# rpk shadow create

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/llms.txt). Component-specific: [cloud-data-platform-full.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform-full.txt)

---
title: rpk shadow create
latest-operator-version: v26.2.1
latest-console-tag: v3.10.0
latest-connect-version: 4.104.0
latest-redpanda-tag: v26.2.1
docname: rpk/rpk-shadow/rpk-shadow-create
page-component-name: cloud-data-platform
page-version: master
page-component-version: master
page-component-title: Cloud
page-relative-src-path: rpk/rpk-shadow/rpk-shadow-create.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/cloud-docs/edit/main/modules/reference/pages/rpk/rpk-shadow/rpk-shadow-create.adoc
description: Create a Redpanda Shadow Link. This command creates a Shadow Link using a configuration file that defines the connection details and synchronization settings.
page-git-created-date: "2025-12-12"
page-git-modified-date: "2026-08-11"
---

<!-- Source: https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/rpk/rpk-shadow/rpk-shadow-create.md -->

Create a Redpanda Shadow Link.

This command creates a Shadow Link using a configuration file that defines the connection details and synchronization settings.

Before you create a Shadow Link, generate a configuration file with `rpk shadow config generate` and update it with your source cluster details. The command prompts you to confirm the creation. Use the `--no-confirm` flag to skip the confirmation prompt.

When creating a Shadow Link for Redpanda Cloud, make sure to login and select the cluster where you want to create the Shadow Link before running this command. See `rpk cloud login` and `rpk cloud select`. For SCRAM authentication, store your password in the secrets store. See `rpk security secret --help` for more details.

After you create the Shadow Link, use `rpk shadow status` to monitor the replication progress.

When creating a shadow link in Redpanda Cloud, use the `--for-cloud` flag.

First log in and select the cluster where you want to create the shadow link before running this command. See [`rpk cloud login`](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/rpk/rpk-cloud/rpk-cloud-login/) and [`rpk cloud cluster select`](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/rpk/rpk-cloud/rpk-cloud-cluster-select/). For SCRAM authentication, store your password in the shadow cluster’s secrets store (using either the cluster’s secret store or [`rpk security secret`](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/rpk/rpk-security/rpk-security-secret/)), then reference it in your configuration file using `${secrets.SECRET_NAME}` syntax.

Before you create a shadow link, generate a configuration file with [`rpk shadow config generate`](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/rpk/rpk-shadow/rpk-shadow-config-generate/) and update it with your source cluster details.

After you create the shadow link, use [`rpk shadow status`](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/rpk/rpk-shadow/rpk-shadow-status/) to monitor the replication progress.

## [](#usage)Usage

```bash
rpk shadow create [flags]
```

## [](#examples)Examples

This section provides examples of how to use `rpk shadow create`.

Create a shadow link using a configuration file.

```bash
rpk shadow create --config-file shadow-link.yaml
```

Create a shadow link without a confirmation prompt.

```bash
rpk shadow create -c shadow-link.yaml --no-confirm
```

## [](#flags)Flags

| Value | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| -c, --config-file | string | Path to configuration file to use for the shadow link; use --help for details. |
| --no-confirm | bool | Disable confirmation prompt. |

## [](#global-flags)Global flags

| Value | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| --config | string | Redpanda or rpk config file; default search paths are ~/.config/rpk/rpk.yaml, $PWD/redpanda.yaml, and /etc/redpanda/redpanda.yaml. |
| -X, --config-opt | stringArray | Override rpk configuration settings; -X help for detail or -X list for terser detail. |
| --ignore-profile | bool | Ignore rpk.yaml and redpanda.yaml; use default settings. |
| --profile | string | rpk profile to use. |
| -v, --verbose | bool | Enable verbose logging. |