---
name: "shoelaces"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "shoelaces"
version: "1.3.2+ds-1+b14"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/shoelaces"
---

# shoelaces(8)

automated server bootstrapping

## NAME

shoelaces - automated server bootstrapping

## SYNOPSIS

**shoelaces** \[options...\]

## OPTIONS

- **-base-url** \<string\>

  Optional parameter. Specifies the base address that will be used when generating URLs. If it's not specified, the value of "-bind-addr" will be used.

- **-bind-addr** \<host:port\>

  The address where Shoelaces will listen for requests. Defaults to "localhost:8081".

- **-config** \<config\>

  Specifies a config file. All the following options can be specified in the config.

- **-data-dir** \<directory\>

  Specifies a directory with mappings, configs, templates, etc.

- **-debug**

  Enables debug mode.

- **-env-dir** \<directory\>

  Specifies a directory with environment overrides. Refer to the README of the project for more information about environment overrides.

- **-mappings-file** \<file\>

  Specifies a mappings YAML file. Defaults to "mappings.yaml". Refer to the README of the project for more information about mappings.

- **-static-dir** \<directory\>

  Specifies a custom web directory with static files. Defaults to "web".

- **-template-extension** \<extension\>

  Shoelaces template extension. Defaults to ".slc".

## DESCRIPTION

Shoelaces serves over HTTP iPXE boot scripts, cloud-init configuration, and any other configuration files to baremetal or virtual machines booting using iPXE. It also does a few other things to make easier managing server deployments:

- •

  Has a simple but nice UI to show the current configuration, and history of servers that booted.

- •

  Uses Go templates to handle complex configurations.

- •

  Allows specifying the boot entry point for a given server based on its IP address or DNS PTR record.

- •

  Supports the notion of environments for Development and Production environment configurations, while trying to minimize template duplication.

- •

  Puts unknown servers into iPXE script boot retry loop, while at the same time showing them in the UI allowing the user to select a specific boot configuration.

Shoelaces is better when used along a DHCP server. Refer to the **CONFIGURATION** section for examples on how to configure a DHCP server for hooking it with Shoelaces.

## CONFIGURATION

Shoelaces searches for a config file whenever the **-config** flag is specified.

Here is example config file:

```
bind-addr=localhost:8081
data-dir=/etc/shoelaces/data-dir/
template-extension=.slc
mappings-file=mappings.yaml
debug=true
```

[**dhcpd**(8)](/dhcpd/8.md) can be hooked with Shoelaces by adding the following snippet in [**dhcpd.conf**(5)](/dhcpd.conf/5.md):

```
# dhcp.conf
next-server <your-tftp-server>;
if exists user-class and option user-class = "iPXE" {
  filename "http://<shoelaces-server>/start";
} else {
  filename "undionly.kpxe";
}
```

Similarly, [**dnsmasq**(8)](/dnsmasq/8.md) can be configured for working with Shoelaces with the following snippet:

```
dhcp-match=set:ipxe,175 # iPXE sends a 175 option.
dhcp-boot=tag:!ipxe,undionly.kpxe
dhcp-boot=http://<shoelaces-server>/start
```

A TFTP server such as [**tftpd**(8)](/tftpd/8.md) must be configured to serve the iPXE executable, **undionly.kpxe**.

## SEE ALSO

[**dhcpd**(8)](/dhcpd/8.md) [**dhcpd.conf**(5)](/dhcpd.conf/5.md) [**dnsmasq**(8)](/dnsmasq/8.md) [**tftpd**(8)](/tftpd/8.md)

## AUTHORS

Maintained by ThousandEyes Inc. \<opensource@thousandeyes.com\>.

Up-to-date sources can be found at https://github.com/thousandeyes/shoelaces.

Bugs reports and patches can be submitted via GitHub's interface or contacting the maintainers directly via email.