---
layout: docs
page_title: server - Command
description: |-
  The `server` command starts a server (controller, worker, or both) with a configuration file.
---

# server

Command: `boundary server`

The `server` command starts a server with a configuration file.
You can use it to start a controller, worker, or both.
Refer to the [configuration](/boundary/docs/configuration) page to learn more about configuring Boundary.

## Examples

The following example starts the worker server by providing the full path to the worker config file, `/home/ubuntu/boundary/downstream-worker.hcl`:

```shell-session
$ boundary server -config="/home/ubuntu/boundary/downstream-worker.hcl"
```

**Example output:**

<CodeBlockConfig hideClipboard>

```shell-session
==> Boundary server configuration:

                               Cgo: disabled
                        Listener 1: tcp (addr: "0.0.0.0:9202", max_request_duration: "1m30s", purpose: "proxy")
                         Log Level: info
                             Mlock: supported: true, enabled: false
                           Version: Boundary v0.13.0+ent
                       Version Sha: d8aaf3500f65fb7d605d27db232457fe3a26bf43
        Worker Auth Current Key Id: harddisk-stunt-serve-shininess-essay-courier-manger-deface
  Worker Auth Registration Request: GzusqckarbczHoLGQ4UA25uSRvw33DNChURoR2CF1BXRUm7frqLSncV64LeYWxQDCstE25Vj6QSBQ1aGh8BUo1dnz899rt3LgktzRGU4vWYcHmvPQKpsSUTJqA42nJxBfpxopKyCvzxZNxgbTSw5BNN9BUsnoy58niY5ui38NhKPKdmKjVDoU4TRVd4Bvti4F2H5C8pBB3qhY6qyeaSRoKjDcEzdTa7S3JicVzbtmfWnfyMLTJ21jRypH2S5haK4RBhFP319mw6DYNhVo7opBkBoW2FaaJbeowGj8b5wFX
          Worker Auth Storage Path: /home/ubuntu/boundary/worker2
          Worker Public Proxy Addr: 44.204.92.85:9202

==> Boundary server started! Log data will stream in below:
...
```

</CodeBlockConfig>


## Usage

<CodeBlockConfig hideClipboard>

```shell-session
$ boundary server -config=/etc/boundary/controller.hcl
```

</CodeBlockConfig>


### Command options

- `-config` `(string: "")` - The path to the configuration file.
If you use HCL formatting, you can specify multiple configuration files.

- `-config-kms` `(string: "")` - The path to a configuration file that contains a "kms"
   block marked for `config` purpose.
   The kms block decrypts the main configuration file.
   If you do not set a kms block, Boundary looks for the kms block in the main
   configuration file, which has some drawbacks; see the help output for
   "boundary config encrypt -h" for details.

- `-log-format` `(string: "")` - The log format to use, mostly as a fallback for events.
   Supported values are `standard` and `json`.

- `-log-level` `(string: "")` - The log verbosity level to use, mostly as a fallback for
   events. The following values are supported, in order of more detail to less.

   - `trace`
   - `debug`
   - `info`
   - `warn`
   - `err`

   You can also be specify log verbosity level using the **BOUNDARY_LOG_LEVEL** environment variable.