[[client-cert]]
== --client-cert

[float]
Summary
~~~~~~~

Allows the use of a specified SSL client cert file to authenticate to
Elasticsearch.  The file may contain both an SSL client certificate and an SSL
key, in which case `--client-key` is not used.  If using `--client-cert`, and
the file specified does not also contain the key, use `--client-key` to specify
the file containing the SSL key.  The cert file must be in PEM format, and the
key part, if used, must be an unencrypted key in PEM format as well.

[float]
Flags
~~~~~

* `--client-cert` Path to client certificate file to use for SSL client authentication.

IMPORTANT: This flag must come before any <<commands,command>>.

[float]
Example
~~~~~~~

Connect to a cluster at `https://example.com/` via SSL using SSL client authentication:

---------------------------------------------------------------------
curator --host example.com --port 443 --use_ssl \
        --certificate /path/to/cacert.pem \
        --client-cert /path/to/clientcert.pem \
        --client-key /path/to/clientkey.pem \
        <<command>> <<flags>>
---------------------------------------------------------------------
