---
title: "Quick Start"
description: "Getting started with nctl, the Nirmata CLI"
diataxis: tutorial
applies_to:
  product: "nctl"
audience: ["developer","platform-engineer"]
last_updated: 2026-04-16
url: https://docs.nirmata.io/docs/nctl/getting-started/
---


> **Applies to:** nctl 4.0 and later

The Nirmata Controller (`nctl`) is a command line application that makes it easy to scan Kubernetes, Terraform, Dockerfiles and other resources for misconfigurations using default or custom Kyverno policy sets.

You can use `nctl` to apply policies and **shift-left** by applying policies to Kubernetes and IaC resources directly in your code repositories, or to scan Kubernetes clusters without installing a policy engine as an admission controller in each cluster.

## Install nctl

Install  `nctl` using Homebrew:

```sh
brew tap nirmata/tap
brew install nctl
```

For more installation options, refer to the [installation guide](./installation.md).

## Scan a Kubernetes Cluster

To scan a Kubernetes Cluster and publish the report, run:

```sh
nctl scan kubernetes --cluster --publish
```text

This command will scan your cluster using default policy sets (Pod Security Standards, RBAC Best Practices, and Kubernetes Best Practices) and publish a shareable report to Nirmata Control Hub. An email will be required to sign-in.

To view additional options and detailed examples, run:

```sh
nctl scan kubernetes --help
```text

## Scan a repository

To scan a Git repository, run:

```sh
nctl scan repository https://github.com/nirmata/demo-resources
```text

To scan manifests in the current repository, run:

```sh
nctl scan repository .
```text

For more information and examples, run:

```sh
nctl scan repository --help
```text

## Login to the Nirmata Control Hub
To interact with the Nirmata Control Hub, you should first login to your account.

```bash
nctl login
```text

**Note**: Enter the right URL, email address, and the API Key associated with your account. The API Key can be generated by logging into your Nirmata account and navigating to the `Settings -> Profile` tab. Upon successful login, you should see this line in the output: `Validating user credentials...done!`. The configuration is written to `~/.nirmata/config`


## Commands Help

For the available commands and details for each command, refer to the [Commands](./commands/) section.

To learn more about the commands and different arguments supported, you can also view the command help.
Here are a few examples.

```bash
nctl help
nctl scan --help
```text