> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.shadeform.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Run Startup Script

### Intro

We can configure a bash startup script that automatically runs on a instance immediately after the instance becomes active.

### Example

We can configure a bash startup script using Shadeform's [Create Instance API](/api-reference/instances/instances-create).
In this example, we will run the script below once the instance becomes ready.

```bash Script theme={null}
#!/bin/bash
counter=1

# Infinite loop
while true; do
  echo $counter
  # Increment the counter
  ((counter++))
  # Wait for 3 seconds
  sleep 3
done
```

First, we must [Base64 encode](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base64) the script to preserve all special characters, whitespacing, and formatting of the script.
We recommend using [this tool](https://www.base64encode.org/) to base64 encode our script. After base64 encoding the script, you should get the following:

```bash Base64 Encoded Script theme={null}
IyEvYmluL2Jhc2gKY291bnRlcj0xCgojIEluZmluaXRlIGxvb3AKd2hpbGUgdHJ1ZTsgZG8KICBlY2hvICRjb3VudGVyCiAgIyBJbmNyZW1lbnQgdGhlIGNvdW50ZXIKICAoKGNvdW50ZXIrKykpCiAgIyBXYWl0IGZvciAzIHNlY29uZHMKICBzbGVlcCAzCmRvbmUK
```

After we have base64 encoded our script, we can create a new GPU instance with the startup script included in the `base64_script` property.

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash CLI theme={null}
  curl --request POST \
  --url 'https://api.shadeform.ai/v1/instances/create' \
  --header 'X-API-KEY: <api-key>' \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '{
    "cloud": "massedcompute",
    "region": "us-central-2",
    "shade_instance_type": "A6000",
    "shade_cloud": true,
    "name": "docker-example",
    "launch_configuration": {
      "type": "script",
      "script_configuration": {
        "base64_script": "IyEvYmluL2Jhc2gKY291bnRlcj0xCgojIEluZmluaXRlIGxvb3AKd2hpbGUgdHJ1ZTsgZG8KICBlY2hvICRjb3VudGVyCiAgIyBJbmNyZW1lbnQgdGhlIGNvdW50ZXIKICAoKGNvdW50ZXIrKykpCiAgIyBXYWl0IGZvciAzIHNlY29uZHMKICBzbGVlcCAzCmRvbmUK"
      }
    }
  }'
  ```

  ```python Python theme={null}
  Coming soon!
  ```

  ```golang Go theme={null}
  Coming soon!
  ```
</CodeGroup>

Once the instance is created, we can get the status and IP address of the instance by calling the [Instances API](/api-reference/instances/instances).
Once the instance is active, we can verify that the script ran correctly by SSHing into the instance and running:

```bash CLI theme={null}
journalctl -u init-script -f
```

### Security

The script provided is encrypted at rest.