kernels/main/en/cli-cache.md

kernels cache ls

List kernel versions stored in the local Hugging Face cache. The command runs locally and does not download or load kernel code.

Usage

kernels cache ls [--cache-dir PATH] [--json] [--no-truncate] [--show-warnings]

Option	Description
--cache-dir PATH	Inspect a specific cache directory.
--json	Print cached kernel information as JSON.
--no-truncate	Display full table values regardless of terminal width.
--show-warnings	Show individual cache inconsistencies instead of a short summary.

By default, the command uses the same cache as get_kernel: KERNELS_CACHE when set, otherwise the Hugging Face Hub cache configured by HF_HUB_CACHE or HF_HOME. An explicit --cache-dir takes precedence over these settings.

Output

Example output in a wide terminal:

ID                                  SIZE LAST_ACCESSED  LAST_MODIFIED  VERSION VARIANTS
----------------------------------- ---- -------------- -------------- ------- --------------------------------
kernel/kernels-community/activation 2.5M 45 minutes ago 45 minutes ago v1      torch28-cxx11-cu126-x86_64-linux
                                                                               torch28-cxx11-cu128-x86_64-linux
                                                                               torch28-cxx11-cu129-x86_64-linux
kernel/kernels-community/activation 2.6M 23 minutes ago 23 minutes ago v2      torch28-cxx11-cu126-x86_64-linux
                                                                               torch28-cxx11-cu128-x86_64-linux
                                                                               torch28-cxx11-cu129-x86_64-linux

VERSION shows version labels such as v1 and v2, in ascending numeric order. The listing includes only cached vN versions. Other branches, tags, and detached snapshots are omitted. Each version is listed separately, even when multiple versions point to the same cached snapshot.

VARIANTS lists the builds present in that version's cached snapshot, one per line. Continuation lines leave the other columns blank. A variant cached for several versions appears under each of those versions. Variants are included regardless of compatibility with the current environment. Only recognized build directories with cached files are listed; empty build directories are excluded. If there are no cached variants, the column shows -.

SIZE, LAST_ACCESSED, and LAST_MODIFIED describe the cached snapshot for that version. See the Hugging Face Hub cache reference for details on sizes and timestamps.

Like hf cache ls, the table shortens long values to fit the terminal width. Use --no-truncate or --json to see all values in full. Cache inconsistencies produce a short summary by default; use --show-warnings to see their details.

JSON output

kernels cache ls --json

The output contains cache_dir and a repos list. Each repository contains:

• repo_id: the kernel repository ID.
• size_on_disk: the repository's cached size in bytes.
• last_accessed: the repository's last access time as a Unix timestamp.
• last_modified: the repository's last modification time as a Unix timestamp.
• versions: one entry per cached vN version. Each entry contains:
  • version: the version label, such as "v1".
  • size_on_disk, last_accessed, and last_modified: the size in bytes and Unix timestamps for that version's cached snapshot.
  • variants: the sorted build variant names in that snapshot.

Repository-level sizes and timestamps describe all its cached snapshots; version-level values describe just the corresponding snapshot.

See also

• kernels variants - Inspect build variants available on the Hub
• kernels download - Download locked kernels
• Environment variables - Configure cache locations