> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kosli-mbevc1-patch-1.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# kosli create flow

> Create or update a Kosli flow.

## Synopsis

```shell theme={"theme":"dracula","languages":{"custom":["/languages/rego.json"]}}
kosli create flow FLOW-NAME [flags]
```

Create or update a Kosli flow.
You can specify flow parameters in flags.

`FLOW-NAME`s must start with a letter or number, and only contain letters, numbers, `.`, `-`, `_`, and `~`.

## Flags

| Flag                           | Description                                                                                                                           |
| :----------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `--description` string         | \[optional] The Kosli flow description.                                                                                               |
| `-D`, `--dry-run`              | \[optional] Run in dry-run mode. When enabled, no data is sent to Kosli and the CLI exits with 0 exit code regardless of any errors.  |
| `-h`, `--help`                 | help for flow                                                                                                                         |
| `-t`, `--template` strings     | \[defaulted] The comma-separated list of required compliance controls names.                                                          |
| `-f`, `--template-file` string | \[optional] The path to a yaml template file. Cannot be used together with `--use-empty-template`                                     |
| `--use-empty-template`         | Use an empty template for the flow creation without specifying a file. Cannot be used together with `--template` or `--template-file` |

## Flags inherited from parent commands

| Flag                          | Description                                                                                                                                             |
| :---------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `-a`, `--api-token` string    | The Kosli API token.                                                                                                                                    |
| `-c`, `--config-file` string  | \[optional] The Kosli config file path. (default "kosli")                                                                                               |
| `--debug`                     | \[optional] Print debug logs to stdout.                                                                                                                 |
| `-H`, `--host` string         | \[defaulted] The Kosli endpoint. (default "[https://app.kosli.com](https://app.kosli.com)")                                                             |
| `--http-proxy` string         | \[optional] The HTTP proxy URL including protocol and port number. e.g. `http://proxy-server-ip:proxy-port`                                             |
| `-r`, `--max-api-retries` int | \[defaulted] How many times should API calls be retried when the API host is not reachable. (default 3)                                                 |
| `--org` string                | The Kosli organization.                                                                                                                                 |
| `-q`, `--quiet`               | \[optional] Suppress non-critical warning messages. Errors and normal output are not affected. If both `--quiet` and `--debug` are set, `--debug` wins. |

## Live Examples in different CI systems

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="GitHub">
    View an example of the `kosli create flow` command in GitHub.

    In [this YAML file](https://github.com/cyber-dojo/runner/blob/9cc2a80e1306376b88039715dfdcfc161a0e3904/.github/workflows/main.yml#L62)
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="GitLab">
    View an example of the `kosli create flow` command in GitLab.

    In [this YAML file](https://gitlab.com/cyber-dojo/creator/-/blob/65fd2bfa2478534ea4bc5ccf30f6bfc6aab7550c/.gitlab/workflows/main.yml#L53)
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Examples Use Cases

These examples all assume that the flags  `--api-token`, `--org`, `--host`, (and `--flow`, `--trail` when required), are [set/provided](/getting_started/install/#assigning-flags-via-environment-variables).

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="create/update a Kosli flow (with empty template)">
    ```shell theme={"theme":"dracula","languages":{"custom":["/languages/rego.json"]}}
    kosli create flow yourFlowName 
    	--description yourFlowDescription 
    	--use-empty-template 

    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="create/update a Kosli flow (with template file)">
    ```shell theme={"theme":"dracula","languages":{"custom":["/languages/rego.json"]}}
    kosli create flow yourFlowName 
    	--description yourFlowDescription 
    	--template-file /path/to/your/template/file.yml 
    ```
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>