| name | machine-setup |
| description | Configure and manage MorphCloud microVMs. Use when the user asks about microVMs, cloud instances, or mentions Morph/morph.so. Covers instance lifecycle (start/stop/pause/resume), snapshots, SSH access, file transfers, and HTTP exposure. |
Machine Setup
Manage MorphCloud microVMs using the morphcloud CLI.
Quick Start
Run the setup script to ensure the CLI is installed and get a full command map:
bash scripts/ensure-morphcloud.sh
Important: This script is bundled with this skill. Resolve the path relative to this skill's directory before executing (e.g., if this skill is at .claude/skills/machine-setup/, run bash .claude/skills/machine-setup/scripts/ensure-morphcloud.sh).
Environment
Set MORPH_API_KEY before running commands:
export MORPH_API_KEY="morph_xxx"
CLI Reference
Core Concepts
- Image: Base OS image (Ubuntu, etc.)
- Snapshot: Saved VM state (image + config + disk state)
- Instance: Running VM from a snapshot
Common Workflows
Create a new VM:
# List available images
morphcloud image list
# Create snapshot from image
morphcloud snapshot create --image-id <image_id> --vcpus 2 --memory 4096 --disk-size 10240
# Start instance from snapshot
morphcloud instance start <snapshot_id>
Connect to instance:
# Interactive SSH
morphcloud instance ssh <instance_id>
# Run command
morphcloud instance exec <instance_id> -- ls -la
# Copy files
morphcloud instance copy ./local.txt <instance_id>:/remote/path/
morphcloud instance copy <instance_id>:/remote/file.log ./local/
Expose HTTP service:
morphcloud instance expose-http <instance_id> myservice 8080
Instance lifecycle:
morphcloud instance pause <instance_id> # Preserve state
morphcloud instance resume <instance_id> # Resume paused
morphcloud instance stop <instance_id> # Terminate
Save state:
morphcloud instance snapshot <instance_id>
Command Groups
| Group | Purpose |
|---|---|
instance |
Manage running VMs (start, stop, ssh, exec, copy) |
snapshot |
Manage saved VM states |
image |
List base images |
user |
Manage API keys and SSH keys |