---
title: NETPLAN-GENERATE
section: 8
author:
- Daniel Axtens (<daniel.axtens@canonical.com>)
...

## NAME

`netplan-generate` - generate back-end configuration from Netplan YAML files

## SYNOPSIS

  **`netplan`** \[*--debug*\] **generate** **-h**|**--help**

  **`netplan`** \[*--debug*\] **generate** \[*--root-dir ROOT_DIR*\] \[*--mapping MAPPING*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**`netplan generate`** converts Netplan YAML into configuration files
understood by the back ends (**`systemd-networkd`**(8) or
**`NetworkManager`**(8)). It *does not* apply the generated
configuration.

You will not normally need to run this directly as it is run by
**`netplan apply`**, **`netplan try`**, or at boot.

Only if executed during the systemd `initializing` phase
(i.e. "Early boot, before `basic.target` is reached"), will
it attempt to start/apply the newly created service units.
**Requires feature: `generate-just-in-time*`*

For details of the configuration file format, see **`netplan`**(5).

## OPTIONS

`-h`, `--help`
:    Print basic help.

`--debug`
:    Print debugging output during the process.

`--root-dir` *`ROOT_DIR`*
:   Instead of looking in `/{lib,etc,run}/netplan`, look in
    `/ROOT_DIR/{lib,etc,run}/netplan`.

`--mapping` *`MAPPING`*
:   Instead of generating output files, parse the configuration files
    and print some internal information about the device specified in
    *`MAPPING`*.

## HANDLING MULTIPLE FILES

There are 3 locations that **`netplan generate`** considers:

 * `/lib/netplan/*.yaml`
 * `/etc/netplan/*.yaml`
 * `/run/netplan/*.yaml`

If there are multiple files with exactly the same name, then only one
will be read. A file in `/run/netplan` will shadow - completely replace
- a file with the same name in `/etc/netplan`. A file in `/etc/netplan`
will itself shadow a file in `/lib/netplan`.

Or, in other words, `/run/netplan` is top priority, then `/etc/netplan`,
with `/lib/netplan` having the lowest priority.

If there are files with different names, then they are considered in
lexicographical order - regardless of the directory they are in. Later
files add to or override earlier files. For example,
`/run/netplan/10-xyz.yaml` would be updated by `/lib/netplan/20-abc.yaml`.

If you have two files with the same key/setting, the following rules
apply:

 * If the values are YAML boolean or scalar values (numbers and
   strings) the old value is overwritten by the new value.

 * If the values are sequences, the sequences are concatenated - the
   new values are appended to the old list.

 * If the values are mappings, Netplan will examine the elements
   of the mappings in turn using these rules.

## SEE ALSO

  **`netplan`**(5), **`netplan-apply`**(8), **`netplan-try`**(8),
  **`systemd-networkd`**(8), **`NetworkManager`**(8)