Use the interactive CLI

Interactive mode guides you through a build in your terminal. You can use a target snapshot or choose a baseline OS without capturing the machine first.

Run it on your online computer after installing the CLI and setting up a build backend:

debark build --interactive

What the CLI asks

The supported systems page lists the baseline releases, variants, and architecture names shown in the target prompts.

1. Target: provide a snapshot path, or choose a baseline’s distribution, release, variant, and architecture.
2. Packages: enter one package name, version request, .deb URL, or local .deb path per line. Submit an empty line when finished.
3. Output: choose the bundle folder.
4. Signing: use a configured key or enter an existing signing key. This prompt does not generate a key.
5. Extras: choose whether to include upgrades and a CycloneDX package inventory (SBOM).
6. Review: check the choices and confirm before package resolution and downloads start.

For a signed build, create a key once before starting, then pass it to the guided command:

debark keygen --out operator.key
debark build --interactive --sign operator.key

Skip key generation if you already have a key. Keep the private key on the builder and provide the public key separately to the target. See Sign a bundle.

Supply choices you already know

You can pass a snapshot or baseline, output folder, signing key, and package names on the command line. The guide skips those corresponding questions.

For example, choose the target in advance and enter packages through prompts:

debark build --interactive --base ubuntu:24.04/minimal --arch amd64 \
  --out ./bundle --sign operator.key

When supplying --base, also supply --arch if the target differs from the builder. For a snapshot-based build, use --snapshot target.tar.zst instead of --base and --arch.

Reuse the package list and command

Packages entered through prompts are saved in packages.txt in your current directory. If that file exists, the CLI chooses an unused name such as packages-2.txt.

The list is saved before the final confirmation, so you can keep it even if you cancel there. Package names supplied on the command line do not create a new list.

After the build attempt, the CLI prints a command using your selected target, package list, and build options. Save it for the next run or use the list with --list in a script. If you supplied extra options such as a backend, policy, or configuration profile, keep those with your saved command too.

Always check the build result. Interactive mode uses the same exit codes as a build with explicit options.

Save a baseline through prompts

To create a reusable baseline file without building a package bundle yet:

debark snapshot from-base --interactive

This asks for the distribution, release, variant, architecture, and output path. See Build with a baseline OS for when to use the resulting file.

Terminals and scripts

Interactive mode requires a terminal on standard input. Piped input and CI jobs cannot answer these prompts. It also cannot be combined with --json or --json-events.

The CLI only starts these questions when you pass --interactive. For unattended builds, use explicit options and a package list; see Run Debark from a script.