---
name: "packer"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "packer"
version: "1.6.6+ds2-1+b1"
release: "Debian 12 (Bookworm)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/packer"
---

# packer(1)

tool for creating machine images for multiple platforms

## NAME

**packer** - tool for creating machine images for multiple platforms

## SYNOPSIS

$ **packer** \<command\> \[\<options\>\] \<args\>

$ **packer** build -only=amazon-ebs *template*.json

## DESCRIPTION

Packer is a CLI tool for the automatic creation of identical machine images (single deployable units that contain a pre-configured OS and installed software) for multiple platforms (public cloud providers, private cloud and desktop virtualization solutions) from a single JSON template configuration file. For the documentation of Packer, especially on how to write proper Packer templates, please see \<https://www.packer.io/docs\>.

## COMMANDS

- build

  build image(s) from a template. For a full list of options related to this command, see the output of: $ **packer** build -h.

- fix

  fix templates from old versions of Packer like this: $ **packer** fix *old*.json \> *new*.json. For a full list of fixes which this command performs and special options, see the output of: $ **packer** fix -h.

- inspect

  print components of a template. This command validates the basic syntax of the template by necessity, but not if the configuration is valid (this is what the command **validate** is for).

- validate

  check if a template is valid. The command returns a zero exit status if a template is valid, and a non-zero exit status if it isn't. If **-syntax-only** is given as option, only the syntax of the template is checked.

- version

  print the Packer version

## LOGGING

To get a build log, run **packer** like this: $ PACKER\_LOG=1 packer build *foo*.json 2\>\>*build.log*, or use $PACKER\_LOG\_PATH.

## ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

For a full list of available environment variables, see \<https://www.packer.io/docs/other/environmental-variables.html\>.

## AUTHORS

HashiCorp's Packer is developed by Mitchell Hashimoto \<mitchell.hashimoto@gmail.com\>, Jack Pearkes \<jackpearkes@gmail.com\>, Mark Peek, Ross Smith II \<ross@smithii.com\>, and Rickard von Essen \<rickard.von.essen@gmail.com\>.

This manpage is written by Daniel Stender \<stender@debian.org\> for the Debian Go packaging team.