content/code-security/codeql-cli/codeql-cli-manual/pack-create.md

---
title: pack create
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] Builds the contents of a QL package from
  source code.
redirect_from:
  - /code-security/codeql-cli/manual/pack-create
---

<!-- markdownlint-disable GHD053 -->

<!-- markdownlint-disable GHD030 -->

<!-- Content after this section is automatically generated -->

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

## Synopsis

```shell copy
codeql pack create [--output=<output>] [--threads=<num>] [--ram=<MB>] <options>... -- <dir>
```

## Description

\[Plumbing] Builds the contents of a QL package from source code.

This command builds the complete contents of a QL package, including the
original source code, library dependencies, compiled queries, and
package metadata.

Available since `v2.6.0`.

## Options

### Primary Options

#### `<dir>`

The root directory of the package.

#### `-o, --output=<output>`

The output directory to write the built package to.

Defaults to `./.codeql/pack`.

#### `--format=<fmt>`

Select output format, either `text` _(default)_ or `json`.

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

Use this many threads to compile queries.

Defaults to 1. 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>`

Set total amount of RAM that the compiler should be allowed to use.

#### `--no-precompile`

\[Advanced] Avoid precompiling the compilation cache in the pack output
directory. This will reduce the size of the pack and the time it takes
to create it, but will require compilation before the pack can be run.
Only meaningful for query packs.

#### `--no-validate-extensions`

\[Advanced] Avoid validating data extensions as part of the compile
step.

Available since `v2.13.3`.

#### `--no-overwrite`

\[Advanced] Avoid recompiling and overwriting any existing compiled
output from a previous invocation of this command.

### Options to set up compilation environment

#### `--search-path=<dir>[:<dir>...]`

A list of directories under which QL packs may be found. Each directory
can either be a QL pack (or bundle of packs containing a
`.codeqlmanifest.json` file at the root) or the immediate parent of one
or more such directories.

If the path contains more than one directory, their order defines
precedence between them: when a pack name that must be resolved is
matched in more than one of the directory trees, the one given first
wins.

Pointing this at a checkout of the open-source CodeQL repository ought
to work when querying one of the languages that live there.

If you have checked out the CodeQL repository as a sibling of the
unpacked CodeQL toolchain, you don't need to give this option; such
sibling directories will always be searched for QL packs that cannot be
found otherwise. (If this default does not work, it is strongly
recommended to set up `--search-path` once and for all in a per-user
configuration file).

(Note: On Windows the path separator is `;`).

#### `--additional-packs=<dir>[:<dir>...]`

If this list of directories is given, they will be searched for packs
before the ones in `--search-path`. The order between these doesn't
matter; it is an error if a pack name is found in two different places
through this list.

This is useful if you're temporarily developing a new version of a pack
that also appears in the default path. On the other hand, it is _not
recommended_ to override this option in a config file; some internal
actions will add this option on the fly, overriding any configured
value.

(Note: On Windows the path separator is `;`).

#### `--library-path=<dir>[:<dir>...]`

\[Advanced] An optional list of directories that will be added to the
raw import search path for QL libraries. This should only be used if
you're using QL libraries that have not been packaged as QL packs.

(Note: On Windows the path separator is `;`).

#### `--dbscheme=<file>`

\[Advanced] Explicitly define which dbscheme queries should be compiled
against. This should only be given by callers that are extremely sure
what they're doing.

#### `--compilation-cache=<dir>`

\[Advanced] Specify an additional directory to use as a compilation
cache.

#### `--no-default-compilation-cache`

\[Advanced] Don't use compilation caches in standard locations such as
in the QL pack containing the query or in the CodeQL toolchain
directory.

### Options for configuring the CodeQL package manager

#### `--registries-auth-stdin`

Authenticate to GitHub Enterprise Server Container registries by passing
a comma-separated list of \<registry\_url>=\<token> pairs.

For example, you can pass
`https://containers.GHEHOSTNAME1/v2/=TOKEN1,https://containers.GHEHOSTNAME2/v2/=TOKEN2`
to authenticate to two GitHub Enterprise Server instances.

This overrides the CODEQL\_REGISTRIES\_AUTH and GITHUB\_TOKEN environment
variables. If you only need to authenticate to the github.com Container
registry, you can instead authenticate using the simpler
`--github-auth-stdin` option.

#### `--github-auth-stdin`

Authenticate to the github.com Container registry by passing a
github.com GitHub Apps token or personal access token via standard
input.

To authenticate to GitHub Enterprise Server Container registries, pass
`--registries-auth-stdin` or use the CODEQL\_REGISTRIES\_AUTH environment
variable.

This overrides the GITHUB\_TOKEN environment variable.

### 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`.