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

---
title: pack download
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: |-
  Download the set of qlpacks referenced by the query
  spec of the command line from the registry. Packs can be provided by
  name or implicitly inside of a query suite (.qls) file.
redirect_from:
  - /code-security/codeql-cli/manual/pack-download
---

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

## Synopsis

```shell copy
codeql pack download [--dir=<dir>] [--force] <options>... -- <scope/name[@version]|suite.qls>...
```

## Description

Download the set of qlpacks referenced by the query spec of the command
line from the registry. Packs can be provided by name or implicitly
inside of a query suite (.qls) file.

The packs will be downloaded and unzipped into the package cache by
default.

Available since `v2.6.0`.

## Options

### Primary Options

#### `<scope/name[@version]|suite.qls>...`

\[Mandatory] List of CodeQL packs and query suites to download. If a
query suite is provided, its instructions will be inspected and all
referenced CodeQL packs will be downloaded. If you don't specify a
version for a CodeQL pack, then the latest version will be downloaded.

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

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

#### `-d, --dir=<dir>`

The directory to download the pack to. Defaults to installing into the
package cache.

#### `--for-pack=<pack>`

The pack whose dependencies are being downloaded. The package registry
for each pack will be determined by the 'registries' property of
\<pack>.

#### `--[no-]allow-prerelease`

Allow packs with pre-release version qualifiers (e.g.,
`X.Y.Z-qualifier`) to be used. Without this flag, pre-release packs will
be ignored.

Available since `v2.11.3`.

#### `-f, --[no-]force`

Allow overwriting already existing packs.

### Options for finding QL packs (which may be necessary to interpret query suites)

#### `--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 `;`).

### 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`.