---
name: "runc-checkpoint"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "runc"
version: "1.5.2-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/runc-checkpoint"
---

# runc-checkpoint(8)

checkpoint a running container

## NAME

**runc-checkpoint** - checkpoint a running container

## SYNOPSIS

**runc checkpoint** \[*option* ...\] *container-id*

## DESCRIPTION

The **checkpoint** command saves the state of the running container instance with the help of [**criu**(8)](/criu/8.md) tool, to be restored later.

## OPTIONS

- **--image-path** *path*

  Set path for saving criu image files. The default is *./checkpoint*.

- **--work-path** *path*

  Set path for saving criu work files and logs. The default is to reuse the image files directory.

- **--parent-path** *path*

  Set path for previous criu image files, in pre-dump.

- **--leave-running**

  Leave the process running after checkpointing.

- **--tcp-established**

  Allow checkpoint/restore of established TCP connections. See criu --tcp-establised option ⟨https://criu.org/CLI/opt/--tcp-established⟩.

- **--tcp-skip-in-flight**

  Skip in-flight TCP connections. See criu --skip-in-flight option ⟨https://criu.org/CLI/opt/--skip-in-flight⟩.

- **--link-remap**

  Allow one to link unlinked files back when possible. See criu --link-remap option ⟨https://criu.org/CLI/opt/--link-remap⟩.

- **--ext-unix-sk**

  Allow checkpoint/restore of external unix sockets. See criu --ext-unix-sk option ⟨https://criu.org/CLI/opt/--ext-unix-sk⟩.

- **--shell-job**

  Allow checkpoint/restore of shell jobs.

- **--lazy-pages**

  Use lazy migration mechanism. See criu --lazy-pages option ⟨https://criu.org/CLI/opt/--lazy-pages⟩.

- **--status-fd** *fd*

  Pass a file descriptor *fd* to **criu**. Once **lazy-pages** server is ready, **criu** writes **\\0** (a zero byte) to that *fd*. Used together with **--lazy-pages**.

- **--page-server** *IP-address*:*port*

  Start a page server at the specified *IP-address* and *port*. This is used together with **criu lazy-pages**. See criu lazy migration ⟨https://criu.org/Lazy\_migration⟩.

- **--file-locks**

  Allow checkpoint/restore of file locks. See criu --file-locks option ⟨https://criu.org/CLI/opt/--file-locks⟩.

- **--pre-dump**

  Do a pre-dump, i.e. dump container's memory information only, leaving the container running. See criu iterative migration ⟨https://criu.org/Iterative\_migration⟩.

- **--manage-cgroups-mode** **soft**\|**full**\|**strict**\|**ignore**.

  Cgroups mode. Default is **soft**. See criu --manage-cgroups option ⟨https://criu.org/CLI/opt/--manage-cgroups⟩.

- **--empty-ns** *namespace*

  Checkpoint a *namespace*, but don't save its properties. See criu --empty-ns option ⟨https://criu.org/CLI/opt/--empty-ns⟩.

- **--auto-dedup**

  Enable auto deduplication of memory images. See criu --auto-dedup option ⟨https://criu.org/CLI/opt/--auto-dedup⟩.

## SEE ALSO

[**criu**(8)](/criu/8.md), [**runc-restore**(8)](/runc-restore/8.md), [**runc**(8)](/runc/8.md), [**criu**(8)](/criu/8.md).