Skip to main content
asymmetric spin <template...> [options]
Creates and starts one or more clones. Allocates an id and ports, ensures shared infra is up, creates and migrates the database, builds and starts the containers, waits for health, and records the clone. See what spin does, end to end.

​
Arguments

ArgumentRequiredDescription
<template...>yesOne or more template names. Pass several to spin a fleet.
The shipping templates are slack, stripe, linear, github, notion, and hubspot. Run asymmetric ls --templates to see them and the modes each supports.

​
Options

OptionDefaultDescription
-m, --mode <mode>template’s first modeWhich service set to run. Every template ships an api mode; slack additionally ships full (API + web UI).
-g, --group <name>noneAdd these clones to a named environment (creates it if new).
-s, --seed <fixture>noneSeed with a named fixture immediately after create.
--exposeoffPublish on all interfaces (0.0.0.0). Default is localhost-only (127.0.0.1).
--jsonoffOutput the created clones as JSON (suppresses the human summary cards).

​
Examples

Spin one clone: 
asymmetric spin slack

  ✓ slack-a1b2  (api)  http://127.0.0.1:3001/api  ready in 38.2s
    db clone_slack_a1b2 · env -
    bot token   xoxb-…
    user token  xoxp-…
Templates that expose an apps/provision surface (today, slack) auto-provision a default app on spin and print a bot + user token for programmatic access. Reprint them later with asymmetric tokens <id>. Templates without that surface simply omit the token lines. Spin with the full UI and a fixture, in one step: 
asymmetric spin slack --mode full --seed acme-corp
Spin several clones — even different templates — into one environment: 
asymmetric spin slack stripe --group workspace-1

  ✓ slack-a1b2  (api)  http://127.0.0.1:3001/api  ready in 38.2s
    db clone_slack_a1b2 · env workspace-1
  ✓ stripe-c3d4  (api)  http://127.0.0.1:3002/api  ready in 12.7s
    db clone_stripe_c3d4 · env workspace-1
Both clones become members of environment workspace-1; manage them as a unit with asymmetric env. Expose to other machines on your network (use with care): 
asymmetric spin slack --expose

​
The summary card

Each clone prints two lines: 
  ✓ <id>  (<mode>)  <endpoint>  ready in <n>s
    db <database> · env <environment>
The endpoint is the API URL if there is one, else the web URL, else (no endpoint). <environment> is the name passed with -g, or - if none. When you pass --seed, a seeded: <fixture> line is printed below. For templates that auto-provision an app, two more lines — bot token and user token — carry the credentials for programmatic access (shown once here; reprint with asymmetric tokens).

​
Partial failure

Templates are spun independently. If one fails, the others still come up and the failure is printed to stderr; the command exits 1: 
  ✓ slack-a1b2  (api)  http://127.0.0.1:3001/api  ready in 38.2s
    db clone_slack_a1b2 · env -
  ✗ figma: Unknown template "figma". List templates: asymmetric ls --templates
A clone that fails mid-create is rolled back automatically — containers and volumes removed, database dropped — so you never get a half-built clone.

​
Errors you might see

ErrorCause
DOCKER_UNAVAILABLEDocker isn’t running.
TEMPLATE_NOT_FOUNDNo template with that name.
NO_FREE_PORTSThe port range is exhausted; destroy a clone or widen it.
HEALTH_TIMEOUTThe backend didn’t become healthy in 90s. Check asymmetric logs <id>.
CLONE_START_FAILEDA create/migrate/compose step failed.
See the full error reference.