License File

  • Updated on Oct 21, 2025
  • Published on Feb 13, 2025
  • 1 minute(s) read
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WHAT TO EXPECT

In this article, users will learn the appropriate steps for licensing their cloudSwXtch instance via a License File provided by swXtch.io. First, they will need to open swx-top on their cloudSwXtch VM and copy the swXtchID. They will then provide the cloudSwXtch ID number to swXtch.io, requesting a license. Finally, they will move the new license.json file into the cloudSwXtch directory and check swx-top to see if the license has taken hold.

This is one of the methods for licensing a cloudSwXtch. To license via a licensing server, see here.

Locating the SwXtchID and Requesting a License

In order to receive a license file from swXtch.io Support, users will need to provide them with a cloudSwXtch ID number. This is something that can be found in swx-top or through a command.

  1. Log in to the newly created cloudSwXtch VM.

  2. Run the command: 

    swx-top

  3. The swx-top dashboard will display.

    1. Alternatively, if the user does not want to open swx-top, he can use the following commands to get the swXtchID: 

      curl -s http://127.0.0.1/api/top/dashboard | grep -m 2 -Eo '"fingerprint"[^,]*' | head -1

  4. Copy the SwXtchID and email it to support@swxtch.io, requesting a license file.

Adding the License File to the cloudSwXtch VM

After receiving a license file from swXtch.io, users will now need to upload it to their cloudSwXtch VM.

  1. Upload the license.json file onto the cloudSwXtch VM.

  2. Move the license.json file to the /swxtch directory using the following command, replacing user with the appropriate value: 

    sudo mv /home/<user>/license.json /var/opt/swxtch

  3. Return to the swx-top dashboard and check if the license has taken hold.

Alternatively, users can create the file with a shell editor, copy the license content to the clipboard, and paste the content into the editor. For example, using nano:

nano /var/opt/swxtch/license.json

If the cloudSwXtch has an old license, or the user wants to replace the current one, remove the current line with CTRL+K and paste the new license.

Save the file with CTRL+X, accepting the “Save modified buffer?” prompt with Y, and hitting Enter to the “File Name to Write: /var/opt/swxtch/license.json” prompt.

NOTE

The cloudSwXtch will automatically change the license when the file is saved.