---
title: Usage
description: Chat, send a file, or pipe any command between two machines. One side listens and prints a ticket, and the other connects with it.
---

One side listens and prints a ticket; the other pastes it. The session ends
when both sides have sent everything, or when either side hits Ctrl-C.

## Chat

Run minipaw in a terminal on both machines and type on either side:

```sh
minipaw                       # A: prints a ticket
minipaw <ticket>              # B: connects
```

## Send a file

```sh
minipaw > report.pdf          # A: receive
minipaw <ticket> < report.pdf # B: send
```

Either side can listen. Sending from the listener works just as well:

```sh
minipaw < big.iso             # A: send; prints a ticket
minipaw <ticket> > big.iso    # B: receive
```

## Any pipe

Anything that reads stdin or writes stdout works:

```sh
tar cz dir/ | minipaw         # A
minipaw <ticket> | tar xz     # B
```

## Output and status

Status goes to stderr, so redirecting stdout captures only the data. How it's
shown depends on where the streams point; see [Terminal UI](/docs/terminal-ui).

| Flag                  | Effect                                                               |
| --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `-v`, `--verbose`     | Log connection progress to stderr.                                   |
| `-q`, `--quiet`       | Print nothing on stderr but a fatal error.                           |
| `--plain`             | Plain `#` status lines instead of the terminal UI.                   |
| `--relay <MULTIADDR>` | Listen through another relay. See [Your own relay](/docs/relay).     |
| `--identity <PATH>`   | Listen with the same ticket every run. See [Tickets](/docs/tickets). |

`minipaw parse <ticket>` shows what a ticket contains.

## Exit status

| Code  | Meaning                                          |
| ----- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| `0`   | Both directions finished and were confirmed.     |
| `1`   | Any error, including the other side hitting one. |
| `130` | Ctrl-C.                                          |

## Environment

| Variable        | Effect                                                                                                                         |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `MINIPAW_RELAY` | Relay to use when `--relay` isn't given. Empty means the built-in relay.                                                       |
| `MINIPAW_HOME`  | Where `minipaw ticket` and `minipaw serve` keep `serve.key`. Defaults to `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/minipaw`, else `~/.config/minipaw`. |