---
title: "vakna try"
description: "Run a public repo's tests in a trial box, no account."
command: "vakna try"
generated: scripts/generate.ts
verified:
  cli: "0.0.0-mock"
  date: "2026-10-20"
---

`vakna try`: run a public repo's tests in a trial box, no account. Proposed: the real CLI doesn't have this command yet.

## Synopsis

```sh
vakna try <repo> [-- <command>]
```

## Flags

| Flag | Default | What it does |
| -- | -- | -- |
| `--format <format>` | `text` | text, or json: one JSON object per line |
| `--json` | `off` | the same as --format json |
| `-h, --help` | `off` | this help |

## Examples

### Example

```sh
$ vakna try github.com/acme/api
```

```prints
trial box acme-api · no account · lives 60 min
created acme-api · started in 0.41s · cold boot
cloned acme/api through Vakna's proxy · 214 files 1.80s
ran npm ci through the proxy cache 6.07s
48 passed, 0 failed
ran npm test · exit 0 31.90s
receipt
sbx_eu1a_a1b2c3d4                                                         mocked
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
started in  0.41s · cold boot
ran         npm test · exit 0                                             31.90s
wall clock                                                                46.80s
cost                                                     trial, you paid nothing
keep this box: vakna claim acme-api  # a trial box lives 60 min
```

Exit code 0.

### Another example

```sh
$ vakna try github.com/acme/api -- npm run test:unit
```

```prints
trial box acme-api · no account · lives 60 min
created acme-api · started in 0.41s · cold boot
cloned acme/api through Vakna's proxy · 214 files 1.80s
ran npm ci through the proxy cache 6.07s
48 passed, 0 failed
ran npm run test:unit · exit 0 31.90s
receipt
sbx_eu1a_a1b2c3d4                                                         mocked
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
started in  0.41s · cold boot
ran         npm run test:unit · exit 0                                    31.90s
wall clock                                                                46.80s
cost                                                     trial, you paid nothing
keep this box: vakna claim acme-api  # a trial box lives 60 min
```

Exit code 0.

### When it fails

```sh
$ vakna try
```

```prints
vakna: missing a repo
hint: vakna try --help  # try clones a public repo
```

Exit code 2.

## Exit codes

| Code | Meaning |
| -- | -- |
| 0 | ok |
| 2 | usage: a missing argument, an unknown flag or command |
| 255 | vakna failed under shell, run, try or fork |

## JSON output

With `--format json` (or `--json`) every line is one JSON object. `v` is the format's version; `mocked` marks numbers from the mock.

```sh
$ vakna try github.com/acme/api --json
```

```prints
{"v":1,"event":"trial","box":"acme-api","id":"sbx_eu1a_01JB82T5V6W7X8Y9Z0A1B2C3D4","lifetimeMs":3600000,"mocked":true}
{"v":1,"event":"created","box":"acme-api","id":"sbx_eu1a_01JB82T5V6W7X8Y9Z0A1B2C3D4","ms":405,"from":"cold","mocked":true}
{"v":1,"event":"cloned","box":"acme-api","repo":"acme/api","files":214,"via":"proxy","ms":1800,"mocked":true}
{"v":1,"event":"installed","box":"acme-api","command":"npm ci","via":"proxy-cache","ms":6065,"mocked":true}
48 passed, 0 failed
{"v":1,"event":"ran","box":"acme-api","id":"sbx_eu1a_01JB82T5V6W7X8Y9Z0A1B2C3D4","command":"npm test","exit":0,"ms":31900,"mocked":true}
{"v":1,"event":"receipt","receipt":{"kind":"box","id":"sbx_eu1a_01JB82T5V6W7X8Y9Z0A1B2C3D4","startedAt":"2026-10-17T20:00:05Z","endedAt":"2026-10-17T20:00:51.800Z","readyInMs":405,"startedFrom":"cold","forks":null,"wallClockMs":46800,"ran":{"command":"npm test","exitCode":0,"ms":31900},"snapshot":null,"costMicros":0,"trial":true,"mocked":true},"mocked":true}
{"v":1,"event":"claim_hint","box":"acme-api","command":"vakna claim acme-api","trialEndsInMs":3600000,"mocked":true}
```

## Errors

- [`vakna: unknown command, unknown flag or missing argument`](https://vakna.com/docs/errors/usage): Run `vakna <command> --help` and fix the command line it points to.

## --help

This page and the help text come from one definition.

```prints
vakna try · run a public repo's tests in a trial box, no account
Proposed: the real CLI doesn't have this command yet.

usage
  vakna try <repo> [-- <command>]

flags
  --format <format>  text, or json: one JSON object per line  (default: text)
  --json             the same as --format json  (default: off)
  -h, --help         this help  (default: off)

examples
  vakna try github.com/acme/api
  vakna try github.com/acme/api -- npm run test:unit

exit codes
  0    ok
  2    usage: a missing argument, an unknown flag or command
  255  vakna failed under shell, run, try or fork
```