birdc
Control and monitor BIRD routing daemon
TLDR
Open the remote control console
Reload the configuration without restarting BIRD
Show the current status of BIRD
Show all configured protocols
Show all details about a protocol
Show all routes that contain a specific AS number
Show all best routes
Show all details of all routes from a given prefix
SYNOPSIS
birdc [options] [command]
PARAMETERS
-r
Connects to the BIRD daemon in read-only mode, preventing any configuration changes or state modifications.
-s <socket>
Specifies the path to the BIRD control socket. By default, birdc attempts to connect to standard socket locations (e.g., /run/bird/bird.ctl).
-v
Displays the version information of the birdc client and the connected BIRD daemon, then exits.
DESCRIPTION
birdc is the command-line client for the BIRD Internet Routing Daemon. It provides an interface to interact with a running BIRD instance, allowing network administrators to manage and observe the daemon's operations.
Through birdc, users can perform a variety of tasks such as displaying current routing tables, inspecting the state of various routing protocols (e.g., BGP, OSPF, RIP), loading new configurations, reloading the daemon, enabling or disabling specific protocols, and troubleshooting routing issues. It supports both interactive mode, where users can enter multiple commands, and non-interactive mode, where a single command can be executed directly from the shell.
The client connects to the BIRD daemon via a control socket, typically located at /run/bird/bird.ctl (for IPv4/IPv6) or /run/bird/bird6.ctl (for IPv6 only), enabling secure and privileged communication for management tasks.
CAVEATS
birdc requires the BIRD Internet Routing Daemon to be running for it to function correctly. Access to the control socket usually requires appropriate file system permissions, often restricting usage to privileged users (e.g., root or members of a specific group). Ensure the specified socket path is correct and accessible.
INTERACTIVE VS. NON-INTERACTIVE MODE
When invoked without a specific command argument, birdc enters an interactive shell-like mode, indicated by a prompt. In this mode, users can execute multiple commands sequentially. If a command argument is provided on the command line, birdc executes that single command and then exits (non-interactive mode).
COMMON INTERNAL COMMANDS
Once connected to the BIRD daemon, birdc can execute numerous commands:
show status: Displays the general status of the BIRD daemon.
show protocols: Lists all configured routing protocols and their current states.
show routes [protocol]: Shows routes in the routing table, optionally filtered by protocol.
configure: Reloads the configuration from the default configuration file.
reload: Reloads the configuration from the default configuration file. (Similar to configure).
enable <protocol>: Activates a specified routing protocol.
disable <protocol>: Deactivates a specified routing protocol.
quit or exit: Exits the birdc client.
help: Provides a list of available commands and their brief descriptions.
HISTORY
The BIRD Internet Routing Daemon project, including its client birdc, was initiated at Charles University, Prague, in 1998. It was designed to be a flexible and powerful routing daemon for Unix-like operating systems. birdc has been an integral part of the BIRD ecosystem from its early stages, serving as the primary administrative interface for controlling and monitoring the daemon's complex routing operations.
SEE ALSO
bird(8), bird-config(5)
