API Reference

Install SyftBox (if needed) and start it. This is the primary method for most users. It will install SyftBox if not already installed, then start the daemon.

import syft_installer as si

# Install and run SyftBox
si.run()

Install SyftBox without starting it. Useful for deployment scenarios where you want to install first and start later.

# Just install, don't start
si.install()

# Start later when ready
si.run_if_stopped()

Explicit method to install (if needed) and run (if needed) SyftBox. Only installs if not already installed and only starts if not already running about the two-step process.

Completely remove SyftBox from the system. This will stop the daemon, remove the binary, configuration files, and optionally the data directory.

# Completely uninstall SyftBox
si.uninstall()
# Will prompt: "Are you sure? [y/N]"

Start SyftBox only if it's not already running. Useful for scripts that need to ensure SyftBox is running without accidentally starting multiple instances.

# Ensure SyftBox is running
si.run_if_stopped()

# Safe to call multiple times
for i in range(3):
    si.run_if_stopped()  # Only starts once

Stop the SyftBox daemon if it's running. This gracefully shuts down the background process.

# Stop SyftBox
si.stop()

# Check if it stopped
if not si.is_running():
    print("SyftBox stopped successfully")

Display the current status of SyftBox including installation state, running status, configuration details, and data directory information.

# Check SyftBox status
si.status()
# Output:
# ✅ SyftBox Status:
# Installation: ✅ Installed
# Status: ✅ Running (PID: 12345)
# Email: user@example.com
# Data Dir: /Users/user/SyftBox
# Server: https://syftbox.openmined.org

Check if SyftBox is installed on the system. Returns True if all necessary components (binary, configuration) are present.

if si.is_installed():
    print("SyftBox is ready to use")
else:
    print("Need to install SyftBox first")
    si.install()

Check if the SyftBox daemon is currently running in the background.

if si.is_running():
    print("SyftBox is active")
else:
    print("SyftBox is stopped")
    si.run_if_stopped()