content/code-security/codeql-cli/codeql-cli-manual/database-trace-command.md

---
title: database trace-command
versions: # DO NOT MANUALLY EDIT. CHANGES WILL BE OVERWRITTEN BY A 🤖
  fpt: '*'
  ghec: '*'
  ghes: '*'
topics:
  - Code Security
  - Code scanning
  - CodeQL
type: reference
product: '{% data reusables.gated-features.codeql %}'
autogenerated: codeql-cli
intro: '[Plumbing] Run a single command as part of a traced build.'
redirect_from:
  - /code-security/codeql-cli/manual/database-trace-command
---

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{% data reusables.codeql-cli.man-pages-version-note %}

## Synopsis

```shell copy
codeql database trace-command [--threads=<num>] [--ram=<MB>] [--extractor-option=<extractor-option-name=value>] <options>... -- <database> <command>...
```

## Description

\[Plumbing] Run a single command as part of a traced build.

This runs a single given command line under a tracer, thus possibly
performing some extraction, but does not finalize the resulting CodeQL
database.

## Options

### Primary Options

#### `<database>`

\[Mandatory] Path to the CodeQL database under construction. This must
have been prepared for extraction with [codeql database init](/code-security/codeql-cli/codeql-cli-manual/database-init).

If the `--db-cluster` option is given, this is not a database itself,
but a directory that _contains_ databases, and all of those databases
will be processed together.

#### `<command>...`

The command to run. This may consist of one or more arguments, which are
used to create the process. It is recommended to pass the '--'
argument before listing the command's arguments, in order to avoid
confusion between its arguments and ours.

The command is expected to exit with a status code of 0. Any other exit
code is interpreted as a failure.

The command may be omitted when `--index-traceless-dbs` is given.

#### `-j, --threads=<num>`

Ask the extractor to use this many threads. This option is passed to the
extractor as a suggestion. If the CODEQL\_THREADS environment variable is
set, the environment variable value takes precedence over this option.

You can pass 0 to use one thread per core on the machine, or -_N_ to
leave _N_ cores unused (except still use at least one thread).

#### `-M, --ram=<MB>`

Ask the extractor to use this much memory. This option is passed to the
extractor as a suggestion. If the CODEQL\_RAM environment variable is
set, the environment variable value takes precedence over this option.

#### `--[no-]db-cluster`

Indicates that the directory given on the command line is not a database
itself, but a directory that _contains_ one or more databases under
construction. Those databases will be processed together.

#### `--no-tracing`

\[Advanced] Do not trace the specified command, instead rely on it to
produce all necessary data directly.

#### `--extra-tracing-config=<tracing-config.lua>`

\[Advanced] The path to a tracer configuration file. It may be used to
modify the behavior of the build tracer. It may be used to pick out
compiler processes that run as part of the build command, and trigger
the execution of other tools. The extractors will provide default tracer
configuration files that should work in most situations.

#### `--[no-]index-traceless-dbs`

In addition to the specified command, run the main script for extractors
that don't depend on tracing a build process. If you're constructing
databases for several languages with `--db-cluster`, this option should
be given to exactly one invocation of codeql database trace-command.

#### `--[no-]use-build-mode`

Determine what to run based on the database's build mode. This option
cannot be used in conjunction with `--index-traceless-dbs`.

#### `--working-dir=<dir>`

\[Advanced] The directory in which the specified command should be
executed. If this argument is not provided, the command is executed in
the value of `--source-root` passed to [codeql database create](/code-security/codeql-cli/codeql-cli-manual/database-create), if one exists. If no `--source-root` argument is provided, the command is executed in the
current working directory.

#### `--no-run-unnecessary-builds`

\[Advanced] Only run the specified build command(s) if a database under
construction uses an extractor that depends on tracing a build process.
If this option is not given, the command will be executed even when
CodeQL doesn't need it, on the assumption that you need its side
effects for other reasons.

### Options to control extractor behavior

#### `-O, --extractor-option=<extractor-option-name=value>`

Set options for CodeQL extractors. `extractor-option-name` should be of
the form extractor\_name.group1.group2.option\_name or
group1.group2.option\_name. If `extractor_option_name` starts with an
extractor name, the indicated extractor must declare the option
group1.group2.option\_name. Otherwise, any extractor that declares the
option group1.group2.option\_name will have the option set. `value` can
be any string that does not contain a newline.

You can use this command-line option repeatedly to set multiple
extractor options. If you provide multiple values for the same extractor
option, the behavior depends on the type that the extractor option
expects. String options will use the last value provided. Array options
will use all the values provided, in order. Extractor options specified
using this command-line option are processed after extractor options
given via `--extractor-options-file`.

When passed to [codeql database init](/code-security/codeql-cli/codeql-cli-manual/database-init) or `codeql database begin-tracing`, the options will only be
applied to the indirect tracing environment. If your workflow also makes
calls to
codeql database trace-command then the options also need to be passed there if desired.

See <https://codeql.github.com/docs/codeql-cli/extractor-options> for
more information on CodeQL extractor options, including how to list the
options declared by each extractor.

#### `--extractor-options-file=<extractor-options-bundle-file>`

Specify extractor option bundle files. An extractor option bundle file
is a JSON file (extension `.json`) or YAML file (extension `.yaml` or
`.yml`) that sets extractor options. The file must have the top-level
map key 'extractor' and, under it, extractor names as second-level map
keys. Further levels of maps represent nested extractor groups, and
string and array options are map entries with string and array values.

Extractor option bundle files are read in the order they are specified.
If different extractor option bundle files specify the same extractor
option, the behavior depends on the type that the extractor option
expects. String options will use the last value provided. Array options
will use all the values provided, in order. Extractor options specified
using this command-line option are processed before extractor options
given via `--extractor-option`.

When passed to [codeql database init](/code-security/codeql-cli/codeql-cli-manual/database-init) or `codeql database begin-tracing`, the options will only be
applied to the indirect tracing environment. If your workflow also makes
calls to
codeql database trace-command then the options also need to be passed there if desired.

See <https://codeql.github.com/docs/codeql-cli/extractor-options> for
more information on CodeQL extractor options, including how to list the
options declared by each extractor.

### Common options

#### `-h, --help`

Show this help text.

#### `-J=<opt>`

\[Advanced] Give option to the JVM running the command.

(Beware that options containing spaces will not be handled correctly.)

#### `-v, --verbose`

Incrementally increase the number of progress messages printed.

#### `-q, --quiet`

Incrementally decrease the number of progress messages printed.

#### `--verbosity=<level>`

\[Advanced] Explicitly set the verbosity level to one of errors,
warnings, progress, progress+, progress++, progress+++. Overrides `-v`
and `-q`.

#### `--logdir=<dir>`

\[Advanced] Write detailed logs to one or more files in the given
directory, with generated names that include timestamps and the name of
the running subcommand.

(To write a log file with a name you have full control over, instead
give `--log-to-stderr` and redirect stderr as desired.)

#### `--common-caches=<dir>`

\[Advanced] Controls the location of cached data on disk that will
persist between several runs of the CLI, such as downloaded QL packs and
compiled query plans. If not set explicitly, this defaults to a
directory named `.codeql` in the user's home directory; it will be
created if it doesn't already exist.

Available since `v2.15.2`.