---
name: "ostree-summary"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "ostree"
version: "2026.4-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ostree-summary"
---

# ostree-summary(1)

Regenerate or view the summary metadata file

## NAME

ostree-summary - Regenerate or view the summary metadata file

## SYNOPSIS

**ostree summary** \[--gpg-sign=KEY-ID\] \[--gpg-homedir=HOMEDIR\] \[--sign=KEYID\] \[--sign-type=ENGINE\] {--update} \[--add-metadata=*KEY*=*VALUE*...\]

**ostree summary** {--view \| --raw}

## DESCRIPTION

The summary file is an optional higher level form of repository metadata that describes the available branches. It needs to be manually regenerated after a series of commits. Among other things, this allows atomically updating multiple commits.

## OPTIONS

- **--update**,**-u**

  Update the summary file. This option can be combined with **--add-metadata** to add metadata fields to the summary.

  If the repository has a collection ID configured, the ostree-metadata branch for that collection ID will also be updated with a new commit containing the given metadata, which will be signed if the summary file is signed.

- **--add-metadata**,**-m**=KEY=VALUE

  Specify an additional metadata field to add to the summary. It must be in the format *KEY***=***VALUE* or as two separate arguments. The keys must be namespaced for your organisation or repository using a dot prefix. The values must be in GVariant text format. For example, **exampleos.end-of-life "@t 1445385600"**. This option can be used multiple times.

- **--view**,**-v**

  View the contents of the summary file in a human readable format.

- **--raw**

  View the raw bytes of the summary file.

- **--gpg-sign**=KEY-ID

  GPG Key ID to sign the summary with.

  To use a specific subkey, pass the subkey’s fingerprint followed by !.

- **--gpg-homedir**=HOMEDIR

  GPG Homedir to use when looking for keyrings.

- **--sign-type**=ENGINE

  Use particular signature engine. Currently available ed25519 and dummy signature types. The default is ed25519.

- **--sign**="KEY-ID"

  There KEY-ID is:

  **for ed25519:**

  base64-encoded secret key for commit signing.

  **for dummy:**

  ASCII-string used as secret key.

## EXAMPLES

**$ ostree summary -u**

**$ ostree summary -u -m key="'value'"**

**$ ostree summary -v**

```
* ostree/1/1/0
    Latest Commit (4.2 MB):
      9828ab80f357459b4ab50f0629beab2ae3b67318fc3d161d10a89fae353afa90
    Timestamp (ostree.commit.timestamp): 2017-11-21T01:41:10-08
    Version (ostree.commit.version): 1.2.3
Last-Modified (ostree.summary.last-modified): 2018-01-12T22:06:38-08
```