Interacting via the CLI

alkanes-cli is the command-line tool for working with the Alkanes metaprotocol: wallets, deployment, contract calls, and chain queries. This page is a task-oriented tour. For the exhaustive command list, see the CLI & SDK Reference.

To install it, follow the Quickstart.

Choosing a network

Every command takes a network through -p (provider): regtest, signet, or mainnet.

alkanes-cli -p signet <command>

Common global options:

Option	Description
--wallet-file <PATH>	Path to the wallet file
--passphrase <PHRASE>	Passphrase used to sign
--wallet-address <ADDR>	Watch-only, read-only mode
--jsonrpc-url <URL>	Custom JSON-RPC endpoint

For production traffic, pass an API key through --jsonrpc-url for higher rate limits. See Authentication and Rate Limits.

Wallet basics

# Create a new wallet, or restore one from a mnemonic phrase
alkanes-cli wallet create
alkanes-cli wallet create "<MNEMONIC>"

# List addresses (type:start-end)
alkanes-cli wallet addresses p2tr:0-5

# Balances and unspent outputs
alkanes-cli wallet balance
alkanes-cli wallet utxos

See Wallet Commands for the rest of the namespace: signing, history, backups, and fee rates.

Deploying and calling contracts

Contract operations live under the alkanes namespace. A contract is addressed by its [block, tx] Alkane ID, and a call is a cellpack, a list that begins with the target ID and an opcode (see Alkanes Metaprotocol).

# Execute a call: contract [2,1], opcode 1
alkanes-cli -p signet alkanes execute "[2,1,1]" --fee-rate 10 -y

# Read state by simulating a call without broadcasting: contract 2:1, opcode 2
alkanes-cli -p signet alkanes simulate "2:1:2"

# Inspect a contract's bytecode and metadata
alkanes-cli -p signet alkanes inspect "2:1" --meta

The -y flag auto-confirms. execute produces a Bitcoin transaction and pays a fee; simulate reads indexer state and costs nothing. See Alkanes Commands for the full flag set on execute, simulate, and inspect.

Querying Bitcoin directly

The CLI also proxies Bitcoin Core and Esplora, so you can inspect the underlying chain without a second tool:

# Bitcoin Core RPC
alkanes-cli bitcoind getblockcount
alkanes-cli bitcoind getrawtransaction <TXID>

# Esplora
alkanes-cli esplora address <ADDRESS>
alkanes-cli esplora tx <TXID>
alkanes-cli esplora fee-estimates

The esplora namespace has its own reference page (Esplora Commands); the bitcoind commands mirror the methods documented on Bitcoin Core RPC.

Broadcasting options

By default a transaction goes to the public mempool. For higher-value or MEV-sensitive transactions, the CLI can route through private relays instead:

Option	Description
(default)	Standard mempool broadcast
--use-slipstream	Submit through MARA Slipstream (bypasses the public mempool)
--use-rebar	Submit through Rebar Shield (private relay)
--mine	Mine immediately (regtest only)

Getting help

alkanes-cli --help
alkanes-cli <command> --help

Where to go next

• Wrapping frBTC: a full wrap and unwrap walkthrough.
• CLI & SDK Reference: every command and flag.