Model Driven Command Line Interface

Model-driven CLI features for data model visualization

A model-driven CLI feature is a programmability capability in Cisco IOS XR software that

  • enables users to display YANG data model structures and operational data directly via CLI commands,

  • provides configuration and operational output in both XML and JSON formats for easier parsing and automation, and

  • introduces specialized CLI commands that help transition between traditional CLI and model-driven approaches.

Model-driven CLI features are designed to bridge the gap between legacy command-line workflows and modern, programmatic network management. By leveraging YANG-based models, these features allow network operators to view, query, and retrieve data in structured formats, streamlining the integration with external tools and automation systems.
Table 1. Feature History Table

Feature Name

Release Information

Description

Model-driven CLI to Show YANG Operational Data

Release 7.3.2

This feature enables you to use a traditional CLI command to display YANG data model structures on the router console and also obtain operational data from the router in JSON or XML formats. The functionality helps you transition smoothly between CLI and YANG models, easing data retrieval from your router and network.

This feature introduces the show yang operational command.

Cisco IOS XR Software provides a rich set of show commands and data models to access data from the router and network. Show commands present unstructured data, while data models provide structured data in XML or JSON formats; however, both methods can show different views. The model-driven CLI feature addresses adoption challenges by allowing operators to use the familiar CLI while accessing structured, model-driven output. This enables easier integration with parsing scripts and automation tools.

Structure of data model

The structure of a data model organizes configuration and operational data in a hierarchical format. Each data model consists of these primary components:

  • Model: The highest-level YANG file that defines a data schema e.g., ietf-interfaces.yang.

  • Module: A logical collection of related definitions within the model e.g., ietf-interfaces.

  • Container: A grouping node that organizes related nodes together e.g., interfaces, interfaces-state.

  • List/Node: An array or list element within a container, often representing multiple items e.g., interface* [name].

  • Leaf: A single value node containing configuration or state data e.g., name, description, type, enabled, admin-status.

Table 2. Summary table of data model structure:

Component

Description

Example

Model

YANG file containing schema definitions

 ietf-interfaces.yang

Module

Group of related schema nodes

 ietf-interfaces

Container

Grouping node for related lists and leaves

 interfaces, interfaces-state

List/Node

Multiple entries identified by unique key

 interface* [name]

Leaf

Single data value node under a container or list

 name, type, enabled, etc.

CLI and navigation notes:

  • Use the show yang operational command to explore down to the leaf level in a data model, similar to navigating hierarchical data.

  • Data model structure guides how CLI outputs and configurations map to YANG-defined nodes.

The image show a mapping between CLI and data model, and how the structured data is displayed on the console.

Figure 1. Mapping between CLI and Data model

Model-Driven CLI to display running configuration in XML and JSON formats

A model-driven CLI display format is a configuration output method that

  • presents device running configuration in structured XML and JSON formats,

  • leverages native, OpenConfig, and unified YANG data models to organize configuration data, and

  • enables granular filtering and flexible retrieval of configuration for specific components or hierarchies.

Table 4. Feature History Table
Feature Name Release Information Description

Model-driven CLI to Display Running Configuration in XML and JSON Formats

Release 25.1.1

Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8700 [ASIC: K100])(select variants only*)

*This feature is now supported on Cisco 8712-MOD-M routers.

Model-driven CLI to Display Running Configuration in XML and JSON Formats

Release 24.4.1

Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100])(select variants only*); Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: P100])(select variants only*)

*This feature is now supported on:

  • 8212-48FH-M

  • 8711-32FH-M

  • 88-LC1-12TH24FH-E

  • 88-LC1-36EH+A8:B12

  • 88-LC1-52Y8H-EM

Model-driven CLI to Display Running Configuration in XML and JSON Formats

Release 7.3.2

This feature enables you to display the configuration data for Cisco IOS XR platforms in both JSON and XML formats.

This feature introduces the show run | [xml | json] command.

The show run | [xml | json] command uses native, OpenConfig and unified models to retrieve and display data.

Use the following variations of the command to generate output:

  • show run | [xml | json] —Shows configuration in YANG XML or JSON tree.

  • show run | [xml | json] openconfig —Shows configuration in OpenConfig YANG XML tree.

  • show run | [xml | json] unified —Shows configuration in unified model YANG XML tree.

  • show run component | [xml | json] —Shows configuration in YANG XML or JSON tree for the top-level component. For example, show run interface | xml

  • show run component | [xml | json] unified —Shows configuration in unified model YANG XML or JSON tree for the top-level component. For example, show run interface | json unified

  • show run component subcomponent | [xml | json] —Shows configuration in YANG XML or JSON tree for the granular-level component. For example, show run router bgp 12 neighbor 12.12.12.12 | xml

  • show run component subcomponent | [xml | json] unified —Shows configuration in unified model YANG XML or JSON tree for the granular-level component. For example, show run router bgp 12 neighbor 12.12.12.12 | json unified

XML output for the show run command

The show run | xml command produces the router’s running configuration in XML format. This enables automation and integration with software that can parse device settings through a standard XML schema. 

Router#show run | xml
Building configuration...
 <data>
  <interface-configurations xmlns="http://cisco.com/ns/yang/Cisco-IOS-XR-ifmgr-cfg">
   <interface-configuration>
    <active>act</active>
    <interface-name>GigabitEthernet0/0/0/0</interface-name>
    <shutdown></shutdown>
   </interface-configuration>
   <interface-configuration>
    <active>act</active>
    <interface-name>GigabitEthernet0/0/0/1</interface-name>
    <shutdown></shutdown>
   </interface-configuration>
   <interface-configuration>
    <active>act</active>
    <interface-name>GigabitEthernet0/0/0/2</interface-name>
    <shutdown></shutdown>
   </interface-configuration>
  </interface-configurations>
  <interfaces xmlns="http://cisco.com/ns/yang/Cisco-IOS-XR-um-interface-cfg">
   <interface>
    <interface-name>GigabitEthernet0/0/0/0</interface-name>
    <shutdown/>
   </interface>
   <interface>
    <interface-name>GigabitEthernet0/0/0/1</interface-name>
    <shutdown/>
   </interface>
   <interface>
    <interface-name>GigabitEthernet0/0/0/2</interface-name>
    <shutdown/>
   </interface>
  </interfaces>
 </data>

JSON output for show run command

he show run | json command on Cisco IOS XR displays the device's running configuration in JSON format, making it easier for automation tools, scripts, or APIs to parse and manipulate the configuration data programmatically.

A typical output includes:

  • Interface configuration details, such as interface name, state, and protocol.
  • Netconf/YANG agent configuration, such as SSH status.
Router#show run | json
Building configuration...
{
  "data": {
    "Cisco-IOS-XR-ifmgr-cfg:interface-configurations": {
       "interface-configuration": [
	  {
	     "active": "act",
	     "interface-name": "GigabitEthernet0/0/0/0",
	     "shutdown": [
	         null
             ]
           },
           {
	     "active": "act",
	     "interface-name": "GigabitEthernet0/0/0/1",
	     "shutdown": [
	         null
	     ]
	    },
	    {
	     "active": "act",
	     "interface-name": "GigabitEthernet0/0/0/2",
	     "shutdown": [
	         null
	     ]
	    }
	  ],
	"Cisco-IOS-XR-man-netconf-cfg:netconf-yang": {
	   "agent": {
	     "ssh": true
	    }
	},
 }

Granular level component output for show run command

The output of the show run router bgp <as-number> neighbor <neighbor-address> | json unified command provides a structured, highly detailed view of BGP configuration for a specified neighbor in JSON format. This reference explains how to interpret each component of the output and highlights key attributes. 

Router#show run router bgp 12 neighbor 12.12.12.12 | json unified
{
 "data": {
  "Cisco-IOS-XR-um-router-bgp-cfg:router": {
   "bgp": {
    "as": [
     {
      "as-number": 12,
      "neighbors": {
       "neighbor": [
        {
         "neighbor-address": "12.12.12.12",
         "remote-as": 12,
         "address-families": {
          "address-family": [
           {
            "af-name": "ipv4-unicast"
           }
          ]
         }
        }
       ]
      }
     }
    ]
   }
  }
 }
}

Unified model output for show run command

The following sample output demonstrates the unified model XML structure produced by the show run router bgp 12 | xml unified command: 

Router#sh run router bgp 12 | xml unified
<data>
 <router xmlns=http://cisco.com/ns/yang/Cisco-IOS-XR-um-router-bgp-cfg>
  <bgp>
   <as>
    <as-number>12</as-number>
    <bgp>
     <router-id>1.1.1.1</router-id>
    </bgp>
    <address-families>
     <address-family>
      <af-name>ipv4-unicast</af-name>
     </address-family>
    </address-families>
    <neighbors>
     <neighbor>
      <neighbor-address>12.12.12.12</neighbor-address>
      <remote-as>12</remote-as>
      <address-families>
       <address-family>
        <af-name>ipv4-unicast</af-name>
       </address-family>
      </address-families>
     </neighbor>
    </neighbors>
   </as>
  </bgp>
 </router>
</data>

This output helps you identify the XML element hierarchy and data structure when configuring BGP settings using the unified model on Cisco IOS XR devices.