5610:locator)<ec><v0>:34168
locator1     | ubuntu(locator1:5610:locator)<ec><v0>:34168
server1      | ubuntu(server1:5931)<v1>:35285
```

**Step 8: View member details by executing the `describe member` command.**

``` pre
gfsh>describe member --name=server1
Name        : server1
Id          : ubuntu(server1:5931)<v1>:35285
Host        : ubuntu.local
Regions     :
PID         : 5931
Groups      :
Used Heap   : 12M
Max Heap    : 239M
Working Dir : /home/username/gfsh_tutorial/server1
Log file    : /home/username/gfsh_tutorial/server1/server1.log
Locators    : localhost[10334]

Cache Server Information
Server Bind              :
Server Port              : 40404
Running                  : true
Client Connections       : 0
```

Note that no regions have been assigned to this member yet.

**Step 9: Create your first region.** Type the following command followed by the tab key:

``` pre
gfsh>create region --name=region1 --type=
```

A list of possible region types appears, followed by the partial command you entered:

``` pre
gfsh>create region --name=region1 --type=

PARTITION
PARTITION_REDUNDANT
PARTITION_PERSISTENT
PARTITION_REDUNDANT_PERSISTENT
PARTITION_OVERFLOW
PARTITION_REDUNDANT_OVERFLOW
PARTITION_PERSISTENT_OVERFLOW
PARTITION_REDUNDANT_PERSISTENT_OVERFLOW
PARTITION_HEAP_LRU
PARTITION_REDUNDANT_HEAP_LRU
REPLICATE
REPLICATE_PERSISTENT
REPLICATE_OVERFLOW
REPLICATE_PERSISTENT_OVERFLOW
REPLICATE_HEAP_LRU
LOCAL
LOCAL_PERSISTENT
LOCAL_HEAP_LRU
LOCAL_OVERFLOW
LOCAL_PERSISTENT_OVERFLOW
PARTITION_PROXY
PARTITION_PROXY_REDUNDANT
REPLICATE_PROXY

gfsh>create region --name=region1 --type=
```

Complete the command with the type of region you want to create. For example, create a local region:

``` pre
gfsh>create region --name=region1 --type=LOCAL
Member  | Status
------- | --------------------------------------
server1 | Region "/region1" created on "server1"
```

Because only one server is in the distributed system at the moment, the command creates the local region on server1.

**Step 10: Start another server.** This time specify a `--server-port` argument with a different server port because you are starting a cache server process on the same host machine.

``` pre
gfsh>start server --name=server2 --server-port=40405
Starting a <%=vars.product_name%> Server in /home/username/gfsh_tutorial/server2...
...
Server in /home/username/gfsh_tutorial/server2 on 192.0.2.0[40405] as
server2 is currently online.
Process ID: 68423
Uptime: 4 seconds
<%=vars.product_name%> Version: <%=vars.product_version%>
Java Version: 1.8.0_92
Log File: /home/username/gfsh_tutorial/server2/server2.log
JVM Arguments: -Dgemfire.default.locators=192.0.2.0[10334]
 -Dgemfire.use-cluster-configuration=true -Dgemfire.start-dev-rest-api=false
 -XX:OnOutOfMemoryError=kill -KILL %p -Dgemfire.launcher.registerSignalHandlers=true
 -Djava.awt.headless=true -Dsun.rmi.dgc.server.gcInterval=9223372036854775806
Class-Path: /home/username/geode/geode-assembly/build/install/apache-geode
/lib/geode-core-1.2.0.jar:/home/username/geode/geode-assembly/build/install
/apache-geode/lib/geode-dependencies.jar
```

**Step 11: Create a replicated region.**

``` pre
gfsh>create region --name=region2 --type=REPLICATE
Member  | Status
------- | --------------------------------------
server1 | Region "/region2" created on "server1"
server2 | Region "/region2" created on "server2"
```

**Step 12: Create a partitioned region.**

``` pre
gfsh>create region --name=region3 --type=PARTITION
Member  | Status
------- | --------------------------------------
server1 | Region "/region3" created on "server1"
server2 | Region "/region3" created on "server2"
```

**Step 13: Create a replicated, persistent region.**

``` pre
gfsh>create region --name=region4 --type=REPLICATE_PERSISTENT
Member  | Status
------- | --------------------------------------
server1 | Region "/region4" created on "server1"
server2 | Region "/region4" created on "server2"
```

**Step 14: List regions.** A list of all the regions you just created displays.

``` pre
gfsh>list regions
List of regions
---------------
region1
region2
region3
region4
```

**Step 15: View member details again by executing the `describe member` command.**

``` pre
gfsh>describe member --name=server1
Name        : server1
Id          : ubuntu(server1:5931)<v1>:35285
Host        : ubuntu.local
Regions     : region4
              region3
              region2
              region1
PID         : 5931
Groups      :
Used Heap   : 14M
Max Heap    : 239M
Working Dir : /home/username/gfsh_tutorial/server1
Log file    : /home/username/gfsh_tutorial/server1/server1.log
Locators    : localhost[10334]

Cache Server Information
Server Bind              :
Server Port              : 40404
Running                  : true
Client Connections       : 0
```

Notice that all the regions that you created now appear in the "Regions" section of the member description.

``` pre
gfsh>describe member --name=server2
Name        : server2
Id          : ubuntu(server2:6092)<v2>:17443
Host        : ubuntu.local
Regions     : region4
              region3
              region2
              region1
PID         : 6092
Groups      :
Used Heap   : 14M
Max Heap    : 239M
Working Dir : /home/username/gfsh_tutorial/server2
Log file    : /home/username/gfsh_tutorial/server2/server2.log
Locators    : 192.0.2.0[10334]

Cache Server Information
Server Bind              :
Server Port              : 40405
Running                  : true
Client Connections       : 0
```

Note that even though you brought up the second server after creating the first region (region1), the second server still lists region1 because it picked up its configuration from the cluster configuration service.

**Step 16: Put data in a local region.** Enter the following put command:

``` pre
gfsh>put --key=('123') --value=('ABC') --region=region1
Result      : true
Key Class   : java.lang.String
Key         : ('123')
Value Class : java.lang.String
Old Value   : <NULL>
```

**Step 17: Put data in a replicated region.** Enter the following put command:

``` pre
gfsh>put --key=('123abc') --value=('Hello World!!') --region=region2
Result      : true
Key Class   : java.lang.String
Key         : ('123abc')
Value Class : java.lang.String
Old Value   : <NULL>
```

**Step 18: Retrieve data.** You can use `locate entry`, `query` or `get` to return the data you just put into the region.

For example, using the `get` command:

``` pre
gfsh>get --key=('123') --region=region1
Result      : true
Key Class   : java.lang.String
Key         : ('123')
Value Class : java.lang.String
Value       : ('ABC')
```

For example, using the `locate entry` command:

``` pre
gfsh>locate entry --key=('123abc') --region=region2
Result          : true
Key Class       : java.lang.String
Key             : ('123abc')
Locations Found : 2


MemberName | MemberId
---------- | -------------------------------
server2    | ubuntu(server2:6092)<v2>:17443
server1    | ubuntu(server1:5931)<v1>:35285
```

Notice that because the entry was put into a replicated region the entry is located on both distributed system members.

For example, using the `query` command:

``` pre
gfsh>query --query='SELECT * FROM /region2'

Result     : true
startCount : 0
endCount   : 20
Rows       : 1

Result
-----------------
('Hello World!!')

NEXT_STEP_NAME : END
```

**Step 19: Export your data.** To save region data, you can use the `export                     data` command.

For example:

``` pre
gfsh>export data --region=region1 --file=region1.gfd --member=server1
```

You can later use the `import data` command to import that data into the same region on another member.

**Step 20: Shutdown the cluster.**

``` pre
gfsh>shutdown --include-locators=true
```
