rauto Overview

rauto is a Rust-based network automation toolkit that unifies connectivity, execution, orchestration, recording, and replay for network devices and Linux hosts through CLI, local web console, and agent APIs.

What problem does it solve?

Traditional network automation often runs into the same set of issues:

command execution is fragmented and ad-hoc scripts are hard to reuse
prompt and mode handling varies across vendors
changes lack rollback-aware execution models
multi-device operations lack consistent orchestration and audit history
AI-driven control needs a more reliable execution and templating layer

rauto is designed to unify these low-level concerns into one execution engine that can be reused by network engineers, automation developers, and AI agents.

Core surfaces

CLI

The most direct interface, suitable for:

ad-hoc command execution
rendering and running saved templates
interactive command flow execution
transaction blocks, workflows, and orchestration

Web console

rauto web starts a local self-managed console, suitable for:

managing saved connections, templates, and command flow templates
executing commands, transactions, and orchestration in the browser
inspecting async tasks, recordings, replays, blacklists, and backups

Agent mode

rauto agent connects a node to rauto-manager, turning it into a managed execution endpoint for centralized control.

distributed execution across sites and regions
centralized task dispatch and visibility from the manager side
HTTP or gRPC communication with the manager

Key capabilities

two-layer templating: command templates and device profiles
built-in multi-vendor profiles with support for custom profiles
reusable saved connections with import and grouping support
global command blacklist for dangerous command protection
session recording and replay with JSONL-based audit history
tx for rollback-aware single-target changes
tx-workflow for multi-block transactional workflows
orchestrate for staged multi-device rollout plans
upload for direct SFTP transfers to supported hosts
backup for saving and restoring ~/.rauto runtime data

When to use each surface

Goal	Recommended entry	Notes
Run one command quickly	`rauto exec`	Best for troubleshooting and quick validation
Render and apply a template	`rauto template`	Best for reusable command logic
Drive an interactive prompt flow	`rauto flow`	Best for `copy scp:` and wizard-like device flows
Manage and execute in a browser	`rauto web`	Best for local self-service and visual operations
Join a central control plane	`rauto agent`	Best when managed by `rauto-manager`
Execute a rollback-aware change	`rauto tx`	Best for compact single-target transactions
Run a workflow JSON file	`rauto tx-workflow`	Best for block-based transaction logic
Roll out to multiple targets	`rauto orchestrate`	Best for staged and batch delivery

Product boundary

rauto and rauto-manager serve different layers:

Project	Role	Best for
`rauto`	Execution engine and local operator tool	Single-node execution, local UI, and agent runtime
`rauto-manager`	Central control plane	Multi-agent management, shared inventory, and centralized dispatch

If your priority is:

automation from a single workstation
local templates, recordings, replays, and transaction tools
a stable execution layer for AI or higher-level platforms

then rauto should be your primary entry point.

Next, continue with Quick Start and Command Selection and CLI.