Account Management
Login
Authenticate the CLI, which provides a link to the console where you can generate an API token.~/.thunder/token
. You can store a token file here to programmatically authenticate, or by setting the TNR_API_TOKEN
environment variable in your shell.
Logout
Log out of the CLI with:API Token Management
- Generate/manage tokens in the console
- Tokens never expire but can be revoked
- Use unique tokens per device
Managing Instances
Create an Instance
Create a new Thunder Compute instance:Instance storage is ephemeral. Back up important data externally before you delete an instance. See Using Ephemeral Storage for recommended workflows.
CPU Configuration
Configure custom vCPU count:By default, 4 vCPUs and 32GB of memory are included with your instance. Additional vCPUs are
billed hourly at the rates shown here
GPU Configuration
Specify a GPU type:t4
: NVIDIA T4 (16GB VRAM) - Best for most ML workloadsa100
(default): NVIDIA A100 (40GB VRAM) - For large models and high-performance computinga100xl
: NVIDIA A100 (80GB VRAM) - For even larger models, the biggest and the best
--num-gpus
flag to specify multiple GPU configurations:
Template Configuration
Templates make it easy to quickly launch common AI tools. Your instance will already be configured with everything you need to get running to generate images, run an LLM, and more. To use a template, add the--template
flag when creating an instance:
ollama
: Ollama server environmentcomfy-ui
: ComfyUI for AI image generationwebui-forge
: WebUI Forge for Stable Diffusion
start-<template_name>
when connected. For example:
Mode Configuration
Choose between prototyping and production modes:prototyping
(default): Development mode optimized for intermittent workloadsproduction
: Premium instance with maximum compatibility, stability, and reliability for production workloads
Delete an Instance
This action permanently removes an instance and all associated data.
Using instances
Connect to an Instance
Use theconnect
command to access your instance. This wraps SSH, managing keys while automatically setting up everything you need to get started.
tnr status
to see instance IDs (default 0
).
Port Forwarding
Connect with port forwarding with the-t
or --tunnel
flag:
- Forward multiple ports using repeated
-t/--tunnel
flags - Example:
tnr connect 0 -t 8000 -t 8080
forwards both ports 8000 and 8080 - Enables local access to remote web servers, APIs, and services
Copy Files
Transfer files between local and remote instance with thescp
command:
- Remote:
instance_id:path
(e.g.,0:/home/user/data
) - Local: Standard paths (e.g.,
./data
or/home/user/file.txt
) - Must specify exactly one remote and one local path
- Paths can be either absolute or relative.
File transfers have a 60-second connection timeout. SSH key setup,
compression, and
~/
expansion are handled automatically.Instance Lifecycle
Instances cannot be modified after creation. To change configuration (GPU, vCPU, disk size, or mode), create a new instance with the desired settings and migrate your data before deleting the original.View Instance Status
List all instances and details includinginstance_ID
, IP Address
, Disk Size
, GPU Type
, GPU Count
, vCPU Count
, RAM
, and Template
:
--no-wait
flag to disable automatic monitoring for status updates