How to Disable Telemetry for a Single orx Command Invocation

Use the --no-telemetry flag or set the ORX_TELEMETRY_ENV=off environment variable to disable telemetry for a single orx command without changing persistent settings.

The orx CLI tool from the alphaXiv/OpenResearch repository collects usage telemetry to improve the OpenResearch service. While persistent opt-out is available via orx telemetry off, you often need to disable telemetry for a single orx command invocation without affecting subsequent runs. The codebase provides two runtime mechanisms to temporarily suppress telemetry collection for individual processes.

Methods to Disable Telemetry for a Single Run

The --no-telemetry CLI Flag

The orx binary accepts a global --no-telemetry flag that disables reporting for that specific execution only. According to the source code in src/main.rs at line 896, this flag is parsed during CLI initialization and stored via the telemetry::set_flag function. When this flag is present, the telemetry module treats the session as opted out regardless of persistent user preferences.

The ORX_TELEMETRY_ENV Environment Variable

Alternatively, you can set the ORX_TELEMETRY_ENV environment variable to off. In src/telemetry.rs (lines 493-507), the telemetry initialization logic checks for this variable and maps it to DisabledReason::RuntimeEnvironment, effectively disabling collection for that process only. This method leaves the persistent configuration untouched and only affects the current shell session or command invocation.

How Telemetry Precedence Works Internally

The alphaXiv/OpenResearch source code establishes a clear hierarchy for telemetry decisions. The --no-telemetry CLI flag takes precedence over the ORX_TELEMETRY_ENV environment variable, though either one is sufficient to disable collection. Both runtime overrides temporarily bypass the persistent opt-out state managed in src/commands/telemetry.rs, which handles the permanent orx telemetry off setting. Neither temporary method modifies the configuration files on disk.

Practical Examples

To disable telemetry for a single command using the CLI flag:

orx --no-telemetry run my_experiment

To achieve the same result using the environment variable in POSIX shells:

ORX_TELEMETRY_ENV=off orx run my_experiment

For Windows PowerShell environments:

$env:ORX_TELEMETRY_ENV="off"; orx run my_experiment

Only the specific invocation is affected; subsequent orx commands resume normal telemetry behavior unless you provide the flag or environment variable again.

Summary

• The --no-telemetry flag (parsed in src/main.rs) disables telemetry for one command via CLI argument.
• The ORX_TELEMETRY_ENV=off variable (evaluated in src/telemetry.rs) disables telemetry via environment configuration.
• Both methods affect only the current process and override persistent settings without modifying them.
• The CLI flag takes precedence over the environment variable when both are present.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does disabling telemetry for one command affect future orx runs?

No. Both the --no-telemetry flag and ORX_TELEMETRY_ENV environment variable affect only the current process. Subsequent invocations resume telemetry collection unless you explicitly provide the flag or variable again.

Which takes precedence: the --no-telemetry flag or the ORX_TELEMETRY_ENV variable?

The --no-telemetry CLI flag takes precedence over the ORX_TELEMETRY_ENV environment variable according to the logic implemented in src/telemetry.rs. However, either mechanism alone is sufficient to disable telemetry for a single invocation.

How do I permanently disable telemetry instead of just for one command?

To permanently opt out, execute orx telemetry off. This persists your preference in the configuration and is handled by the subcommand implementation in src/commands/telemetry.rs, unlike the temporary runtime methods.

Is telemetry disabled by default in orx?

No, telemetry is enabled by default to help improve the OpenResearch service. You must explicitly disable it either temporarily using the methods described above or permanently using orx telemetry off.

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