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185 changes: 183 additions & 2 deletions website/docs/litmusctl/create-chaos-experiment.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -4,7 +4,188 @@ title: Create Chaos Experiment
sidebar_label: Create Chaos Experiment
---

# Create a Chaos Experiment (litmusctl)

This guide demonstrates how to create and run chaos experiments using litmusctl. You can create experiments using manifest files and manage them through the command line interface.
This document explains how to create and manage Chaos Experiments using `litmusctl`.

Follow this [guide](https://github.com/litmuschaos/litmusctl/blob/master/Usage_0.23.0.md#steps-to-create-a-chaos-experiment) to create Chaos Experiment.
> **Prerequisite:** You should have a configured `litmusctl` account. See `litmusctl config set-account` to add an account.

---

## litmusctl quick syntax

```shell
litmusctl [command] [TYPE] [flags]
```

- **command**: what you want to perform (`connect`, `create`, `get`, `run`, `describe`, `delete`, etc.)
- **TYPE**: the resource type (e.g., `chaos-infra`, `project`, `chaos-experiment`)
- **flags**: additional information for the command (for example `--project-id`, `--chaos-infra-id`, `--endpoint`, `--non-interactive`)

`litmusctl` uses a config file at `${HOME}/.litmusconfig` by default. You can override this with `--config <file>`.

If required flags are not provided, `litmusctl` will prompt you interactively unless you use `--non-interactive`.

---

## 1. Setup account (if not already done)

```shell
# interactive (recommended)
litmusctl config set-account

# non-interactive (example)
litmusctl config set-account --endpoint="https://preview.litmuschaos.io" --username="admin" --password="PASSWORD"
```

After running, verify using:

```shell
litmusctl config view
```

---

## 2. Get project and chaos-infra IDs

You will need `project-id` and `chaos-infra-id` to create an experiment.

```shell
litmusctl get projects
# Note the PROJECT ID you want to use.

litmusctl get chaos-infra --project-id "<project-id>"
# Note the CHAOS INFRA ID from the output.
```

---

## 3. Create a Chaos Experiment from a manifest

You can create a Chaos Experiment by passing a YAML manifest:

```shell
litmusctl create chaos-experiment -f custom-chaos-experiment.yml --project-id "<project-id>" --chaos-infra-id "<chaos-infra-id>"
```

If creation is successful, you will receive confirmation and the created experiment ID.

**Example:**
```text
🚀 Chaos Experiment/experiment-1 successfully created 🎉
```

---

## 4. Save a Chaos Experiment (store manifest in Litmus)

If you want to save an experiment manifest in the project:

```shell
litmusctl save chaos-experiment -f custom-litmus-experiment.yaml --project-id "<project-id>"
```

---

## 5. Run a Chaos Experiment

You can run a previously created experiment by ID:

```shell
litmusctl run chaos-experiment --project-id "<project-id>" --chaos-experiment-id "<experiment-id>"
```

If the command prompts for values, provide the requested `project-id` and `experiment-id`.

---

## 6. Verify the experiment & runs

- To list all experiments in a project:
```shell
litmusctl get chaos-experiment --project-id "<project-id>"
```

- To list runs for a project:
```shell
litmusctl get chaos-experiment-runs --project-id "<project-id>"
```

- To list runs for a specific experiment:
```shell
litmusctl get chaos-experiment-runs --project-id "<project-id>" --experiment-id "<experiment-id>"
```

- To describe a specific experiment:
```shell
litmusctl describe chaos-experiment --project-id "<project-id>" <chaos-experiment-id>
# Or use interactive mode: `litmusctl describe chaos-experiment`
```

---

## 7. Delete an experiment

```shell
litmusctl delete chaos-experiment <chaos-experiment-id> --project-id "<project-id>"
# or interactive: litmusctl delete chaos-experiment
```

---

## Useful extra commands

```shell
# View config file
litmusctl config view

# List accounts in config
litmusctl config get-accounts

# Switch current account (interactive)
litmusctl config use-account

# Create a project (interactive)
litmusctl create project
```

---

## Flags (summary)

| Flag | Type | Description |
|----------|---------|-------------|
| `--config` | string | path to config file (default: $HOME/.litmusctl) |
| `--cacert` | string | custom CA certificate for communicating with portal |
| `--skipSSL` | bool | skip TLS/SSL verification |
| `--help` / `-h` | | show command help |

Use `litmusctl --help` or `litmusctl <command> --help` for more details.

---

## Notes & troubleshooting

- **Interactive vs non-interactive:** For scripts, prefer `--non-interactive` and pass required flags; otherwise `litmusctl` prompts for missing values.
- **Project & infra IDs** are required for many operations — use `litmusctl get projects` and `litmusctl get chaos-infra` to retrieve them.
- **Permissions:** Ensure the account has sufficient permissions to create/run experiments (cluster vs namespace mode).
- **Preview:** After creating/running experiments, verify status in ChaosCenter UI (Targets → Chaos Infrastructures / Experiments).

---

## Example flow (compact)

```shell
# set account
litmusctl config set-account --endpoint="https://preview.litmuschaos.io" --username="admin" --password="PASSWORD"

# get project id and infra id
litmusctl get projects
litmusctl get chaos-infra --project-id "<project-id>"

# create from manifest
litmusctl create chaos-experiment -f custom-chaos-experiment.yml --project-id "<project-id>" --chaos-infra-id "<chaos-infra-id>"

# list runs
litmusctl get chaos-experiment-runs --project-id "<project-id>"
```