---
name: "vmdb2"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "vmdb2"
version: "0.40-2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/vmdb2"
---

# vmdb2(1)

create a disk image with Debian installed

## NAME

vmdb2 - create a disk image with Debian installed

## SYNOPSIS

**vmdb2** \[**--image=*FILE***\] \[**--output=*FILE***\] \[**--rootfs-tarball=*FILE***\] \[**-h**\|**--help**\] \[**--version**\] \[**-v**\|**--verbose**\] \[**--log=*FILE***\] \[*FILE*\]... **vmdb** *SPECFILE*

## DESCRIPTION

**vmdb2** reads a *specification file* that describes a disk image, and builds the corresponding image. The specification file uses YAML syntax, and contains a list of steps. Each step tells vmdb2 what to do next.

## OPTIONS

- **-h**, **--help**

  show this help message and exit

- **--image**=*FILE*

  use existing image file/device *FILE*

- **--output**=*FILE*

  create new image *FILE* (the size comes from the specification file)

- **--rootfs-tarball**=*FILE*

  store rootfs cache tar archives in *FILE*

- **-v**, **--verbose**

  verbose output

- **--log**=*FILE*

  write log entries to *FILE* (default is to not write log files at all)

- **--version**

  show program's version number and exit

## EXAMPLE

To build a disk image:

```
vmdb2 foo.vmdb --output foo.img -v --rootfs-tarball foo.tar.gz
```

## SEE ALSO

[**debootstrap**(8)](/debootstrap/8.md).

*https://vmdb2.liw.fi/*

*/usr/share/doc/vmdb2/manual.html*