File Management - InstaPods

The instapods files commands let you manage files inside your pods without SSH.

List Files

instapods files ls my-app
instapods files ls my-app /home/instapod/app/src

Lists files and directories. The path argument is optional and defaults to the pod’s app root. Output includes file name, size, and permissions.

Read a File

instapods files cat my-app /home/instapod/app/index.js

Outputs the file contents to stdout.

Write a File

instapods files write my-app /home/instapod/app/config.json --content '{"key": "value"}'

Creates or overwrites a file with the given content. You can also pipe content via stdin:

cat .env | instapods files write my-app /home/instapod/app/.env
echo "Hello!" | instapods files write my-app /home/instapod/app/hello.txt

Create a Directory

instapods files mkdir my-app /home/instapod/app/src
instapods files mkdir my-app /home/instapod/app/data/uploads -p

Use -p to create parent directories recursively (like mkdir -p).

Upload a File

instapods files upload my-app ./index.html
instapods files upload my-app ./dist/bundle.js --remote /home/instapod/app/public/bundle.js

Uploads a local file to the pod. If --remote is not specified, the file is placed in the pod’s app root with the same filename. --remote takes either an absolute path or one relative to the app root, and it can rename the file on the way in:

# relative to the app root
instapods files upload my-app ./dist/bundle.js --remote public/bundle.js

# renamed on arrival
instapods files upload my-app ./build/index.prod.html --remote index.html

Sync a Directory

instapods files sync my-app --local ./my-project

Recursively uploads an entire local directory to the pod. Shows progress with checkmarks for each file uploaded. A directory of any size works. The API accepts 100 MB per request, so files sync groups files into batches under a 64 MB budget and sends them one after another - you don’t need to split a large project into subdirectory syncs by hand. Files whose content already matches what’s on the pod are skipped, so a repeat sync only sends what changed. --dry-run prints the total size as well as the file count, and tells you up front when the transfer will be chunked:

Total: 42 directories, 318 files, 275.4 MB
Over the 64 MB per-request budget — will be uploaded in chunks.

Sync Flags

Flag	Description	Default
`--local`	Local directory path	Current directory (`.`)
`--remote`	Remote directory path	Pod’s app root
`--exclude`	Glob patterns to exclude (repeatable)	`node_modules`, `.git`, `.env`, `__pycache__`, `.DS_Store`
`--dry-run`	Preview what would be uploaded	`false`

Examples

# Sync current directory (simplest form)
instapods files sync my-app

# Sync with additional exclusions
instapods files sync my-app --local ./project \
  --exclude "*.log" \
  --exclude "vendor"

# Preview before syncing
instapods files sync my-app --local ./project --dry-run

# Sync to a specific remote path
instapods files sync my-app --local ./build --remote /home/instapod/app/public

Common patterns like node_modules, .git, .env, __pycache__, and .DS_Store are excluded by default. Add --exclude flags for any additional patterns you want to skip.

PHP preset: The web root is /home/instapod/app/public, not /home/instapod/app. Upload your public-facing files (index.php, CSS, JS) to the public/ subdirectory, and application logic to the app root.

​List Files

​Read a File

​Write a File

​Create a Directory

​Upload a File

​Sync a Directory

​Sync Flags

​Examples

List Files

Read a File

Write a File

Create a Directory

Upload a File

Sync a Directory

Sync Flags

Examples