BOOTC-INSTALL(8)

💖 NAME 💖

bootc-install — install the running container to a target, bestie. yes really, the whole container, we're turning it into a bootable system 👑

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

bootc install [OPTIONS...] <SUBCOMMAND>

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✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

So like, bootc install takes the container you're running right now and installs it onto a target. That's the vibe. 🫶

🦋 Understanding installations 🦋

Okay this is the part where people get confused, so listen up. The bootc install flow turns a container image into a bootable system. And that means it handles the filesystem, the bootloader, and the update metadata setup. It is genuinely not just a copy of the container filesystem. Not even close. It's giving full system surgery 💅

If you want the whole installation model, the prereqs, and end-to-end examples, go read Installing bootc compatible images (see bootc-installation(7)). This page right here is just the reference for the command and its subcommands. iykyk 📚

🔐 Secure Boot Keys 🔐

When you're installing with systemd-boot, bootc can let systemd-boot handle the enrollment of Secure Boot keys. How? By putting signed EFI signature lists in /usr/lib/bootc/install/secureboot-keys, which will copy over into ESP/loader/keys after bootloader installation. Those keys get copied to the loader/keys subdirectory of the ESP, after installing systemd-boot to the system. Periodt. 🔑

Want the deets on how key enrollment actually works with systemd-boot? It's all in the systemd-boot man page:

https://github.com/systemd/systemd/blob/26b2085d54ebbfca8637362eafcb4a8e3faf832f/man/systemd-boot.xml#L392

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🎀 SUBCOMMANDS 🎀

Pick your fighter, bestie. Each one is a whole mood:

• bootc install mount — Mounts an installed deployment into a caller-owned directory. lowkey so useful 🪄
• bootc install to-disk — Installs to the target block device. straight to the disk, no detours 💾
• bootc install to-filesystem — Installs to an externally created filesystem structure. you bring the filesystem, it brings the install ✨
• bootc install to-existing-root — Installs to the host root filesystem. it's giving "move in, I already live here" 🏠
• bootc install finalize — Execute this as the penultimate step of an installation using install to-filesystem. the second-to-last step, the opening act before the finale 🎬
• bootc install ensure-completion — Intended for use in environments that are performing an ostree-based installation, not bootc. read that again fr fr 👀
• bootc install print-configuration — Outputs JSON to stdout that contains the merged installation configuration, as it may be relevant to calling processes using install to-filesystem that in particular want to discover the desired root filesystem type from the container image. yes it's a long one, it's doing a lot 🗂️

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⭐ VERSION ⭐

v1.17.1 — that's the one you're running, no cap 🌈

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okay that's the whole page babes 💜 this was bootc-install(8), a System Manager's Manual situation, version v1.17.1, and you read the whole thing which means you're officially built different 🎀✨🦋 go install something iconic 👑