docs: document --api flag and api file for remote node access

add documentation for connecting to remote IPFS nodes:
- --api flag for per-command override
- $IPFS_PATH/api file for persistent configuration

updated in both CLI reference and quick-start guide with
cross-references between them.

Author: lidel

docs/how-to/command-line-quick-start.md

@@ -202,6 +202,44 @@ Next, take your node online and interact with the IPFS network:
 
     By default, your gateway is not exposed to the world. It only works locally.
 
+## Interact with a remote node
+
+By default, CLI commands talk to the daemon running on your local machine. If your daemon runs on a different machine or inside a container, there are two ways to connect to it.
+
+### Using the --api flag
+
+Use the `--api` flag to specify the remote API address:
+
+```bash
+ipfs --api /ip4/192.168.1.100/tcp/5001 id
+```
+
+The address uses [multiaddr](../concepts/glossary.md#multiaddr) format. Some common examples:
+
+- `/ip4/192.168.1.100/tcp/5001` - IPv4 address
+- `/ip6/::1/tcp/5001` - IPv6 address
+- `/dns/node.example.com/tcp/5001` - DNS name
+
+### Using the api file
+
+To avoid passing `--api` to every command, create an `api` file in your IPFS repository containing the multiaddr of the remote API:
+
+```bash
+echo "/ip4/192.168.1.100/tcp/5001" > ~/.ipfs/api
+```
+
+Now all commands will use the remote node:
+
+```bash
+ipfs id
+```
+
+:::tip
+Kubo creates `$IPFS_PATH/api` automatically when `ipfs daemon` starts. When connecting to a remote node, you can create this file manually to point to the remote API instead.
+:::
+
+For TLS-secured remote APIs with authentication (`--api-auth`), see [Securing Kubo RPC API](kubo-rpc-tls-auth.md).
+
 ## Interact with the node using the web console
 
 You can view the web console for your local node by navigating to `localhost:5001/webui`. 

docs/install/run-ipfs-inside-docker.md

@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ You can run Kubo IPFS inside Docker to simplify your deployment processes, as we
     docker exec ipfs_host ipfs add -r /export/<something>
     ```
 
+    :::tip Using your local ipfs CLI
+    If you have `ipfs` installed on the host and the RPC API port is exposed, you can run commands without `docker exec`. See [Interact with a remote node](../how-to/command-line-quick-start.md#interact-with-a-remote-node) for details.
+    :::
+
 1. Stop the running container:
 
     ```shell

docs/reference/kubo/cli.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ description: API documentation for the Kubo command-line executable.
 
 # Kubo command-line
 
-::: tip Generated on 2025-11-27 03:54:28, from kubo 0.39.0
+::: tip Generated on 2025-12-02 20:59:35, from kubo 0.39.0
 This document was autogenerated from CLI help text in [kubo 0.39.0](https://github.com/ipfs/kubo/releases/tag/v0.39.0)
 For issues and support, check out the [generate-cli-docs.sh](https://github.com/ipfs/ipfs-docs/blob/main/docs/reference/kubo/generate-cli-docs.sh) script on GitHub.
 :::
@@ -38,6 +38,26 @@ Every command usable from the CLI is also available through the [RPC API v0](/re
 }
 ```
 
+### Connecting to a Remote API
+
+By default, CLI commands connect to the local daemon at `/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/5001`. There are two ways to connect to a different instance:
+
+1. Use the `--api` flag:
+
+   ```sh
+   ipfs --api /ip4/192.168.1.100/tcp/5001 id
+   ```
+
+2. Create an `api` file in your IPFS repository (`$IPFS_PATH/api`, usually `~/.ipfs/api`) containing the [multiaddr](../../concepts/glossary.md#multiaddr) of the API endpoint:
+
+   ```sh
+   echo /ip4/192.168.1.100/tcp/5001 > ~/.ipfs/api
+   ipfs id
+   ```
+
+   Kubo creates this file automatically when `ipfs daemon` starts. Creating it manually lets you use a remote node without passing `--api` to every command.
+
+For a step-by-step guide, see [Interact with a remote node](../../how-to/command-line-quick-start.md#interact-with-a-remote-node). For TLS-secured APIs with authentication (`--api-auth`), see [Securing Kubo RPC API](../../how-to/kubo-rpc-tls-auth.md).
 
 
 ## ipfs

docs/reference/kubo/generate-cli-docs.sh

@@ -46,6 +46,26 @@ Every command usable from the CLI is also available through the [RPC API v0](/re
 }
 \`\`\`
 
+### Connecting to a Remote API
+
+By default, CLI commands connect to the local daemon at \`/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/5001\`. There are two ways to connect to a different instance:
+
+1. Use the \`--api\` flag:
+
+   \`\`\`sh
+   ipfs --api /ip4/192.168.1.100/tcp/5001 id
+   \`\`\`
+
+2. Create an \`api\` file in your IPFS repository (\`\$IPFS_PATH/api\`, usually \`~/.ipfs/api\`) containing the [multiaddr](../../concepts/glossary.md#multiaddr) of the API endpoint:
+
+   \`\`\`sh
+   echo "/ip4/192.168.1.100/tcp/5001" > ~/.ipfs/api
+   ipfs id
+   \`\`\`
+
+   Kubo creates this file automatically when \`ipfs daemon\` starts. Creating it manually lets you use a remote node without passing \`--api\` to every command.
+
+For a step-by-step guide, see [Interact with a remote node](../../how-to/command-line-quick-start.md#interact-with-a-remote-node). For TLS-secured APIs with authentication (\`--api-auth\`), see [Securing Kubo RPC API](../../how-to/kubo-rpc-tls-auth.md).
 "
 printf "\n"
 ipfs commands | while read line ; do