| name | manage-instances |
| description | Manage Vast.ai GPU instances — show status, start, stop, destroy, SSH, execute commands, view logs, copy files, take snapshots. Use when the user wants to check on, connect to, transfer files, or control their GPU instances. |
| argument-hint | [action or instance-id] |
| allowed-tools | Bash |
Manage Vast.ai Instances
Help the user manage their GPU instances on Vast.ai.
User Request
$ARGUMENTS
Available Actions
Show Instances
vastai show instances
vastai show instances --raw
vastai show instance <ID> --raw
Start / Stop / Reboot / Destroy
vastai start instance <ID>
vastai stop instance <ID>
vastai reboot instance <ID>
vastai recycle instance <ID>
vastai destroy instance <ID>
Batch: start instances, stop instances, destroy instances take multiple IDs.
Always confirm destroy with the user — it is irreversible.
Labels & Updates
vastai label instance <ID> '<LABEL>'
vastai update instance <ID> --label '<NEW>'
vastai bid instance <ID> --price <$/hr>
vastai prepay instance <ID> <AMOUNT>
SSH Connection
vastai ssh-url <ID>
SCP File Transfer
vastai scp-url <ID>
Copy (rsync-based)
vastai copy local:./data C.<ID>:/workspace/data
vastai copy C.<ID>:/workspace/results local:./results
vastai copy C.<ID1>:/data C.<ID2>:/data
vastai cancel copy C.<ID>:/path
Execute (API-based, limited)
vastai execute <ID> 'ls -l /workspace'
Logs
vastai logs <ID>
vastai logs <ID> --tail 50
vastai logs <ID> --filter 'ERROR'
vastai logs <ID> --daemon-logs
Snapshots
vastai snapshot instance <ID> --repo <DOCKERHUB_REPO> [--tag <TAG>]
Scheduled Operations
vastai reboot instance <ID> --schedule DAILY --hour 3
vastai bid instance <ID> --price 0.5 --schedule WEEKLY --day 1
vastai show scheduled-jobs
vastai delete scheduled-job <ID>
Instance Statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|
created | Just created, initializing |
scheduling | Waiting for resources |
running | Active and accessible |
exited | Container exited (check logs) |
stopped | Paused by user |
offline | Machine went offline |
Cost Awareness
When showing instances, note:
- $/hr rate for each instance
- Uptime duration
- Remind users to destroy idle instances