---
title: "Copy a project into a box"
description: "Send your working directory into a box with tar over vakna shell, with no upload step."
order: 9
verified:
  cli: "0.0.0-mock"
  date: "2026-10-20"
---

Pipe a tar of the directory into `vakna shell <box> -- tar x`: the box reads it from stdin, the way any command does.

## How do I copy my working directory into a box?

```sh
$ tar c . | vakna shell api -- tar x -C /src
```

```prints
ran tar x -C /src · exit 0 0.40s
```

## How do I use a new box for it?

```sh
$ box=$(vakna create) && tar c . | vakna shell "$box" -- tar x -C /src
```

```prints
created box-1 · started in 0.41s · cold boot
ran tar x -C /src · exit 0 0.40s
```

`vakna create` prints only the box's name on stdout, so `$(vakna create)` captures it.