> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://vastai-80aa3a82-docs-screenshot-updates.mintlify.site/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # create template > Creates a new template for launching instances. Templates store default configuration values that can be used when creating instances. When an instance is created with a template reference, template values serve as defaults that can be overridden by request parameters. For detailed usage, see [Creating and Using Templates with API](/api-reference/creating-and-using-templates-with-api). CLI Usage: `vastai create template --name --image [options]` ## OpenAPI ````yaml /api-reference/openapi.yaml post /api/v0/template/ openapi: 3.1.0 info: title: Vast.ai API description: >- Vast.ai REST API for managing GPU cloud instances, machine operations, and AI/ML workflows. ## AI Agent Quick-Start Install the CLI skill for your agent (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, etc.): npx skills add vast-ai/vast-cli CLI reference: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vast-ai/vast-cli/master/vastai/SKILL.md SDK reference: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vast-ai/vast-cli/master/vastai_sdk/SKILL.md ## Auth All endpoints require `Authorization: Bearer $VAST_API_KEY`. Get your key at: https://cloud.vast.ai/manage-keys/ ## Key Quirks - `gpu_ram` in CLI = GB; in REST API = MB (CLI auto-converts) - SSH keys must be registered BEFORE creating an instance (VM: no recovery; Docker: can add post-create) - `onstart` field is limited to 4048 characters -- gzip+base64 for longer scripts - `POST /api/v0/asks/{id}/` (create instance) returns `new_contract` as the instance ID, not `id` - Poll trap: if `actual_status` becomes `exited`, `unknown`, or `offline` it will never reach `running` -- destroy and retry version: 1.0.0 contact: name: Vast.ai Support url: https://discord.gg/vast servers: - url: https://console.vast.ai description: Production server security: - BearerAuth: [] paths: /api/v0/template/: post: tags: - Templates summary: create template description: >- Creates a new template for launching instances. Templates store default configuration values that can be used when creating instances. When an instance is created with a template reference, template values serve as defaults that can be overridden by request parameters. For detailed usage, see [Creating and Using Templates with API](/api-reference/creating-and-using-templates-with-api). CLI Usage: `vastai create template --name --image [options]` requestBody: required: true content: application/json: schema: type: object required: - name - image properties: name: type: string default: Example Template description: Name of the template image: type: string default: vastai/base-image description: >- Docker image path. Used when launching instances from this template. tag: type: string default: latest description: > Docker image tag specifying version of the image. Defaults to `latest`. Can also be included in the `image` field instead. env: type: string description: > Environment variables and port mappings in Docker flag format. Example: `"-e HF_TOKEN=hf_xxx123456789 -e MODEL_ID=TheBloke/Llama-2-7B-Chat-GPTQ -p 8000:8000"` onstart: type: string description: > Commands to run when instance starts Example : `env | grep _ >> /etc/environment; echo 'starting up'` runtype: type: string enum: - ssh - jupyter - args default: args description: > Launch mode for the instance. Defaults to `args`. Recommended - use `ssh` with `ssh_direct: true` for reliable SSH access. ssh_direct: type: boolean description: Enable direct SSH connection jup_direct: type: boolean description: Enable direct Jupyter connection jupyter_dir: type: string description: | Directory to launch Jupyter from Example : `/home/notebooks` use_jupyter_lab: type: boolean description: Use JupyterLab instead of Jupyter Notebook docker_login_repo: type: string description: Name of the private Docker repo (i.e docker.io) docker_login_user: type: string description: Username for private Docker repo docker_login_pass: type: string description: Access token or password for private Docker repo. extra_filters: type: object description: > Additional machine search filters. Example: `{"cuda_max_good": {"gte": 12.6}}` recommended_disk_space: type: number description: >- Recommended disk space in GB. Defaults to 8GB if not specified. desc: type: string description: Short description of the template readme: type: string description: Longer documentation/readme content for the template args_str: type: string description: >- Arguments string passed to the container entrypoint when runtype is `args` use_ssh: type: boolean description: Enable SSH access to instances created from this template href: type: string description: Link to Docker Hub or image documentation repo: type: string description: Repository identifier (e.g., `library/ubuntu`) private: type: boolean description: Whether the template is private (not publicly searchable) volume_info: type: object nullable: true description: > UI hint for volume configuration. Note: This does not affect instance creation - use `volume_info` in the instance creation request to actually attach volumes. hash_id: type: string description: >- Content-based hash ID of the template. Can be included when editing but will change based on new content. example: name: Example Template image: vastai/base-image tag: latest env: '-e MY_VAR=value -p 8000:8000' runtype: ssh ssh_direct: true responses: '200': description: Template created or existing template found content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: success: type: boolean description: Whether operation was successful msg: type: string description: Status message example: 'Template Created Successfully! New Template ID: 123456' template: type: object description: Template details properties: name: type: string description: Template name id: type: integer description: Template ID hash_id: type: string description: Template hash identifier '400': description: Bad request - invalid parameters content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: success: type: boolean example: false error: type: string example: invalid_args msg: type: string example: Template name is required '401': description: Unauthorized - invalid or missing API key '429': description: Rate limit exceeded security: - BearerAuth: [] components: securitySchemes: BearerAuth: type: http scheme: bearer description: API key must be provided in the Authorization header ````