2. PyRIT Shell - Interactive Command Line

PyRIT Shell provides an interactive REPL (Read-Eval-Print Loop) for running AI red teaming scenarios with fast execution and session-based result tracking.

Quick Start¶

Start the shell:

pyrit_shell

With startup options:

# Set default database for all runs
pyrit_shell --database InMemory

# Set default log level
pyrit_shell --log-level DEBUG

# Load initializers at startup
pyrit_shell --initializers openai_objective_target load_default_datasets

# Load custom initialization scripts
pyrit_shell --initialization-scripts ./my_config.py

Available Commands¶

Once in the shell, you have access to:

Command	Description
`list-scenarios`	List all available scenarios
`list-initializers`	List all available initializers
`run <scenario> [options]`	Run a scenario with optional parameters
`scenario-history`	List all previous scenario runs in this session
`print-scenario [N]`	Print detailed results for scenario run(s)
`help [command]`	Show help for a command
`clear`	Clear the screen
`exit` (or `quit`, `q`)	Exit the shell

Running Scenarios¶

The run command executes scenarios with the same options as pyrit_scan:

Basic Usage¶

pyrit> run foundry.red_team_agent --initializers openai_objective_target load_default_datasets

With Strategies¶

pyrit> run garak.encoding --initializers openai_objective_target load_default_datasets --strategies base64 rot13

pyrit> run foundry.red_team_agent --initializers openai_objective_target load_default_datasets -s jailbreak crescendo

With Runtime Parameters¶

# Set concurrency and retries
pyrit> run foundry.red_team_agent --initializers openai_objective_target load_default_datasets --max-concurrency 10 --max-retries 3

# Add memory labels for tracking
pyrit> run garak.encoding --initializers openai_objective_target load_default_datasets --memory-labels '{"experiment":"test1","version":"v2"}'

Override Defaults Per-Run¶

# Override database and log level for this run only
pyrit> run garak.encoding --initializers openai_objective_target load_default_datasets --database InMemory --log-level DEBUG

Run Command Options¶

--initializers <name> ...       Built-in initializers to run before the scenario (REQUIRED)
--initialization-scripts <...>  Custom Python scripts to run before the scenario (alternative)
--strategies, -s <s1> <s2> ...  Strategy names to use
--max-concurrency <N>           Maximum concurrent operations
--max-retries <N>               Maximum retry attempts
--memory-labels <JSON>          JSON string of labels
--database <type>               Override default database (InMemory, SQLite, AzureSQL)
--log-level <level>             Override default log level (DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR, CRITICAL)

Session History¶

Track and review all scenario runs in your session:

# Show all runs from this session
pyrit> scenario-history

# Print details of the most recent run
pyrit> print-scenario

# Print details of a specific run (by number from history)
pyrit> print-scenario 1

# Print all runs
pyrit> print-scenario

Example output:

pyrit> scenario-history

Scenario Run History:
================================================================================
1) foundry.red_team_agent --initializers openai_objective_target load_default_datasets --strategies base64
2) garak.encoding --initializers openai_objective_target load_default_datasets --strategies rot13
3) foundry.red_team_agent --initializers openai_objective_target load_default_datasets -s jailbreak
================================================================================

Total runs: 3

Use 'print-scenario <number>' to view detailed results for a specific run.

Interactive Exploration¶

The shell excels at interactive testing workflows:

# Start shell with defaults
pyrit_shell --database InMemory --initializers openai_objective_target load_default_datasets

# Quick exploration
pyrit> list-scenarios
pyrit> run garak.encoding --strategies base64
pyrit> run garak.encoding --strategies rot13
pyrit> run garak.encoding --strategies morse_code

# Review and compare
pyrit> scenario-history
pyrit> print-scenario 1
pyrit> print-scenario 2

Shell Benefits¶

Fast Execution: PyRIT modules load once at startup (typically 5-10 seconds), making subsequent commands instant
Session Tracking: All runs are stored in history for easy comparison
Interactive Workflow: Perfect for iterative testing and debugging
Persistent Context: Default settings apply across multiple runs
Tab Completion: Command and argument completion (if supported by your terminal)

Tips¶

Set defaults at startup to avoid repeating options:
```
pyrit_shell --database InMemory --log-level INFO
```

Use short strategy aliases with -s:

pyrit> run foundry.red_team_agent --initializers openai_objective_target load_default_datasets -s base64 rot13

Review history regularly to track what you’ve tested:
```
pyrit> scenario-history
```

Print specific results to compare outcomes:

pyrit> print-scenario 1  # baseline run
pyrit> print-scenario 3  # modified run

Exit the Shell¶

pyrit> exit

Or use quit or q.