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Capture your first bundle#

Capture BusyBox from Docker Hub, save it as an archive, then restore it offline. Choose a destination registry when you are ready to deliver.

Before you start#

Install Bale. You need access to Docker Hub and disk space for the image. The next step creates a working directory. Capture needs neither a container runtime nor a writable registry.

Write a recipe#

mkdir bale-first-bundle
cd bale-first-bundle

Save this as bale.yaml:

include:
  - docker.io/library/busybox:1.37

Bale resolves the tag and its platform images to digests without downloading their image layers.

Capture and inspect#

bale create -f bale.yaml -t release:v1 \
  --output-delivery bale.delivery.yaml
bale ls
bale inspect release:v1 -f '{{.Descriptor.Digest}}'

Create and inspect print the same bundle digest. release:v1 names it in Bale's local store; bale.delivery.yaml lists publication paths. Keep access to Docker Hub until saving or pushing the bundle.

View the full JSON inventory with:

bale inspect release:v1

The report shows metadataOnly: true while payloads are missing from the store. The inspection guide explains its validation and formatting options.

Save and restore#

bale save release:v1 -o release.tar
bale load -i release.tar -t restored:v1
bale inspect restored:v1 -f '{{.Descriptor.Digest}}'
bale diff release:v1 restored:v1

Save downloads the pinned payloads into the shared local store and writes a complete archive. Load works offline and adds the restored:v1 name. The restored digest matches the original, and diff reports Bundle changed: false. Shared content is stored once by digest. Carry release.tar to another machine and restore it there the same way.

The archive and delivery output files must not already exist. Bundle names refer to retained IDs in the local store; no bundle output directory is needed.

Preview delivery#

bale push restored:v1 mirror.example.com/releases/first:bundle \
  --delivery bale.delivery.yaml --dry-run

The placeholder destination needs no credentials for this preview. Edit path values in the delivery file to choose different member repositories, then preview again.

Publish when ready#

Replace the destination with a writable registry and configure credentials:

bale push restored:v1 mirror.example.com/releases/first:bundle \
  --delivery bale.delivery.yaml

Bale publishes the content and tags, then the completion tag. Continue with transfers for repository mappings and refreshes, or offline packaging for receiving-side steps.