--- name: dstack description: | dstack is an open-source control plane for GPU provisioning and orchestration across GPU clouds, Kubernetes, and on-prem clusters. ---

# dstack

## Overview

`dstack` provisions and orchestrates workloads across GPU clouds, Kubernetes, and on-prem via fleets.

**When to use this skill:** - Running or managing dev environments, tasks, or services on dstack - Creating, editing, or applying `*.dstack.yml` configurations - Managing fleets, volumes, gateways, and checking available offers

## How it works

`dstack` operates through three core components:

1. `dstack` server - Can run locally, remotely, or via dstack Sky (managed) 2. `dstack` CLI - Applies configurations and manages or inspects fleets, runs, logs, events, volumes, gateways, and offers; it uses project configurations stored in `~/.dstack/config.yml`, which can be managed with `dstack project` 3. `dstack` configuration files - YAML files ending with `.dstack.yml`

`dstack apply` shows a plan and submits configuration changes. For run configurations, it attaches when the run reaches `running` by default: it configures SSH access, forwards declared ports, and streams logs. With `-d`, it submits and exits.

## Quick agent flow (detached runs)

1) Show plan: `echo "n" | dstack apply -f <config>` 2) If plan is OK and user confirms, apply detached: `dstack apply -f <config> -y -d` 3) Check the run: `dstack run get <run-name> --json` 4) If dev-environment or task with ports and running: attach to surface IDE link/ports/SSH alias (agent runs attach in background); ask to open link 5) If attach fails in sandbox: request escalation; if not approved, ask the user to run `dstack attach` locally and share the output

**CRITICAL: Never propose `dstack` CLI commands or YAML syntaxes that don't exist.** - Only use CLI commands and YAML syntax documented here or verified via `--help` - If uncertain about a command or its syntax, check the links or use `--help`

**NEVER do the following:** - Invent CLI flags not documented here or shown in `--help` - Guess YAML property names - verify in configuration reference links - Run `dstack apply` for runs without `-d` in automated contexts (blocks indefinitely) - Retry failed commands without addressing the underlying error - Summarize or reformat tabular CLI output - show it as-is - Use `echo "y" |` when `-y` flag is available - Assume a command succeeded without checking output for errors

## Agent execution guidelines

### Output accuracy - **NEVER reformat, summarize, or paraphrase CLI output.** Display tables, status output, and error messages exactly as returned. - When showing command results, use code blocks to preserve formatting. - If output is truncated due to length, indicate this clearly (e.g., "Output truncated. Full output shows X entries.").

### Verification before execution - **When uncertain about any CLI flag or YAML property, run `dstack <command> --help` first.** - Never guess or invent flags. Example verification commands: ```bash dstack --help # List all commands dstack apply -h <configuration type> # Flags for apply per configuration type (dev-environment, task, service, fleet, etc) dstack fleet --help # Fleet subcommands dstack ps --help # Flags for ps ``` - If a command or flag isn't documented, it doesn't exist.

### Command timing and confirmation handling

**Commands that stream indefinitely in the foreground:** - `dstack attach` - `dstack apply` without `-d` for runs - `dstack ps -w`

Agents should avoid blocking: use `-d`, timeouts, or background attach. When attach is needed, run it in the background by default (`nohup ...`), but describe it to the user simply as "attach" unless they ask for a live foreground session.

When waiting programmatically for a specific run, use `dstack run get <run-name> --json` and read its top-level `status`. Run statuses are `pending`, `submitted`, `provisioning`, `running`, `terminating`, `terminated`, `failed`, and `done`; the last three are terminal. Stop waiting when the run reaches the state needed for the next action or a terminal status. Never parse or grep human-readable `dstack ps` output; its status column may display a job message such as `no offers`.

**All other commands:** Use 10-60s timeout. Most complete within this range. **While waiting, monitor the output** - it may contain errors, warnings, or prompts requiring attention.

**Confirmation handling:** - `dstack apply`, `dstack stop`, `dstack fleet delete` require confirmation - Use `-y` flag to auto-confirm when user has already approved - For `dstack stop`, always use `-y` after the user confirms to avoid interactive prompts - Use `echo "n" |` to preview `dstack apply` plan without executing (avoid `echo "y" |`, prefer `-y`)

**Best practices:** - Prefer modifying configuration files over passing parameters to `dstack apply` (unless it's an exception) - When user confirms deletion/stop operations, use `-y` flag to skip confirmation prompts

### Detached run follow-up (after `-d`)

After submitting a run with `-d` (dev-environment, task, service), first determine whether submission failed. If the apply output shows errors (validation, no offers, etc.), stop and surface the error.

If the run was submitted, check it with `dstack run get <run-name> --json`, then guide the user through relevant next steps: If you need to prompt for next actions, be explicit about the dstack step and command (avoid vague questions). When speaking to the user, refer to the action as "attach" (not "background attach"). - **Monitor status:** Report the current status and offer to keep watching. If watching, poll `dstack run get <run-name> --json` every 10-20 seconds until it reaches the state needed for the next action or a terminal status. - **Attach when running:** For agents, run attach in the background by default so the session does not block. Use it to capture IDE links/SSH alias or enable port forwarding; when describing the action to the user, just say "attach". - **Dev environments or tasks with ports:** Once `running`, attach to surface the IDE link/port forwarding/SSH alias, then ask whether to open the IDE link. Never open links without explicit approval. - **Services:** Prefer using service endpoints. Attach only if the user explicitly needs port forwarding or full log replay. - **Tasks without ports:** Default to `dstack logs` for progress; attach only if full log replay is required.

### Attaching behavior (blocking vs non-blocking)

`dstack attach` runs until interrupted and blocks the terminal. **Agents must avoid indefinite blocking.** If a brief attach is needed, use a timeout to capture initial output (IDE link, SSH alias) and then detach.

Note: `dstack attach` writes SSH alias info under `~/.dstack/ssh/config` (and may update `~/.ssh/config`) to enable `ssh <run name>`, IDE connections, port forwarding, and real-time logs (`dstack attach --logs`). If the sandbox cannot write there, the alias will not be created.

**Permissions guardrail:** If `dstack attach` fails due to sandbox permissions, request permission escalation to run it outside the sandbox. If escalation isn’t approved or attach still fails, ask the user to run `dstack attach` locally and share the IDE link/SSH alias output.

**Background attach (non-blocking default for agents):** ```bash nohup dstack attach <run name> --logs > /tmp/<run name>.attach.log 2>&1 & echo $! > /tmp/<run name>.attach.pid ``` Then read the output: ```bash tail -n 50 /tmp/<run name>.attach.log ``` Offer live follow only if asked: ```bash tail -f /tmp/<run name>.attach.log ``` Stop the background attach (preferred): ```bash kill "$(cat /tmp/<run name>.attach.pid)" ``` If the PID file is missing, fall back to a specific match (avoid killing all attaches): ```bash pkill -f "dstack attach <run name>" ``` **Why this helps:** it keeps the attach session alive (including port forwarding) while the agent remains usable. IDE links and SSH instructions appear in the log file -- surface them and ask whether to open the link (`open "<link>"` on macOS, `xdg-open "<link>"` on Linux) only after explicit approval.

If background attach fails in the sandbox (permissions writing `~/.dstack` or `~/.ssh`, timeouts), request escalation to run attach outside the sandbox. If not approved, ask the user to run attach locally and share the IDE link/SSH alias.

### Interpreting user requests

**"Run something":** When the user asks to run a workload (dev environment, task, service), use `dstack apply` with the appropriate configuration. Note: `dstack run` only supports `dstack run get --json` for retrieving run details -- it cannot start workloads.

**"Connect to" or "open" a dev environment:** If a dev environment is already running, use `dstack attach <run name> --logs` (agent runs it in the background by default) to surface the IDE URL (`cursor://`, `vscode://`, etc.) and SSH alias. If sandboxed attach fails, request escalation or ask the user to run attach locally and share the link.

## Configuration types

`dstack` supports run configurations (dev environments, tasks, and services) and infrastructure configurations (fleets, volumes, and gateways). Configuration files can be named `<name>.dstack.yml` or simply `.dstack.yml`.

**Common parameters:** All run configurations (dev environments, tasks, services) support many parameters including: - **Git integration:** Clone repos automatically (`repo`) or mount existing repos (`repos`) - **File upload:** Upload local files (`files`; see concept docs for examples) - **Docker support:** Use custom Docker images (`image`); use `docker: true` if you want to use Docker from inside the container (VM-based backends only) - **Environment:** Set environment variables (`env`), often via `.envrc`. Secrets are supported but less common. - **Storage:** Persistent network volumes (`volumes`), specify disk size - **Resources:** Define GPU, CPU, memory, and disk requirements

**Best practices:** - Prefer giving configurations a `name` property for easier management - When configurations need credentials (API keys, tokens), list only env var names in the `env` section (e.g., `- HF_TOKEN`), not values. Recommend storing actual values in a `.envrc` file alongside the configuration, applied via `source .envrc && dstack apply`. - `python` and `image` are mutually exclusive in run configurations. If `image` is set, do not set `python`.

### `files` and `repos` intent policy

Use `files` and `repos` only when the user intends to use local/repo files inside the run.

- If user asks to use project code/data/config in the run, then add `files` or `repos` as appropriate. - If it is totally unclear whether files or repos must be mounted, ask one explicit clarification question or default to not mounting.

`files` guidance: - Relative paths are valid and preferred for local project files. - A relative `files` path is placed under the run's `working_dir` (default or set by user).

`repos` + image/working directory guidance: - With non-default Docker images, prefer explicit absolute mount targets for `repos` (e.g., `.:/dstack/run`). - When setting an explicit repo mount path, also set `working_dir` to the same path. - Reason: custom images may have a different/non-empty default working directory, and mounting a repo into a non-empty path can fail. - With `dstack` default images, the default `working_dir` is already `/dstack/run`.

### 1. Dev environments **Use for:** Interactive development with IDE integration (VS Code, Cursor, etc.).

```yaml type: dev-environment name: cursor

python: "3.12" ide: vscode

resources: gpu: 80GB ```

[Concept documentation](https://dstack.ai/docs/concepts/dev-environments.md) | [Configuration reference](https://dstack.ai/docs/reference/dstack.yml/dev-environment.md)

### 2. Tasks **Use for:** Batch jobs, training runs, fine-tuning, web applications, any exe