How to Use the Command 'bw' (with Examples)

The ‘bw’ command-line interface is a powerful tool for accessing and managing a Bitwarden vault directly from the terminal. Bitwarden is a secure, open-source password manager that enables users to store and manage their sensitive information such as passwords, secure notes, and more. By leveraging the ‘bw’ CLI, users can efficiently manage their vaults with automation scripts, bypassing the need for a graphical user interface.

Use Case 1: Log in to a Bitwarden User Account

Code:

bw login

Motivation:
Logging in is an essential step for accessing and managing items within your Bitwarden vault using the CLI. By logging in, you establish a secure session to authenticate with your Bitwarden account, enabling further actions such as searching for items or creating folders.

Explanation:
The command ‘bw login’ initiates the login process for a Bitwarden account. It prompts the user to enter their credentials: an email address and password. This securely authenticates the user and initiates a session with Bitwarden’s servers. This session is necessary for any subsequent commands that require access to the user’s stored information.

Example Output:

Enter Email address: user@example.com
Enter Master Password: 
You are logged in as user@example.com.

Use Case 2: Log out of a Bitwarden User Account

Code:

bw logout

Motivation:
Logging out of your Bitwarden session is an important step to ensure security, especially when using a shared or public terminal. Logging out protects your sensitive information from unauthorized access by terminating the authenticated session.

Explanation:
The command ‘bw logout’ severs the ongoing session by deactivating the current user authentication token. This makes it so future commands that require authentication will not succeed without logging in again.

Example Output:

You have been logged out.

Use Case 3: Search and Display Items from Bitwarden Vault

Code:

bw list items --search github

Motivation:
Sometimes, users need to quickly find a specific item within their Bitwarden vault without scrolling through an extensive list. This search functionality allows them to locate credentials or notes associated with a particular service like ‘github’ rapidly.

Explanation:
The command ‘bw list items’ is used to list all items in the user’s Bitwarden vault. Adding the ‘–search github’ argument filters this list to only include items that match the search term “github” in their name or any fields. It’s a useful way to narrow down results to relevant items.

Example Output:

[
  {
    "id": "abcd1234",
    "name": "GitHub",
    "login": {
      "username": "github_user",
      "password": "********"
    }
  }
]

Use Case 4: Display a Particular Item from Bitwarden Vault

Code:

bw get item github

Motivation:
When a user needs detailed information about a specific item in their vault, such as login credentials or Secure Notes, the ‘get item’ command provides everything stored for that item, allowing for easier copying or editing.

Explanation:
The command ‘bw get item’ followed by an item identifier (like a name or ID) retrieves the full details of that particular item from the vault. In this case, providing ‘github’ as the argument fetches the complete entry related to GitHub, displaying its properties like username and password.

Example Output:

{
  "id": "abcd1234",
  "name": "GitHub",
  "login": {
    "username": "github_user",
    "password": "********",
    "uris": []
  }
}

Use Case 5: Create a Folder in Bitwarden Vault

Code:

echo -n '{"name":"My Folder1"}' | base64 | bw create folder

Motivation:
As users accumulate more items in their vault, organizing them into folders becomes necessary to maintain clarity and ease of access. Creating folders to categorize items enhances organization within the Bitwarden vault.

Explanation:
The command begins with echo -n '{"name":"My Folder1"}', which constructs a JSON object defining the new folder’s name. This JSON is encoded in base64 format for secure transmission, ensured by the pipe | into the bw create folder command, which then interprets the data and creates a new folder in the vault with the specified name “My Folder1.”

Example Output:

{
  "object": "folder",
  "id": "folder-id-1234",
  "name": "My Folder1"
}

Conclusion:

The ‘bw’ command-line interface provides a streamlined, efficient way to manage a Bitwarden vault. Whether you’re logging in, searching for specific items, or organizing your vault with folders, the CLI offers robust options that can be especially useful for users who prefer the terminal or need to automate workflows. By using the examples and explanations above, users can harness the power of ‘bw’ to enhance how they interact with Bitwarden.