f5-conx-core


F5 SDK for JavaScript with TypeScript type definitions. This library abstracts F5 BIG-IP and BIG-IQ API functionality, providing a unified interface for device management, Automated Tool Chain (ATC) services, and system operations.

Originally developed for the vscode-f5 extension, this SDK is designed to be reusable across multiple F5 automation projects.

Features

- Standardized HTTP REST calls to F5 devices
- Authentication token and provider management
- Async job monitoring with progress events
- Request timing data for analytics/telemetry
- File upload/download functionality

- Device discovery and management
- Automatic device type detection (BIG-IP/BIG-IQ)
- TMOS metadata collection
- Version and capability discovery

- ATC Service Support
- AS3 - Application Services 3
- DO - Declarative Onboarding
- TS - Telemetry Streaming
- FAST - F5 Application Services Templates
- CF - Cloud Failover Extension
- Version management from GitHub
- RPM install/uninstall

- System operations
- UCS backup management
- Qkview generation and retrieval
- iHealth integration

- External HTTP calls
- Custom user-agent identification
- File downloads from external sources
- Proxy support

- Event-driven architecture
- EventEmitter-based logging and progress tracking

Installation

``bash
npm install f5-conx-core
`

Requirements

- Node.js 14.x or higher
- Network access to F5 BIG-IP or BIG-IQ devices
- Valid F5 device credentials

Quick Start

$3

`typescript
import { F5Client } from 'f5-conx-core';

// Create client instance
const f5Client = new F5Client(
'bigip.example.com',
'admin',
'password',
{
port: 443,
provider: 'tmos' // or 'ldap', 'radius', 'tacacs'
}
);

// Discover device capabilities
await f5Client.discover();

// Make API calls
const version = await f5Client.https('/mgmt/tm/sys/version');
console.log(version.data);
`

$3

`typescript
// Deploy AS3 declaration
const as3Declaration = {
class: "AS3",
action: "deploy",
// ... your AS3 config
};

const result = await f5Client.as3?.deploy(as3Declaration);
console.log('AS3 deployment:', result.data);

// Post DO declaration
const doDeclaration = {
class: "Device",
schemaVersion: "1.0.0",
// ... your DO config
};

const doResult = await f5Client.do?.deploy(doDeclaration);
`

$3

`typescript
import { F5Client } from 'f5-conx-core';

const f5Client = new F5Client('bigip.example.com', 'admin', 'password');

// Listen for events
f5Client.events.on('log-info', (msg) => console.log('INFO:', msg));
f5Client.events.on('log-debug', (msg) => console.log('DEBUG:', msg));
f5Client.events.on('log-error', (msg) => console.error('ERROR:', msg));

await f5Client.discover();
`

$3

`typescript
// Create UCS backup
const ucsCreate = await f5Client.ucs?.create('myBackup.ucs');

// List UCS files
const ucsList = await f5Client.ucs?.list();

// Download UCS
const ucsFile = await f5Client.ucs?.download('myBackup.ucs');

// Delete UCS
await f5Client.ucs?.delete('myBackup.ucs');
`

$3

`typescript
// Install AS3 from GitHub
const as3Install = await f5Client.atc?.install('as3', '3.50.0');

// Get installed ATC versions
const installedServices = await f5Client.atc?.getInstalledVersions();
console.log(installedServices);
`

Configuration

$3

By default, downloaded files are cached in /f5_cache. Override with the F5_CONX_CORE_CACHE environment variable:

`bash
export F5_CONX_CORE_CACHE=/path/to/custom/cache
`

$3

Supported authentication providers:

- tmos (default) - Local BIG-IP authentication
- ldap - LDAP authentication
- radius - RADIUS authentication
- tacacs - TACACS+ authentication

`typescript
const f5Client = new F5Client(
'bigip.example.com',
'admin',
'password',
{ provider: 'ldap' }
);
`

Architecture

The SDK uses a layered client architecture:

1. F5Client - Main entry point, handles device discovery
2. MgmtClient - Device connectivity and token management
3. Service Clients - Specialized clients for ATC services (AS3, DO, TS, CF, FAST)
4. Utility Clients - UCS, Qkview, iHealth operations

All HTTP responses include detailed timing information via @szmarczak/http-timer for performance monitoring and telemetry.

`typescript
// Example response with timings
{
data: { / response data / },
status: 200,
request: {
timings: {
phases: {
wait: 5,
dns: 20,
tcp: 30,
tls: 100,
request: 10,
firstByte: 50,
download: 15,
total: 230
}
}
}
}
`

API Reference

For detailed API documentation, see the TypeScript definitions in dist/index.d.ts or explore the source code with JSDoc annotations.

$3

- F5Client - Main SDK entry point
- MgmtClient - Device management operations
- As3Client - Application Services 3
- DoClient - Declarative Onboarding
- TsClient - Telemetry Streaming
- FastClient - F5 Application Services Templates
- CfClient - Cloud Failover Extension
- UcsClient - UCS backup management
- QkviewClient - Qkview operations
- AtcMgmtClient - ATC package installation
- ExtHttp - External HTTP operations
- iHealthClient - iHealth service integration

Development

$3

`bash


Compile TypeScript

npm run compile

Watch mode for development

npm run watch

Build npm package

npm run build-package
`

$3

`bash


Run all unit tests

npm test

Run linter

npm run lint
`

Tests use Mocha with nock for HTTP mocking. Integration tests (.int.tests.ts`) require actual F5 device connectivity.

$3

Coverage thresholds are enforced via nyc:

- Lines: 60%
- Functions: 60%
- Branches: 60%
- Statements: 60%

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please follow these guidelines:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Write tests for new functionality
4. Ensure all tests pass and linting succeeds
5. Submit a pull request

Before contributing, please review the F5 Networks Contributor License Agreement.

Support

- Issues: GitHub Issues
- Questions: Open a GitHub discussion or issue

Related Projects

- vscode-f5 - VS Code extension using this SDK
- F5 Automation Toolchain

License

Apache 2.0

Copyright

Copyright 2014-2025 F5 Networks Inc.

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Note: This SDK is community-supported. For official F5 support, please use official F5 channels and products.