containersfrom

Containersfrom is an open-source framework for defining and building container images from high-level recipes instead of traditional Dockerfiles. It aims to standardize container derivation, enabling reusable, repeatable image construction across teams and projects.

A containersfrom recipe describes a base image, a set of artifacts or packages, and a sequence of build steps. The syntax is declarative and human-readable, supporting parameters, environment variables, and conditional steps. Example elements might specify from: ubuntu:22.04, a list of apt-get install commands, and file copies as part of the build.

Architecture centers on three components: a recipes repository, a builder, and an OCI-compatible image store or registry. The builder executes steps in isolated environments, producing image layers that are cached for reuse. Recipes can target multiple architectures and include provenance metadata for reproducibility.

Usage typically involves storing recipes in version control, running a build command to generate an image, and pushing it to a container registry. Containersfrom emphasizes reproducible builds and can integrate with security scanning and signing workflows.

Adoption varies by organization; proponents highlight reduced duplication and clearer provenance, while critics note a learning curve and partial ecosystem maturity. The project seeks interoperability with existing container tooling and OCI standards rather than enforcing a single runtime.

See also: OCI image specification, Docker, Buildah, container registry, Kubernetes.