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P4 CLI Documentation | 2026.1

# p4 key

Display, set, or delete a key/value pair.

## Syntax

    p4 [g-opts] key name
    p4 [g-opts] key [-v] name value
    p4 [g-opts] key [-d] name
    p4 [g-opts] key [-i -v] name
    p4 [g-opts] key [-m] [pair list]
    p4 [g-opts] key --from=oldvalue --to=newvalue name

Syntax and naming conventions

## Description

Keys allow you to store name-value pairs for use in scripts. These user-managed keys are stored in a table named `db.nameval`.

The command includes the following variants:

- `p4 key name` returns the value of key name.

- `p4 key name value` sets the value of the key name to value, and if name does not already exist, it is created.

  Specifying `-v` displays the previous value of the specified key after the key has been set or incremented.

- `p4 key -d name` deletes the specified key.

- `p4 key -i name` increments a numeric key.

  Specifying `-v` displays the previous value of the specified key after the key has been set or incremented.

- `p4 key [-m] pair list` defines multiple set and delete operations to be performed. Each operation is defined by a value pair in the pair list. To set a key, use a name and value, to delete a key, use a `-` (hyphen) followed by the name. See Examples.

  This variant is useful in multi-server environments where running individual commands is likely to introduce unwanted latency.

- p4 key --from oldvalue --to newvalue sets the specified key to the new value if the current value of the key is oldvalue. A key that is not set or that has been deleted cannot be set using this syntax variant.

If a key does not exist, its value is returned as zero. Key names are not stored until set to a nonzero value.

For the minimal access level required to display and set keys, see Usage notes and Examples.

## Options

Option | Description
--- | ---
`-d name` | Delete key name from the Perforce service.
`-i name` | Increment key name by 1 and return the new value. This option can only be used with numeric keys.
`-m `name``value` ...` | Perform multiple key value operations in one command. See Examples.
`g-opts` | See Global options.

## Usage notes

Can File Arguments Use Revision Specifier? | Can File Arguments Use Revision Range? | Minimal Access Level Required
--- | --- | ---
N/A | N/A | list to display a key’s value; (`admin` if `dm.keys.hide` is set to 2) `review` to set a new value

## Examples

`p4 key mykey 12` | Set the value of `mykey` to `12`. If `mykey` does not exist, it is created. If `mykey` does exist, its value is changed to the newly-specified value. Requires `review` access.
`p4 key mykey` | Display the value of `mykey`. If `mykey` does not exist, its value is displayed as `0`. Requires `list` access.
`p4 key -m mykey 5 mynewkey 4` | Set two keys. Requires `review` access.
`p4 key -m - mykey - mynewkey` | Delete two keys. Requires `review` access.
`p4 key -m mykey 6 - mynewkey` | Set one key; delete one key. Requires `review` access.
p4 key --from=4 --to=6 mykey | Set a different value for the key if the --from value is correct.

## Related commands

To list all keys and their values | `p4 keys`

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