# How-To: kdb import

## Introduction

The kdb tool allows users to interact with Elektra’s Key Database via the command line.
This tutorial explains the import function of kdb. This command lets you import Keys from
the Elektra Key Database.

The command to use kdb import is:

```sh
kdb import [options] destination [format]
```

In this command, `destination` is where the imported Keys should be stored below. For
instance, `kdb import system/imported` would store all the keys below
`system/imported`. This command takes Keys from `stdin` to store them into the Elektra
Key Database. Typically, it is used with a pipe to read in the Keys from a file.

### Format

The format argument can be a very powerful option to use with kdb import.
The format argument allows a user to specify which plugin is used to import the
Keys into the Key Database. The user can specify any storage plugin to serve as the
format for the Keys to be imported. For instance, if a user wanted to import a `/etc/hosts`
file into KDB without mounting it, they could use the command `cat /etc/hosts | kdb import system/hosts hosts`.
This command would essentially copy the current hosts file into KDB, like mounting it. Unlike mounting it,
changes to the Keys would not be reflected in the hosts file and vise versa.

#### Dump Format

The dump does not rename keys by design. If a user exports a KeySet using dump
using a command such as `kdb export system/backup > backup.ecf`, they can only import that keyset back into
`system/backup` using a command like `cat backup.ecf | kdb import system/backup`.

## Options

The kdb import command only takes one special option `-s <name>` or alternatively `--strategy <name>`, which is used to specify a strategy.

## Example

```sh
cat backup.ecf | kdb import system/backup
```

This command would import all keys stored in the file `backup.ecf` into the Key Database under `system/backup`.

In this example, `backup.ecf` was exported from the KeySet using the dump format by using the command:

```sh
kdb export system/backup > backup.ecf
```

`backup.ecf` contains all the information about the keys below `system/backup`:

```sh
cat backup.ecf
#> kdbOpen 1
#> ksNew 3
#> keyNew 19 0
#> system/backup/key1
#> keyMeta 7 1
#> binary
#> keyEnd
#> keyNew 19 0
#> system/backup/key2
#> keyMeta 7 1
#> binary
#> keyEnd
#> keyNew 19 0
#> system/backup/key3
#> keyMeta 7 1
#> binary
#> keyEnd
#> ksEnd
```

Before the import command, `system/backup` does not exists and no keys are contained there.
After the import command, running the command `kdb ls system/backup` prints:

```
system/backup/key1
system/backup/key2
system/backup/key3
```
