> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kosli-29-automate-helm-reference-updates.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# kosli begin trail

> Begin or update a Kosli flow trail.

## Synopsis

```shell theme={"theme":"dracula"}
kosli begin trail TRAIL-NAME [flags]
```

Begin or update a Kosli flow trail.

You can optionally associate the trail to a git commit using `--commit` (requires access to a git repo). And you\
can optionally redact some of the git commit data sent to Kosli using `--redact-commit-info`.

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

## Flags

| Flag                                  | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| :------------------------------------ | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| -g, --commit string                   | \[defaulted] The git commit from which the trail is begun. (defaulted in some CIs: [docs](/ci-defaults), otherwise defaults to HEAD ).                                                                                                                                                |
| --description string                  | \[optional] The Kosli trail 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.                                                                                                                                                  |
| --external-fingerprint stringToString | \[optional] A SHA256 fingerprint of an external attachment represented by --external-url. The format is label=fingerprint (labels cannot contain '.' or '='). This flag can be set multiple times. There must be an external url with a matching label for each external fingerprint. |
| --external-url stringToString         | \[optional] Add labeled reference URL for an external resource. The format is label=url (labels cannot contain '.' or '='). This flag can be set multiple times. If the resource is a file or dir, you can optionally add its fingerprint via --external-fingerprint                  |
| --flow string                         | The Kosli flow name.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| -h, --help                            | help for trail                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| -o, --origin-url string               | \[optional] The url pointing to where the attestation came from or is related. (defaulted to the CI url in some CIs: [docs](/integrations/ci_cd/#defaulted-kosli-command-flags-from-ci-variables) ).                                                                                  |
| --redact-commit-info strings          | \[optional] The list of commit info to be redacted before sending to Kosli. Allowed values are one or more of \[author, message, branch].                                                                                                                                             |
| --repo-root string                    | \[defaulted] The directory where the source git repository is available. Only used if --commit is used or defaulted in CI, see [docs](/integrations/ci_cd/#defaulted-kosli-command-flags-from-ci-variables) . (default ".")                                                           |
| -f, --template-file string            | \[optional] The path to a yaml template file.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| -u, --user-data string                | \[optional] The path to a JSON file containing additional data you would like to attach to the flow trail.                                                                                                                                                                            |

## 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. A boolean flag [docs](/faq/#boolean-flags) (default false)                                               |
| -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](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.                                                                                                                          |

## Live Examples in different CI systems

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

    In [this YAML file](https://app.kosli.com/api/v2/livedocs/cyber-dojo/yaml?ci=github\&command=kosli+begin+trail), which created [this Kosli Event](https://app.kosli.com/api/v2/livedocs/cyber-dojo/event?ci=github\&command=kosli+begin+trail).
  </Tab>

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

    In [this YAML file](https://app.kosli.com/api/v2/livedocs/cyber-dojo/yaml?ci=gitlab\&command=kosli+begin+trail), which created [this Kosli Event](https://app.kosli.com/api/v2/livedocs/cyber-dojo/event?ci=gitlab\&command=kosli+begin+trail).
  </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="begin/update a Kosli flow trail">
    ```shell theme={"theme":"dracula"}
    kosli begin trail yourTrailName 
    	--description yourTrailDescription 
    	--template-file /path/to/your/template/file.yml 
    	--user-data /path/to/your/user-data/file.json 
    ```
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>