# CLI Reference

## Initializing Working Directories

### init

#### Command: init

> **Hands-on:** Try the [Fides Quick Start](/content/docs/getting-started/index.html). For more in-depth details on the `init` command, check out the [Initialize Fides Configuration tutorial](/content/docs/cli-reference/init/index.html).

The `fides init` command initializes a working directory called _**.fides**_ and automatically creates a default configuration file called `fides.toml` using default values. This is the first command that should run if you intend to configure Fides via a `toml` file rather than via environment variables.

Both methods can be used simultaneously, but note that environment variables take precedence over the `toml` file values. You can read more about [How to configure Fides](/content/docs/cli-reference/config/index.html) here.

## Usage [Permalink for this section](/content/docs/cli-reference/init/cmd-init#usage/index.html)

Usage: `fides init`

This command creates the default `.fides` directory and `fides.toml` config file using default configuration values.

Running this command should result in output that resembles the following:

```
$ fides init

No config file found
Using default configuration values.
Loading config from: .fides/fides.toml
No config file found
Using default configuration values.
----------
Created a './.fides' directory.
Created a fides config file: ./.fides/fides.toml
To learn more about configuring fides, see:
	https://docs.ethyca.com/fides/tutorials#getting-started

███████╗██╗██████╗ ███████╗███████╗
██╔════╝██║██╔══██╗██╔════╝██╔════╝
█████╗  ██║██║  ██║█████╗  ███████╗
██╔══╝  ██║██║  ██║██╔══╝  ╚════██║
██║     ██║██████╔╝███████╗███████║
╚═╝     ╚═╝╚═════╝ ╚══════╝╚══════╝

Initializing fides...
----------
----------
Directory './.fides' already exists.
Configuration file already exists: ./.fides/fides.toml
To learn more about configuring fides, see:
	https://docs.ethyca.com/fides/tutorials#getting-started
----------
```

[Overview](/content/docs/cli-reference/init "Overview"/index.html) [Overview](/content/docs/cli-reference/webserver "Overview"/index.html)