rpm-ostree: A true hybrid image/package system

rpm-ostree is a hybrid image/package system. It combines libostree as a base image format, and accepts RPM on both the client and server side, sharing code with the dnf project; specifically libdnf. and thus bringing many of the benefits of both together.

NOTE: Currently, development focus has shifted to bootc, dnf, and the ecosystem around those tools. However, rpm-ostree is widely in use today in many upstream projects and downstream products and continues to be supported. In general, new major features related to bootable containers should land in those projects instead.

flowchart TD
    rpmostree["rpm-ostree (daemon + CLI)
        status, upgrade, rollback
        package layering
        initramfs --enable"] 
    bootc["bootc (image system)
        fetch bootable container images
        transactional upgrades and rollbacks"]
    ostree["ostree (image system)
        fetch ostree repositories
        transactional upgrades and rollbacks"]
    libdnf["libdnf (pkg system) ties together
        libsolv (SAT solver)
        librepo (RPM repo downloads)
        librpm (RPM installation)
        "]

    rpmostree --> ostree
    rpmostree --> bootc
    rpmostree --> libdnf

Features:

• Transactional, background image-based (versioned/checksummed) upgrades, using both bootable container images as well as an "ostree native" HTTP model
• OS rollback without affecting user data (/usr but not /etc, /var) via libostree
• Client-side package layering (and overrides)
• Custom base images via rpm-ostree compose image (container) or rpm-ostree compose tree (ostree repo)

Documentation

For more information, see the project documentation or the project documentation website.

License

rpm-ostree includes code licensed under GPLv2+, LGPLv2+, (Apache 2.0 OR MIT). For more information, see LICENSE.