github.com/slene/docker@v1.8.0-rc1/docs/articles/baseimages.md (about) 1 <!--[metadata]> 2 +++ 3 title = "Create a base image" 4 description = "How to create base images" 5 keywords = ["Examples, Usage, base image, docker, documentation, examples"] 6 [menu.main] 7 parent = "smn_images" 8 +++ 9 <![end-metadata]--> 10 11 # Create a base image 12 13 So you want to create your own [*Base Image*]( 14 /terms/image/#base-image)? Great! 15 16 The specific process will depend heavily on the Linux distribution you 17 want to package. We have some examples below, and you are encouraged to 18 submit pull requests to contribute new ones. 19 20 ## Create a full image using tar 21 22 In general, you'll want to start with a working machine that is running 23 the distribution you'd like to package as a base image, though that is 24 not required for some tools like Debian's 25 [Debootstrap](https://wiki.debian.org/Debootstrap), which you can also 26 use to build Ubuntu images. 27 28 It can be as simple as this to create an Ubuntu base image: 29 30 $ sudo debootstrap raring raring > /dev/null 31 $ sudo tar -C raring -c . | docker import - raring 32 a29c15f1bf7a 33 $ docker run raring cat /etc/lsb-release 34 DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu 35 DISTRIB_RELEASE=13.04 36 DISTRIB_CODENAME=raring 37 DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 13.04" 38 39 There are more example scripts for creating base images in the Docker 40 GitHub Repo: 41 42 - [BusyBox](https://github.com/docker/docker/blob/master/contrib/mkimage-busybox.sh) 43 - CentOS / Scientific Linux CERN (SLC) [on Debian/Ubuntu]( 44 https://github.com/docker/docker/blob/master/contrib/mkimage-rinse.sh) or 45 [on CentOS/RHEL/SLC/etc.]( 46 https://github.com/docker/docker/blob/master/contrib/mkimage-yum.sh) 47 - [Debian / Ubuntu]( 48 https://github.com/docker/docker/blob/master/contrib/mkimage-debootstrap.sh) 49 50 ## Creating a simple base image using scratch 51 52 You can use Docker's reserved, minimal image, `scratch`, as a starting point for building containers. Using the `scratch` "image" signals to the build process that you want the next command in the `Dockerfile` to be the first filesystem layer in your image. 53 54 While `scratch` appears in Docker's repository on the hub, you can't pull it, run it, or tag any image with the name `scratch`. Instead, you can refer to it in your `Dockerfile`. For example, to create a minimal container using `scratch`: 55 56 FROM scratch 57 ADD hello / 58 CMD ["/hello"] 59 60 This example creates the hello-world image used in the tutorials. 61 If you want to test it out, you can clone [the image repo](https://github.com/docker-library/hello-world) 62 63 64 ## More resources 65 66 There are lots more resources available to help you write your 'Dockerfile`. 67 68 * There's a [complete guide to all the instructions](/reference/builder/) available for use in a `Dockerfile` in the reference section. 69 * To help you write a clear, readable, maintainable `Dockerfile`, we've also 70 written a [`Dockerfile` Best Practices guide](/articles/dockerfile_best-practices). 71 * If your goal is to create a new Official Repository, be sure to read up on Docker's [Official Repositories](/docker-hub/official_repos/).