---
name: "containerd"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "containerd"
version: "2.4.2-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/containerd"
---

# containerd(8)

## NAME

containerd

## SYNOPSIS

containerd

```
[--address|-a]=[value]
[--config|-c]=[value]
[--log-level|-l]=[value]
[--root]=[value]
[--state]=[value]
```

## DESCRIPTION

containerd is a high performance container runtime whose daemon can be started by using this command. If none of the *config*, *publish*, *oci-hook*, or *help* commands are specified, the default action of the **containerd** command is to start the containerd daemon in the foreground.

A default configuration is used if no TOML configuration is specified or located at the default file location. The *containerd config* command can be used to generate the default configuration for containerd. The output of that command can be used and modified as necessary as a custom configuration.

**Usage**:

```
containerd [GLOBAL OPTIONS] [command [COMMAND OPTIONS]] [ARGUMENTS...]
```

## GLOBAL OPTIONS

**--address, -a**="": Address for containerd's GRPC server

**--config, -c**="": Path to the configuration file (default: "/etc/containerd/config.toml")

**--log-level, -l**="": Set the logging level \[trace, debug, info, warn, error, fatal, panic\]

**--root**="": containerd root directory

**--state**="": containerd state directory

## COMMANDS

## config

Information on the containerd config

### default

See the output of the default config

### dump

See the output of the final main config with imported in subconfig files

### migrate

Migrate the current configuration file to the latest version (does not migrate subconfig files)

## publish

Binary to publish events to containerd

**--namespace**="": Namespace to publish to

**--topic**="": Topic of the event

## oci-hook

Provides a base for OCI runtime hooks to allow arguments to be injected.