---
name: "virt-index-validate"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "guestfs-tools"
version: "1.56.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/virt-index-validate"
---

# virt-index-validate(1)

Validate virt-builder index file

## NAME

virt-index-validate - Validate virt-builder index file

## SYNOPSIS

```
 virt-index-validate index
```

## DESCRIPTION

[**virt-builder**(1)](/virt-builder/1.md) uses an index file to store metadata about templates that it knows how to use.  This index file has a specific format which virt-index-validate knows how to validate.

Note that virt-index-validate can validate either the signed or unsigned index file (ie. either *index* or *index.asc*).  It can only validate a local file, not a URL.

## OPTIONS

- **--compat-1.24.0**

  Check for compatibility with virt-builder 1.24.0.  (Using this option implies *--compat-1.24.1*, so you don't need to use both.)

  In particular:

  - •

    This version of virt-builder could not handle `"[...]"` (square brackets) in field names (eg. `"checksum[sha512]=..."`).

  - •

    It required detached signatures (`"sig=..."`).

- **--compat-1.24.1**

  Check for compatibility with virt-builder ≥ 1.24.1.

  In particular:

  - •

    This version of virt-builder could not handle `"."` (period) in field names or `","` (comma) in subfield names.

  - •

    It could not handle comments appearing in the file.

- **--help**

  Display help.

- **-V**

  - **--version**

  Display version number and exit.

## EXIT STATUS

This program returns 0 if the index file validates, or non-zero if there was an error.

## SEE ALSO

[**virt-builder**(1)](/virt-builder/1.md), http://libguestfs.org/.

## AUTHOR

Richard W.M. Jones http://people.redhat.com/~rjones/

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) 2013 Red Hat Inc.

## LICENSE

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.

## BUGS

To get a list of bugs against libguestfs, use this link: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/buglist.cgi?component=libguestfs&product=Virtualization+Tools

To report a new bug against libguestfs, use this link: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/enter\_bug.cgi?component=libguestfs&product=Virtualization+Tools

When reporting a bug, please supply:

- •

  The version of libguestfs.

- •

  Where you got libguestfs (eg. which Linux distro, compiled from source, etc)

- •

  Describe the bug accurately and give a way to reproduce it.

- •

  Run [**libguestfs-test-tool**(1)](/libguestfs-test-tool/1.md) and paste the **complete, unedited** output into the bug report.