How to Use Hostinger API CLI

A quick, step-by-step guide to install the Hostinger-API Command-Line Interface, connect it to your account, and run the most common VPS commands.

Step 1 – Download & Install the CLI

1. Install Go and clone the repository:

   apt install golang-go
   
   git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/hostinger/api-cli /tmp/api-cli

2. Navigate into the project folder:

   cd /tmp/api-cli

3. Build the binary and move it to your system path:

   go build -o /usr/local/bin/hapi 
   
   chmod 0755 /usr/local/bin/hapi

4. Return to your home directory and verify the installation:

   cd ~
   
   hapi --help

5. If `hapi –help` returns the command list, the CLI is installed correctly.

Step 2 – Authenticate with Your API Token

Generate your API token at https://hpanel.hostinger.com/api.

You can pass credentials either through a config file or environment variables.

Option A – Config file (persistent)

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hostinger/api-cli/main/hapi.yaml -O ~/.hapi.yaml

1. Edit the file and paste your token under api_token.
2. Run any command – the CLI will automatically read ~/.hapi.yaml.

Option B – Environment variable (current session only)

export HAPI_API_TOKEN=<paste_your_token_here>

Step 3 – Working with VPS Instances

The vps sub-command groups everything related to virtual machines:

hapi vps vm list                 # List all VPS
hapi vps vm get    <vm_id>       # Detailed info for one VPS
hapi vps vm start  <vm_id>       # Power-on
hapi vps vm stop   <vm_id>       # Graceful shutdown

Use --format json to pipe data into scripts or dashboards.

Official documentation

API reference – https://developers.hostinger.com
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You’re all set!

You can now automate routine VPS tasks, integrate Hostinger operations into CI/CD pipelines, or simply manage servers faster from your terminal. Happy scripting! 🎉