---
layout: commands
page_title: 'Commands: Intention Create'
description: >-
  The `consul intention create` command creates and updates L4 service intentions. It was deprecated in Consul v1.9.0; use `consul config` instead.
---

# Consul Intention Create

-> **Deprecated** - This command is deprecated in Consul 1.9.0 in favor of
using the [config entry CLI command](/consul/commands/config/write). To create an
intention, create or modify a
[`service-intentions`](/consul/docs/reference/config-entry/service-intentions) config
entry for the destination.

Command: `consul intention create`

Corresponding HTTP API Endpoint: [\[POST\] /v1/connect/intentions](/consul/api-docs/connect/intentions#create-intention-with-id)

The `intention create` command creates or updates an L4 intention.

The table below shows this command's [required ACLs](/consul/api-docs/api-structure#authentication). Configuration of
[blocking queries](/consul/api-docs/features/blocking) and [agent caching](/consul/api-docs/features/caching)
are not supported from commands, but may be from the corresponding HTTP endpoint.

| ACL Required                   |
| ------------------------------ |
| `intentions:write`<p> Define intention rules in the `service` policy. Refer to [ACL requirements for intentions](/consul/docs/connect/intentions/create-manage-intentions#acl-requirements) for additional information.</p> |

## Usage

- `consul intention create [options] SRC DST`
- `consul intention create [options] -file FILE...`

`SRC` and `DST` can both take [several forms](/consul/commands/intention#source-and-destination-naming).

#### Command Options

- `-allow` - Set the action to "allow" for intentions. This is the default.

- `-deny` - Set the action to "deny" for intentions. This cannot be specified
  with `-allow`.

- `-file` - Read intention data one or more files specified by the command
  line arguments, instead of source/destination pairs.

- `-meta key=value` - Specify arbitrary KV metadata to associate with the
  intention.

- `-replace` - Replace any matching intention. The replacement is done
  atomically per intention.

#### Enterprise Options

@include 'legacy/cli-http-api-partition-options.mdx'

@include 'legacy/http_api_namespace_options.mdx'

#### API Options

@include 'legacy/http_api_options_client.mdx'

## Examples

Create an intention `web => db`:

```shell-session
$ consul intention create web db
```

Create intentions from a set of files:

```shell-session
$ consul intention create -file one.json two.json
```

Create intentions from a directory using shell expansion:

```shell-session
$ consul intention create -file intentions/*.json
```
