# rpk shadow describe

> 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 describe
latest-operator-version: v26.2.1
latest-console-tag: v3.10.0
latest-connect-version: 4.105.0
latest-redpanda-tag: v26.2.1
docname: rpk/rpk-shadow/rpk-shadow-describe
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-describe.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/cloud-docs/edit/main/modules/reference/pages/rpk/rpk-shadow/rpk-shadow-describe.adoc
description: Describe one or more shadow links. For Redpanda Cloud, <code>rpk</code> uses the Redpanda ID of the cluster you are currently logged in to.
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-describe.md -->

Describe one or more shadow links. For Redpanda Cloud, `rpk` uses the Redpanda ID of the cluster you are currently logged in to.

This command shows the Shadow Link configuration, including connection settings, synchronization options, and filters. By default, the command displays the overview and client configuration sections. Use the flags to display additional sections such as topic synchronization, consumer offset synchronization, and security synchronization settings.

Using the `--format` flag with JSON or YAML outputs the full configuration in the specified format, ignoring section flags.

The command uses the Redpanda ID of the cluster you are currently logged into. To use a different cluster, either log in and create a profile for it, or use the `--redpanda-id` flag to specify it directly.

## [](#usage)Usage

```bash
rpk shadow describe <link_name> [flags]
```

## [](#examples)Examples

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

Describe a shadow link with default sections (overview and client).

```bash
rpk shadow describe my-shadow-link
```

Display all configuration sections.

```bash
rpk shadow describe my-shadow-link --print-all
```

Display specific sections.

```bash
rpk shadow describe my-shadow-link --print-overview --print-topic
```

Display only the client configuration.

```bash
rpk shadow describe my-shadow-link -c
```

## [](#flags)Flags

| Value | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| --format | string | Output format (json,yaml,text,wide,help). |
| -a, --print-all | bool | Print all sections. |
| -c, --print-client | bool | Print the client configuration section. |
| -r, --print-consumer | bool | Print the detailed consumer offset configuration section. |
| -o, --print-overview | bool | Print the overview section. |
| -y, --print-registry | bool | Print the detailed schema registry configuration section. |
| --print-role | bool | Print the detailed role sync configuration section. (New in v26.2.1) |
| -s, --print-security | bool | Print the detailed security configuration section. |
| -t, --print-topic | bool | Print the detailed topic configuration section. |

## [](#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. |