1KIWI::SYSTEM::BOXBUILD(8) KIWI - Boxed Build Plugin KIWI::SYSTEM::BOXBUILD(8)
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6 kiwi::system::boxbuild - Self Contained Image Build
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9 kiwi-ng [global options] service <command> [<args>]
10 kiwi-ng system boxbuild -h | --help
12 kiwi-ng system boxbuild --box=<name>
13 [--box-memory=<vmgb>]
14 [--box-smp-cpus=<number>]
15 [--box-debug]
16 [--kiwi-version=<version>]
17 [--shared-path=<path>]
18 [--no-update-check]
19 [--no-snapshot]
20 [--9p-sharing | --virtiofs-sharing]
21 [--x86_64 | --aarch64]
22 [--machine=<qemu_machine>]
23 [--cpu=<qemu_cpu>]
24 -- <kiwi_build_command_args>...
25 kiwi-ng system boxbuild --list-boxes
26 kiwi-ng system boxbuild help
27
29 build an image in a self contained environment. The boxbuild command
30 uses KVM to start a virtual machine and run the kiwi build command in‐
31 side of that virtual machine. The provided --description and --tar‐
32 get-dir options are setup as shared folders between the host and the
33 guest. No other data will be shared with the host which also allows for
34 cross distribution builds. The boxbuild command provides the following
35 additional features over the standard build command:
36 • Build images independent of the host.
38 • Build images as normal user not as root.
40 • Build cross distribution images on one host.
42 • Build in predefined build VMs called boxes which includes all compo‐
44 nents needed to build appliances.
45 For running the build process in a virtual machine it's required to
47 provide VM images that are suitable to perform this job. We call the VM
48 images boxes and they contain kiwi itself as well as all other compo‐
49 nents needed to build appliances. Those boxes are hosted in the Open
50 Build Service and are publicly available on the Subprojects tab at:
51 https://build.opensuse.org/project/show/Virtualization:Appliances:SelfContained
52 As a user you don't need to work with the boxes because this is all
54 done by the plugin. The boxbuild command knows where to fetch the box
55 and also cares for an update of the box when it has changed.
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58 --box=<name>
59 Name of the virtual machine that should be used for the build
60 process.
61 --list-boxes
63 show available build boxes.
64 --box-memory=<vmgb>
66 Number of GBs to reserve as main memory for the virtual machine.
67 By default 8GB will be used.
68 --box-smp-cpus=<number>
70 Number of CPUs to use in the SMP setup. By default 4 CPUs will
71 be used
72 --no-update-check
74 Skip check for available box update. The option has no effect if
75 the selected box does not yet exist on the host.
76 --no-snapshot
78 Run box with snapshot mode switched off. This causes the box
79 disk file to be modified by the build process and allows to keep
80 a persistent package cache as part of the box. The option can
81 be used to increase the build performance due to data stored in
82 the box which doesn't have to be reloaded from the network. On
83 the contrary this option invalidates the immutable box attribute
84 and should be used with care. On update of the box all data
85 stored will be wiped. To prevent this combine the option with
86 the --no-update-check option.
87 --9p-sharing|--virtiofs-sharing
89 Select sharing backend to use for sharing data between the host and
90 the box. This can be either 9p or virtiofs. By default 9p is used
91 --x86_64|--aarch64
93 Select box for the x86_64 architecture. If no architecture is se‐
94 lected the host architecture is used for selecting the box. The se‐
95 lected box architecture also specifies the target architecture for
96 the image build with that box.
97 --box-debug
99 In debug mode the started virtual machine will be kept open
100 --kiwi-version=<version>
102 Specify a KIWI version to use for the build. The referenced KIWI
103 will be fetched from pip and replaces the box installed KIWI
104 version. Note: If --no-snapshot is used in combination with this
105 option, the change of the KIWI version will be permanently
106 stored in the used box.
107 --shared-path=<path>
109 Optional host path to share with the box. The same path as it is
110 present on the host will also be available inside of the box
111 during build time.
112 --machine=<qemu_machine>
114 Optional machine name used by QEMU. By default no specific value
115 is used here and qemu selects its default machine type. For
116 cross arch builds or for system architectures for which QEMU de‐
117 fines no default like for Arm, it's required to specify a ma‐
118 chine name.
119 If you don’t care about reproducing the idiosyncrasies of a par‐
121 ticular bit of hardware, the best option is to use the 'virt'
122 machine type.
123 --cpu=<qemu_cpu>
125 Optional CPU type used by QEMU. By default the host CPU type is
126 used which is only a good selection if the host and the selected
127 box are from the same architecture. On cross arch builds it's
128 required to specify the CPU emulation the box should use
129 -- <kiwi_build_command_args>...
131 List of command parameters as supported by the kiwi-ng build com‐
132 mand. The information given here is passed along to the kiwi-ng sys‐
133 tem build command running in the virtual machine. See the Example
134 below how to provide options to the build command correctly.
135
137 $ git clone https://github.com/OSInside/kiwi-descriptions
138 $ kiwi --type vmx system boxbuild --box suse -- \
140 --description kiwi-descriptions/suse/x86_64/suse-tumbleweed-JeOS \
141 --target-dir /tmp/myimage
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144 Marcus Schäfer
145
147 2020, Marcus Schäfer
1480.2.13 Jun 21, 2021 KIWI::SYSTEM::BOXBUILD(8)