HsahiCorp Vault Commands Cheat Sheet

Posted on 12 Oct 2023 by Ray Heffer

As part of my studies for the Vault Certified Associate exam (which I’m thrilled to have recently achieved), I found myself collecting a myriad of Vault commands. Whether it was initializing a Vault server, managing secrets, or handling complex PKI configurations, the command-line interface became my go-to method for interacting with HashiCorp’s Vault.

Recognizing the learning curve that Vault can present, especially for those new to secrets management or infrastructure security, I decided to compile all the essential commands into a single, easy-to-reference cheatsheet. This Vault Commands Cheatsheet Infographic is the result of my study, practice, and real-world applications. It covers everything from basic operations like sealing and unsealing your Vault, to more advanced tasks such as setting up a PKI secrets engine.

Note: The commands in this cheatsheet are not intended for production use as they don’t cover setting up clusters or high availability. They are geared towards learning and experimentation. However, I’m considering adding those advanced topics in a future update.

While the official documentation is comprehensive, it can be overwhelming at first. This cheatsheet serves as a quick reference guide to help you get up and running with Vault, or to assist you in those moments when you need to look up a command quickly. It’s designed to be as straightforward as possible, making it accessible for both beginners and seasoned professionals.

Feel free to download the pdf, print it out, or keep it handy on your devices. Whether you’re studying for a Vault certification, managing a production environment, or just playing around with a local setup, I hope this cheatsheet proves to be a valuable resource for you.

Happy Vaulting!

Download here