CLI reference

Install the Wave CLI

To install the wave CLI for your platform, complete the following steps:

1. Download latest version of the Wave CLI for your platform:

   • To install the latest release from GitHub:

     1. Download the latest version of the Wave CLI for your platform.

     2. In a new terminal, complete the following steps:

        1. Move the executable from your downloads folder to a location in your PATH, such as ~/bin. For example: mv wave-cli-0.8.0-macos-x86_64 ~/bin/wave
        2. Ensure that the executable bit is set. For example: chmod u+x ~/bin/wave

   • To install the latest version with Homebrew:

     brew install seqeralabs/tap/wave-cli

2. Verify that you can build containers with Wave:

   1. Create a basic Dockerfile:

      cat << EOF > ./Dockerfile
      FROM busybox:latest
      EOF

   2. Use the CLI to build the container:

      wave -f Dockerfile

      Example output:

      wave.seqera.io/wt/xxxxxxxxxxxx/wave/build:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Build a container

With the Wave CLI you can build Docker and Singularity containers from a variety of sources, including a Dockerfile, Singularity def file, file system directory, and Conda packages.

The following sections describe several common usage cases. To get started by creating an example Nextflow pipeline that uses Wave CLI, see Get started.

Augment a container with a directory

The Wave CLI supports container augmentation with a specified directory. You can use container augmentation to dynamically add a layer to your container, so you can inject scripts or configuration files as a new layer.

Augment a container with a directory

The following limitations apply:

• A file must be no larger than 1 MB each.
• A directory must be no larger than 10 MB, inclusive of all files.
• A base image must be specified.

Related CLI arguments

The following arguments are used for a directory build:

• --layer: A directory that contains layer content.
• --image or -i: An existing container image. The default image registry is docker.io. Specify an image name such as alpine:latest or an image URL such as public.ecr.aws/docker/library/busybox.

Example usage

Create a new context directory:

mkdir -p new-layer/usr/local/bin
printf 'echo Hello world!' > new-layer/usr/local/bin/hello.sh
chmod +x new-layer/usr/local/bin/hello.sh

Use the CLI to build the image and run the result with Docker:

docker run $(wave -i alpine --layer new-layer) sh -c hello.sh

Build a container from Conda packages

The Wave CLI supports building a container from a list of Conda packages.

Build a container from Conda packages

Related CLI arguments

Conda builds support the following arguments:

• --conda-base-image: A base image for installing Conda packages. The default value is mambaorg/micromamba:1.5.1.
• --conda-channels: One or more comma-separated channels. The default value is seqera,bioconda,conda-forge,defaults.
• --conda-file: A Conda lock file. Can be a local file or a URL to a remote file.
• --conda-package: A Conda package to install. Can be specified multiple times. Expressions are supported, such as bioconda::samtools=1.17 or samtools>=1.0,<1.17.
• --conda-run-command: A Docker RUN command used when the container is built. Can be specified multiple times.

Example usage

In the following example, a container with the samtools and bamtools packages is built:

wave \
  --conda-package bamtools=2.5.2 \
  --conda-package samtools=1.17

Build a container from a Dockerfile

The Wave CLI supports building a container from a Dockerfile. Specifying an optional build context allows the use of ADD and COPY commands in a Dockerfile.

Building a Dockerfile that requires --build-arg for build time variables isn't currently supported.

Build a container from a Dockerfile

Related CLI arguments

• --containerfile or -f: A Dockerfile to build. Build args aren't currently supported.
• --context: A directory that contains the context for the build.

Example usage

In the following example Dockerfile, several packages are installed:

cat << EOF > ./Dockerfile
FROM alpine

RUN apk update && apk add bash cowsay \
        --update-cache \
        --repository https://alpine.global.ssl.fastly.net/alpine/edge/community \
        --repository https://alpine.global.ssl.fastly.net/alpine/edge/main \
        --repository https://dl-3.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing
EOF

Build and run the container based on the Dockerfile in the previous example by running the following command:

container=$(wave --containerfile ./Dockerfile)
docker run --rm $container cowsay "Hello world"

In the following example Dockerfile, a local context is used:

cat << EOF > ./Dockerfile
FROM alpine
ADD hello.sh /usr/local/bin/
EOF

Create the shell script referenced in the previous example by running the following commands in your terminal:

mkdir -p build-context/
printf 'echo Hello world!' > build-context/hello.sh
chmod +x build-context/hello.sh

Build and run the container based on the Dockerfile in the previous example by running the following command:

docker run $(wave -f Dockerfile --context build-context) sh -c hello.sh

Build a Singularity container

The Wave CLI supports building a Singularity. A target build repository, specified with the --build-repo argument, is required to build a Singularity container. You can build a Singularity container from several sources.

Build a Singularity container

• A SingularityCE def file
• A Docker container image with an optional local context directory
• Conda packages

The following limitations apply:

• The linux/arm64 platform is not currently supported

Related CLI arguments

The following arguments are used to build a Singularity container:

• --build-repo: A target repository to save the built container to.
• --freeze: Enable a container freeze.
• --singularity and -s: Build a Singularity container.
• --tower-token: A Seqera Platform auth token so that Wave can access your private registry credentials. Not required if the TOWER_ACCESS_TOKEN environment variable is set.
• --tower-workspace-id: A Seqera Platform workspace ID, such as 1234567890, where credentials may be stored.

Example usage

In the following example, a Docker base image is augmented:

wave -i alpine --layer context-dir/ --build-repo docker.io/user/repo

In the following example, a SingularityCE def file is specified:

wave -f hello-world.def --singularity --freeze --build-repo docker.io/user/repo

In the following example, two Conda packages are specified:

wave --conda-package bamtools=2.5.2 --conda-package samtools=1.17 --freeze --singularity --build-repo docker.io/user/repo

Build a container and freeze to a container registry

The Wave CLI supports building a container and persisting the container to a container registry, such as DockerHub. You can refer to this frozen container image in a Dockerfile or Nextflow pipeline in the same way as any other container.

Build a container and freeze to a container registry

To freeze a container, you must ensure the following conditions are met:

• You created a Seqera Platform access token.
• You specified the destination container registry credentials in Seqera Platform.
• You specify the Seqera Platform access token via either the TOWER_ACCESS_TOKEN environment variable or the --tower-token Wave command line option.

Related CLI arguments

The following arguments are used to freeze a container build:

• --build-repo: A target repository to save the built container to.
• --freeze: Enable a container freeze.
• --tower-token: A Seqera Platform auth token so that Wave can access your private registry credentials. Not required if the TOWER_ACCESS_TOKEN environment variable is set.
• --tower-workspace-id: A Seqera Platform workspace ID, such as 1234567890, where credentials may be stored.

Example usage

In the following example, the alpine container image is frozen to a private DockerHub image registry. The --tower-token argument is not required if the TOWER_ACCESS_TOKEN environment variable is defined.

wave -i alpine --freeze \
  --build-repo docker.io/user/repo --tower-token <TOKEN>