How to use the command 'nmcli agent' (with examples)
The nmcli agent command is used to run nmcli as a NetworkManager secret agent or polkit agent. It provides the functionality to register nmcli as a secret agent and listen for secret requests, register nmcli as a polkit agent and listen for authorization requests, or register nmcli as both a secret agent and a polkit agent.
Use case 1: Register nmcli as a secret agent and listen for secret requests
Code:
nmcli agent secret
Motivation:
By registering nmcli as a secret agent, it can listen for secret requests and provide any necessary credentials or information for NetworkManager operations that require authentication.
Explanation:
The secret argument in the command is used to register nmcli as a secret agent. This allows nmcli to act as an agent for handling secret requests from NetworkManager.
Example output:
Secret agent registered successfully.
Listening for secret requests...
Use case 2: Register nmcli as a polkit agent and listen for authorization requests
Code:
nmcli agent polkit
Motivation:
Registering nmcli as a polkit agent allows it to listen for authorization requests, providing the necessary permissions for privileged operations that require polkit authentication.
Explanation:
The polkit argument is used to register nmcli as a polkit agent. This allows nmcli to act as an agent for handling authorization requests from NetworkManager.
Example output:
Polkit agent registered successfully.
Listening for authorization requests...
Use case 3: Register nmcli as a secret agent and a polkit agent
Code:
nmcli agent all
Motivation:
Registering nmcli as both a secret agent and a polkit agent allows it to handle both secret requests and authorization requests simultaneously, providing comprehensive agent functionality.
Explanation:
The all argument is used to register nmcli as both a secret agent and a polkit agent. This allows nmcli to act as an agent for handling both secret requests and authorization requests from NetworkManager.
Example output:
Secret agent and polkit agent registered successfully.
Listening for secret requests and authorization requests...
Conclusion:
The nmcli agent command provides the flexibility to register nmcli as either a secret agent, a polkit agent, or both, allowing it to handle secret requests and authorization requests for NetworkManager operations. This makes it a versatile tool for managing network configurations and authentication.
