redis

name	redis
description	Redis CLI client for cache and data store operations running inside a Docker container
runtime	docker

Redis Skill

Access Redis databases using the redis-cli client running inside a Docker container. Set/get keys, manage data structures, monitor performance, and perform cache operations without installing Redis locally.

Overview

This skill provides the redis-cli command-line client through a containerized runtime. Connect to any Redis instance (local or remote), execute commands, manipulate data structures, and manage your cache - all while keeping your host system clean.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Connect to Redis instances without local installation
• Set and get cached values
• Manage Redis data structures (strings, lists, sets, hashes, sorted sets)
• Monitor Redis performance and commands
• Test cache connections
• Debug caching issues
• Flush databases and manage keys
• Pub/Sub messaging operations
• Execute administrative commands

Prerequisites

Docker

The Redis client runs inside a Docker container:

# macOS (using Homebrew)
brew install --cask docker

# Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install docker.io
sudo systemctl start docker

Redis Server

You need access to a Redis server:

• Local Redis instance
• Remote Redis server
• Cloud-hosted Redis (AWS ElastiCache, Redis Cloud, Azure Cache, etc.)
• Docker Redis container

Configuration

Add to your .skill-engine.toml:

[skills.redis]
source = "docker:redis:7-alpine"
runtime = "docker"
description = "Redis CLI client"

[skills.redis.docker]
image = "redis:7-alpine"
entrypoint = "redis-cli"
network = "bridge"
memory = "128m"
rm = true

Configuration Explained

• image: redis:7-alpine - Redis 7.x Alpine image (~30MB)
• entrypoint: redis-cli - Redis command-line interface
• network: bridge - Allows connections to Redis servers (local and remote)
• memory: 128m - Limits container to 128MB RAM
• rm: true - Automatically removes container after execution

Usage

Redis skill uses pass-through syntax - all arguments after -- are passed directly to redis-cli:

skill run redis -- [redis-cli arguments] [COMMAND] [args...]

Connection Methods

Using Command-Line Arguments

# Connect to local Redis
skill run redis -- -h localhost

# Connect with specific port
skill run redis -- -h localhost -p 6379

# Connect to remote Redis
skill run redis -- -h redis.example.com -p 6379

# Connect with authentication
skill run redis -- -h localhost -a password

# Connect to specific database number
skill run redis -- -h localhost -n 1

Using Environment Variables

# Set Redis password
export REDISCLI_AUTH=your_password

# Connect with authentication
skill run redis -- -h localhost

Common Operations

String Operations

# Set a key
skill run redis -- -h localhost SET mykey "myvalue"

# Get a key
skill run redis -- -h localhost GET mykey

# Set with expiry (EX = seconds)
skill run redis -- -h localhost SET session:123 "data" EX 3600

# Set multiple keys
skill run redis -- -h localhost MSET key1 "value1" key2 "value2"

# Get multiple keys
skill run redis -- -h localhost MGET key1 key2

# Increment counter
skill run redis -- -h localhost INCR counter

# Decrement counter
skill run redis -- -h localhost DECR counter

# Append to string
skill run redis -- -h localhost APPEND mykey " more data"

# Get string length
skill run redis -- -h localhost STRLEN mykey

Key Management

# List all keys
skill run redis -- -h localhost KEYS "*"

# List keys with pattern
skill run redis -- -h localhost KEYS "user:*"

# Check if key exists
skill run redis -- -h localhost EXISTS mykey

# Delete key
skill run redis -- -h localhost DEL mykey

# Delete multiple keys
skill run redis -- -h localhost DEL key1 key2 key3

# Rename key
skill run redis -- -h localhost RENAME oldkey newkey

# Get key type
skill run redis -- -h localhost TYPE mykey

# Set expiration (seconds)
skill run redis -- -h localhost EXPIRE mykey 60

# Set expiration (milliseconds)
skill run redis -- -h localhost PEXPIRE mykey 60000

# Remove expiration
skill run redis -- -h localhost PERSIST mykey

# Get time to live
skill run redis -- -h localhost TTL mykey

# Get TTL in milliseconds
skill run redis -- -h localhost PTTL mykey

Hash Operations

# Set hash field
skill run redis -- -h localhost HSET user:1 name "John"

# Set multiple hash fields
skill run redis -- -h localhost HMSET user:1 name "John" email "[e-mail]" age 30

# Get hash field
skill run redis -- -h localhost HGET user:1 name

# Get multiple hash fields
skill run redis -- -h localhost HMGET user:1 name email

# Get all hash fields and values
skill run redis -- -h localhost HGETALL user:1

# Get all hash keys
skill run redis -- -h localhost HKEYS user:1

# Get all hash values
skill run redis -- -h localhost HVALS user:1

# Check if hash field exists
skill run redis -- -h localhost HEXISTS user:1 name

# Delete hash field
skill run redis -- -h localhost HDEL user:1 age

# Increment hash field
skill run redis -- -h localhost HINCRBY user:1 visits 1

List Operations

# Push to left (beginning)
skill run redis -- -h localhost LPUSH mylist "item1"

# Push to right (end)
skill run redis -- -h localhost RPUSH mylist "item2"

# Push multiple items
skill run redis -- -h localhost RPUSH mylist "item3" "item4" "item5"

# Get list length
skill run redis -- -h localhost LLEN mylist

# Get list range
skill run redis -- -h localhost LRANGE mylist 0 -1  # All items

# Get first N items
skill run redis -- -h localhost LRANGE mylist 0 9

# Get specific range
skill run redis -- -h localhost LRANGE mylist 5 10

# Pop from left
skill run redis -- -h localhost LPOP mylist

# Pop from right
skill run redis -- -h localhost RPOP mylist

# Get item by index
skill run redis -- -h localhost LINDEX mylist 0

# Set item by index
skill run redis -- -h localhost LSET mylist 0 "new value"

# Trim list
skill run redis -- -h localhost LTRIM mylist 0 99

Set Operations

# Add members to set
skill run redis -- -h localhost SADD myset "member1"

# Add multiple members
skill run redis -- -h localhost SADD myset "member2" "member3"

# Get all members
skill run redis -- -h localhost SMEMBERS myset

# Check if member exists
skill run redis -- -h localhost SISMEMBER myset "member1"

# Get set size
skill run redis -- -h localhost SCARD myset

# Remove member
skill run redis -- -h localhost SREM myset "member1"

# Pop random member
skill run redis -- -h localhost SPOP myset

# Get random member (without removing)
skill run redis -- -h localhost SRANDMEMBER myset

# Set intersection
skill run redis -- -h localhost SINTER set1 set2

# Set union
skill run redis -- -h localhost SUNION set1 set2

# Set difference
skill run redis -- -h localhost SDIFF set1 set2

Sorted Set Operations

# Add member with score
skill run redis -- -h localhost ZADD leaderboard 100 "player1"

# Add multiple members
skill run redis -- -h localhost ZADD leaderboard 85 "player2" 92 "player3"

# Get range by rank
skill run redis -- -h localhost ZRANGE leaderboard 0 -1

# Get range with scores
skill run redis -- -h localhost ZRANGE leaderboard 0 -1 WITHSCORES

# Get reverse range (highest first)
skill run redis -- -h localhost ZREVRANGE leaderboard 0 -1 WITHSCORES

# Get range by score
skill run redis -- -h localhost ZRANGEBYSCORE leaderboard 80 100

# Get member score
skill run redis -- -h localhost ZSCORE leaderboard "player1"

# Get member rank
skill run redis -- -h localhost ZRANK leaderboard "player1"

# Increment score
skill run redis -- -h localhost ZINCRBY leaderboard 5 "player1"

# Get sorted set size
skill run redis -- -h localhost ZCARD leaderboard

# Remove member
skill run redis -- -h localhost ZREM leaderboard "player1"

# Remove by rank range
skill run redis -- -h localhost ZREMRANGEBYRANK leaderboard 0 2

# Remove by score range
skill run redis -- -h localhost ZREMRANGEBYSCORE leaderboard 0 50

Pub/Sub Operations

# Subscribe to channel
skill run redis -- -h localhost SUBSCRIBE mychannel

# Subscribe to multiple channels
skill run redis -- -h localhost SUBSCRIBE channel1 channel2

# Subscribe to pattern
skill run redis -- -h localhost PSUBSCRIBE "news:*"

# Publish message
skill run redis -- -h localhost PUBLISH mychannel "Hello World"

# List active channels
skill run redis -- -h localhost PUBSUB CHANNELS

# Count subscribers
skill run redis -- -h localhost PUBSUB NUMSUB mychannel

Database Management

Select Database

# Switch to database 0 (default)
skill run redis -- -h localhost -n 0

# Switch to database 1
skill run redis -- -h localhost -n 1

# Select within session
skill run redis -- -h localhost SELECT 2

Flush Operations

# Flush current database
skill run redis -- -h localhost FLUSHDB

# Flush all databases
skill run redis -- -h localhost FLUSHALL

# Async flush (non-blocking)
skill run redis -- -h localhost FLUSHDB ASYNC

Monitoring & Administration

Server Information

# Get all server info
skill run redis -- -h localhost INFO

# Get specific section
skill run redis -- -h localhost INFO server
skill run redis -- -h localhost INFO memory
skill run redis -- -h localhost INFO stats
skill run redis -- -h localhost INFO replication
skill run redis -- -h localhost INFO cpu

# Get server config
skill run redis -- -h localhost CONFIG GET "*"

# Get specific config
skill run redis -- -h localhost CONFIG GET maxmemory

# Set config value
skill run redis -- -h localhost CONFIG SET maxmemory 100mb

Monitoring Commands

# Monitor all commands in real-time
skill run redis -- -h localhost MONITOR

# Get slow log
skill run redis -- -h localhost SLOWLOG GET 10

# Reset slow log
skill run redis -- -h localhost SLOWLOG RESET

# Get client list
skill run redis -- -h localhost CLIENT LIST

# Get current client name
skill run redis -- -h localhost CLIENT GETNAME

# Set client name
skill run redis -- -h localhost CLIENT SETNAME myapp

# Kill client
skill run redis -- -h localhost CLIENT KILL addr 127.0.0.1:6379

Performance & Statistics

# Get database size
skill run redis -- -h localhost DBSIZE

# Get last save time
skill run redis -- -h localhost LASTSAVE

# Measure command latency
skill run redis -- -h localhost --latency

# Continuous latency monitoring
skill run redis -- -h localhost --latency-history

# Benchmark
skill run redis -- -h localhost --stat

# Ping server
skill run redis -- -h localhost PING

Advanced Examples

Cache Pattern

# Check cache
skill run redis -- -h localhost GET cache:user:123

# If miss, set cache with TTL
skill run redis -- -h localhost SET cache:user:123 '{"name":"John"}' EX 300

# Delete cache
skill run redis -- -h localhost DEL cache:user:123

# Clear all cache keys
skill run redis -- -h localhost EVAL "return redis.call('del', unpack(redis.call('keys', 'cache:*')))" 0

Session Management

# Create session
skill run redis -- -h localhost SET session:abc123 '{"user_id":1,"email":"[e-mail]"}' EX 3600

# Get session
skill run redis -- -h localhost GET session:abc123

# Extend session TTL
skill run redis -- -h localhost EXPIRE session:abc123 3600

# Delete session
skill run redis -- -h localhost DEL session:abc123

Rate Limiting

# Simple rate limit (5 requests per minute)
skill run redis -- -h localhost INCR rate:user:123:minute
skill run redis -- -h localhost EXPIRE rate:user:123:minute 60

# Check rate limit
skill run redis -- -h localhost GET rate:user:123:minute

Distributed Locks

# Acquire lock
skill run redis -- -h localhost SET lock:resource:1 "token123" NX EX 30

# Release lock
skill run redis -- -h localhost DEL lock:resource:1

# Check lock
skill run redis -- -h localhost GET lock:resource:1

Batch Operations

Execute Multiple Commands

# Pipe commands to redis-cli
cat << EOF | skill run redis -- -h localhost
SET key1 "value1"
SET key2 "value2"
GET key1
EOF

# From file
skill run redis -- -h localhost < commands.txt

Scan Keys

# Scan keys (safer than KEYS for production)
skill run redis -- -h localhost SCAN 0 MATCH "user:*" COUNT 100

# Scan with cursor
skill run redis -- -h localhost SCAN 0
skill run redis -- -h localhost SCAN cursor MATCH "pattern*"

Security

Authentication

# Connect with password
skill run redis -- -h localhost -a your_password

# Or use environment variable
export REDISCLI_AUTH=your_password
skill run redis -- -h localhost

# Authenticate in session
skill run redis -- -h localhost AUTH your_password

ACL (Redis 6+)

# List users
skill run redis -- -h localhost ACL LIST

# Get current user
skill run redis -- -h localhost ACL WHOAMI

# Create user
skill run redis -- -h localhost ACL SETUSER alice on \>password ~cached:* +get

# Delete user
skill run redis -- -h localhost ACL DELUSER alice

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

# Test connection
skill run redis -- -h localhost PING

# Check server is running
docker ps | grep redis

# Verify port
telnet localhost 6379

Authentication Failed

# Check password
export REDISCLI_AUTH=correct_password
skill run redis -- -h localhost PING

# Or use -a flag
skill run redis -- -h localhost -a correct_password PING

Cannot Connect to Docker Network

# Connect to host Redis from container
# macOS/Windows: use host.docker.internal
skill run redis -- -h host.docker.internal

# Linux: use host IP
skill run redis -- -h 172.17.0.1

Performance Issues

# Check slow queries
skill run redis -- -h localhost SLOWLOG GET 10

# Check memory usage
skill run redis -- -h localhost INFO memory

# Check connected clients
skill run redis -- -h localhost CLIENT LIST

Common Errors

Error	Cause	Solution
"Connection refused"	Redis not running or wrong port	Check server status and port
"NOAUTH Authentication required"	Password needed	Use -a password or set REDISCLI_AUTH
"WRONGPASS invalid password"	Incorrect password	Verify password
"MOVED" or "ASK"	Redis Cluster redirect	Connect to correct node
"OOM command not allowed"	Out of memory	Check maxmemory setting

Redis CLI Options

Useful Flags

# Raw output (no formatting)
skill run redis -- -h localhost --raw GET mykey

# CSV output
skill run redis -- -h localhost --csv LRANGE mylist 0 -1

# Execute and exit
skill run redis -- -h localhost -c "SET key value"

# Repeat command N times
skill run redis -- -h localhost --repeat 5 PING

# Sleep between commands
skill run redis -- -h localhost --interval 1 --repeat 10 INFO stats

# Enable cluster mode
skill run redis -- -h localhost -c --cluster

# SSL/TLS connection
skill run redis -- -h localhost --tls --cacert ca.crt

Docker Image Details

• Image: redis:7-alpine
• Base: Alpine Linux
• Size: ~30MB
• Redis Version: 7.x
• Included Tools: redis-cli, redis-benchmark
• Platforms: linux/amd64, linux/arm64

Resources

• Redis Documentation
• Redis Commands Reference
• Redis CLI Documentation
• Redis Data Types
• Redis Pub/Sub
• Redis Patterns

Quick Reference

Essential Commands Table

Operation	Command
Connect	-h host -p port
Authenticate	-a password
Set key	SET key value
Get key	GET key
Set with TTL	SET key value EX seconds
Delete key	DEL key
List keys	KEYS pattern
Check exists	EXISTS key
Set expiry	EXPIRE key seconds
Get TTL	TTL key
Hash set	HSET hash field value
Hash get	HGET hash field
List push	RPUSH list value
List range	LRANGE list 0 -1
Set add	SADD set member
Sorted set add	ZADD zset score member
Publish	PUBLISH channel message
Subscribe	SUBSCRIBE channel
Server info	INFO
Monitor	MONITOR
Flush DB	FLUSHDB
Ping	PING