Provided by: systemd-container_256.4-2ubuntu1_amd64 
NAME
importctl - Download, import or export disk images
SYNOPSIS
importctl [OPTIONS...] {COMMAND} [NAME...]
DESCRIPTION
importctl may be used to download, import, and export disk images via systemd-
importd.service(8).
importctl operates both on block-level disk images (such as DDIs) as well as
file-system-level images (tarballs). It supports disk images are one of the four following
classes:
• VM images or full OS container images, that may be run via systemd-vmspawn(1) or
systemd-nspawn(1), and managed via machinectl(1).
• Portable service images, that may be attached an managed via portablectl(1).
• System extension (sysext) images, that may be activated via systemd-sysext(8).
• Configuration extension (confext) images, that may be activated via systemd-
confext(8).
When images are downloaded or imported they are placed in the following directories,
depending on the --class= parameter:
Table 1. Classes and Directories
┌───────────┬──────────────────────┐
│Class │ Directory │
├───────────┼──────────────────────┤
│"machine" │ /var/lib/machines/ │
├───────────┼──────────────────────┤
│"portable" │ /var/lib/portables/ │
├───────────┼──────────────────────┤
│"sysext" │ /var/lib/extensions/ │
├───────────┼──────────────────────┤
│"confext" │ /var/lib/confexts/ │
└───────────┴──────────────────────┘
COMMANDS
The following commands are understood:
pull-tar URL [NAME]
Downloads a .tar image from the specified URL, and makes it available under the
specified local name in the image directory for the selected --class=. The URL must be
of type "http://" or "https://", and must refer to a .tar, .tar.gz, .tar.xz or
.tar.bz2 archive file. If the local image name is omitted, it is automatically derived
from the last component of the URL, with its suffix removed.
The image is verified before it is made available, unless --verify=no is specified.
Verification is done either via an inline signed file with the name of the image and
the suffix .sha256 or via separate SHA256SUMS and SHA256SUMS.gpg files. The signature
files need to be made available on the same web server, under the same URL as the .tar
file. With --verify=checksum, only the SHA256 checksum for the file is verified, based
on the .sha256 suffixed file or the SHA256SUMS file. With --verify=signature, the sha
checksum file is first verified with the inline signature in the .sha256 file or the
detached GPG signature file SHA256SUMS.gpg. The public key for this verification step
needs to be available in /usr/lib/systemd/import-pubring.gpg or
/etc/systemd/import-pubring.gpg.
If -keep-download=yes is specified the image will be downloaded and stored in a
read-only subvolume/directory in the image directory that is named after the specified
URL and its HTTP etag. A writable snapshot is then taken from this subvolume, and
named after the specified local name. This behavior ensures that creating multiple
instances of the same URL is efficient, as multiple downloads are not necessary. In
order to create only the read-only image, and avoid creating its writable snapshot,
specify "-" as local name.
Note that pressing C-c during execution of this command will not abort the download.
Use cancel-transfer, described below.
Added in version 256.
pull-raw URL [NAME]
Downloads a .raw disk image from the specified URL, and makes it available under the
specified local name in the image directory for the selected --class=. The URL must be
of type "http://" or "https://". The image must either be a .qcow2 or raw disk image,
optionally compressed as .gz, .xz, or .bz2. If the local name is omitted, it is
automatically derived from the last component of the URL, with its suffix removed.
Image verification is identical for raw and tar images (see above).
If the downloaded image is in .qcow2 format it is converted into a raw image file
before it is made available.
If -keep-download=yes is specified the image will be downloaded and stored in a
read-only file in the image directory that is named after the specified URL and its
HTTP etag. A writable copy is then made from this file, and named after the specified
local name. This behavior ensures that creating multiple instances of the same URL is
efficient, as multiple downloads are not necessary. In order to create only the
read-only image, and avoid creating its writable copy, specify "-" as local name.
Note that pressing C-c during execution of this command will not abort the download.
Use cancel-transfer, described below.
Added in version 256.
import-tar FILE [NAME], import-raw FILE [NAME]
Imports a TAR or RAW image, and places it under the specified name in the image
directory for the image class selected via --class=. When import-tar is used, the file
specified as the first argument should be a tar archive, possibly compressed with xz,
gzip or bzip2. It will then be unpacked into its own subvolume/directory. When
import-raw is used, the file should be a qcow2 or raw disk image, possibly compressed
with xz, gzip or bzip2. If the second argument (the resulting image name) is not
specified, it is automatically derived from the file name. If the filename is passed
as "-", the image is read from standard input, in which case the second argument is
mandatory.
No cryptographic validation is done when importing the images.
Much like image downloads, ongoing imports may be listed with list and aborted with
cancel-transfer.
Added in version 256.
import-fs DIRECTORY [NAME]
Imports an image stored in a local directory into the image directory for the image
class selected via --class= and operates similarly to import-tar or import-raw, but
the first argument is the source directory. If supported, this command will create a
btrfs snapshot or subvolume for the new image.
Added in version 256.
export-tar NAME [FILE], export-raw NAME [FILE]
Exports a TAR or RAW image and stores it in the specified file. The first parameter
should be an image name. The second parameter should be a file path the TAR or RAW
image is written to. If the path ends in ".gz", the file is compressed with gzip, if
it ends in ".xz", with xz, and if it ends in ".bz2", with bzip2. If the path ends in
neither, the file is left uncompressed. If the second argument is missing, the image
is written to standard output. The compression may also be explicitly selected with
the --format= switch. This is in particular useful if the second parameter is left
unspecified.
Much like image downloads and imports, ongoing exports may be listed with list and
aborted with cancel-transfer.
Note that, currently, only directory and subvolume images may be exported as TAR
images, and only raw disk images as RAW images.
Added in version 256.
list-transfer
Shows a list of image downloads, imports and exports that are currently in progress.
Added in version 256.
cancel-transfer ID...
Aborts a download, import or export of the image with the specified ID. To list
ongoing transfers and their IDs, use list.
Added in version 256.
list-images
Shows a list of already downloaded/imported images.
Added in version 256.
OPTIONS
The following options are understood:
--read-only
When used with pull-raw, pull-tar, import-raw, import-tar or import-fs a read-only
image is created.
Added in version 256.
--verify=
When downloading an image, specify whether the image shall be verified before it is
made available. Takes one of "no", "checksum" and "signature". If "no", no
verification is done. If "checksum" is specified, the download is checked for
integrity after the transfer is complete, but no signatures are verified. If
"signature" is specified, the checksum is verified and the image's signature is
checked against a local keyring of trustable vendors. It is strongly recommended to
set this option to "signature" if the server and protocol support this. Defaults to
"signature".
Added in version 256.
--force
When downloading an image, and a local copy by the specified local name already
exists, delete it first and replace it by the newly downloaded image.
Added in version 256.
--format=
When used with the export-tar or export-raw commands, specifies the compression format
to use for the resulting file. Takes one of "uncompressed", "xz", "gzip", "bzip2". By
default, the format is determined automatically from the output image file name
passed.
Added in version 256.
-q, --quiet
Suppresses additional informational output while running.
Added in version 256.
-H, --host=
Execute the operation remotely. Specify a hostname, or a username and hostname
separated by "@", to connect to. The hostname may optionally be suffixed by a port ssh
is listening on, separated by ":", and then a container name, separated by "/", which
connects directly to a specific container on the specified host. This will use SSH to
talk to the remote machine manager instance. Container names may be enumerated with
machinectl -H HOST. Put IPv6 addresses in brackets.
-M, --machine=
Connect to systemd-import.service(8) running in a local container, to perform the
specified operation within the container.
Added in version 256.
--class=, -m, -P, -S, -C
Selects the image class for the downloaded images. This primarily selects the
directory to download into. The --class= switch takes "machine", "portable", "sysext"
or "confext" as argument. The short options -m, -P, -S, -C are shortcuts for
--class=machine, --class=portable, --class=sysext, --class=confext.
Note that --keep-download= defaults to true for --class=machine and false otherwise,
see below.
Added in version 256.
--keep-download=, -N
Takes a boolean argument. When specified with pull-raw or pull-tar, selects whether to
download directly into the specified local image name, or whether to download into a
read-only copy first of which to make a writable copy after the download is completed.
Defaults to true for --class=machine, false otherwise.
The -N switch is a shortcut for --keep-download=no.
Added in version 256.
--json=MODE
Shows output formatted as JSON. Expects one of "short" (for the shortest possible
output without any redundant whitespace or line breaks), "pretty" (for a pretty
version of the same, with indentation and line breaks) or "off" (to turn off JSON
output, the default).
-j
Equivalent to --json=pretty if running on a terminal, and --json=short otherwise.
--no-pager
Do not pipe output into a pager.
--no-legend
Do not print the legend, i.e. column headers and the footer with hints.
--no-ask-password
Do not query the user for authentication for privileged operations.
-h, --help
Print a short help text and exit.
--version
Print a short version string and exit.
EXAMPLES
Example 1. Download an Ubuntu TAR image and open a shell in it
# importctl pull-tar -mN https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/jammy/current/jammy-server-cloudimg-amd64-root.tar.xz
# systemd-nspawn -M jammy-server-cloudimg-amd64-root
This downloads and verifies the specified .tar image, and then uses systemd-nspawn(1) to
open a shell in it.
Example 2. Download an Ubuntu RAW image, set a root password in it, start it as a service
# importctl pull-raw -mN \
https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/jammy/current/jammy-server-cloudimg-amd64-disk-kvm.img \
jammy
# systemd-firstboot --image=/var/lib/machines/jammy.raw --prompt-root-password --force
# machinectl start jammy
# machinectl login jammy
This downloads the specified .raw image and makes it available under the local name
"jammy". Then, a root password is set with systemd-firstboot(1). Afterwards the machine is
started as system service. With the last command a login prompt into the container is
requested.
Example 3. Exports a container image as tar file
# importctl export-tar -m fedora myfedora.tar.xz
Exports the container "fedora" as an xz-compressed tar file myfedora.tar.xz into the
current directory.
EXIT STATUS
On success, 0 is returned, a non-zero failure code otherwise.
ENVIRONMENT
$SYSTEMD_LOG_LEVEL
The maximum log level of emitted messages (messages with a higher log level, i.e. less
important ones, will be suppressed). Takes a comma-separated list of values. A value
may be either one of (in order of decreasing importance) emerg, alert, crit, err,
warning, notice, info, debug, or an integer in the range 0...7. See syslog(3) for more
information. Each value may optionally be prefixed with one of console, syslog, kmsg
or journal followed by a colon to set the maximum log level for that specific log
target (e.g. SYSTEMD_LOG_LEVEL=debug,console:info specifies to log at debug level
except when logging to the console which should be at info level). Note that the
global maximum log level takes priority over any per target maximum log levels.
$SYSTEMD_LOG_COLOR
A boolean. If true, messages written to the tty will be colored according to priority.
This setting is only useful when messages are written directly to the terminal,
because journalctl(1) and other tools that display logs will color messages based on
the log level on their own.
$SYSTEMD_LOG_TIME
A boolean. If true, console log messages will be prefixed with a timestamp.
This setting is only useful when messages are written directly to the terminal or a
file, because journalctl(1) and other tools that display logs will attach timestamps
based on the entry metadata on their own.
$SYSTEMD_LOG_LOCATION
A boolean. If true, messages will be prefixed with a filename and line number in the
source code where the message originates.
Note that the log location is often attached as metadata to journal entries anyway.
Including it directly in the message text can nevertheless be convenient when
debugging programs.
$SYSTEMD_LOG_TID
A boolean. If true, messages will be prefixed with the current numerical thread ID
(TID).
Note that the this information is attached as metadata to journal entries anyway.
Including it directly in the message text can nevertheless be convenient when
debugging programs.
$SYSTEMD_LOG_TARGET
The destination for log messages. One of console (log to the attached tty),
console-prefixed (log to the attached tty but with prefixes encoding the log level and
"facility", see syslog(3), kmsg (log to the kernel circular log buffer), journal (log
to the journal), journal-or-kmsg (log to the journal if available, and to kmsg
otherwise), auto (determine the appropriate log target automatically, the default),
null (disable log output).
$SYSTEMD_LOG_RATELIMIT_KMSG
Whether to ratelimit kmsg or not. Takes a boolean. Defaults to "true". If disabled,
systemd will not ratelimit messages written to kmsg.
$SYSTEMD_PAGER
Pager to use when --no-pager is not given; overrides $PAGER. If neither $SYSTEMD_PAGER
nor $PAGER are set, a set of well-known pager implementations are tried in turn,
including less(1) and more(1), until one is found. If no pager implementation is
discovered no pager is invoked. Setting this environment variable to an empty string
or the value "cat" is equivalent to passing --no-pager.
Note: if $SYSTEMD_PAGERSECURE is not set, $SYSTEMD_PAGER (as well as $PAGER) will be
silently ignored.
$SYSTEMD_LESS
Override the options passed to less (by default "FRSXMK").
Users might want to change two options in particular:
K
This option instructs the pager to exit immediately when Ctrl+C is pressed. To
allow less to handle Ctrl+C itself to switch back to the pager command prompt,
unset this option.
If the value of $SYSTEMD_LESS does not include "K", and the pager that is invoked
is less, Ctrl+C will be ignored by the executable, and needs to be handled by the
pager.
X
This option instructs the pager to not send termcap initialization and
deinitialization strings to the terminal. It is set by default to allow command
output to remain visible in the terminal even after the pager exits. Nevertheless,
this prevents some pager functionality from working, in particular paged output
cannot be scrolled with the mouse.
Note that setting the regular $LESS environment variable has no effect for less
invocations by systemd tools.
See less(1) for more discussion.
$SYSTEMD_LESSCHARSET
Override the charset passed to less (by default "utf-8", if the invoking terminal is
determined to be UTF-8 compatible).
Note that setting the regular $LESSCHARSET environment variable has no effect for less
invocations by systemd tools.
$SYSTEMD_PAGERSECURE
Takes a boolean argument. When true, the "secure" mode of the pager is enabled; if
false, disabled. If $SYSTEMD_PAGERSECURE is not set at all, secure mode is enabled if
the effective UID is not the same as the owner of the login session, see geteuid(2)
and sd_pid_get_owner_uid(3). In secure mode, LESSSECURE=1 will be set when invoking
the pager, and the pager shall disable commands that open or create new files or start
new subprocesses. When $SYSTEMD_PAGERSECURE is not set at all, pagers which are not
known to implement secure mode will not be used. (Currently only less(1) implements
secure mode.)
Note: when commands are invoked with elevated privileges, for example under sudo(8) or
pkexec(1), care must be taken to ensure that unintended interactive features are not
enabled. "Secure" mode for the pager may be enabled automatically as describe above.
Setting SYSTEMD_PAGERSECURE=0 or not removing it from the inherited environment allows
the user to invoke arbitrary commands. Note that if the $SYSTEMD_PAGER or $PAGER
variables are to be honoured, $SYSTEMD_PAGERSECURE must be set too. It might be
reasonable to completely disable the pager using --no-pager instead.
$SYSTEMD_COLORS
Takes a boolean argument. When true, systemd and related utilities will use colors in
their output, otherwise the output will be monochrome. Additionally, the variable can
take one of the following special values: "16", "256" to restrict the use of colors to
the base 16 or 256 ANSI colors, respectively. This can be specified to override the
automatic decision based on $TERM and what the console is connected to.
$SYSTEMD_URLIFY
The value must be a boolean. Controls whether clickable links should be generated in
the output for terminal emulators supporting this. This can be specified to override
the decision that systemd makes based on $TERM and other conditions.
SEE ALSO
systemd(1), systemd-importd.service(8), systemd-nspawn(1), systemd-vmspawn(1),
machinectl(1), portablectl(1), systemd-sysext(8), systemd-confext(8), tar(1), xz(1),
gzip(1), bzip2(1)