How to use the command 'kiwi-ng' (with examples)

Kiwi-ng is an OS image and appliance builder tool. It enables users to build and customize operating system appliances based on a specified description file. This article will provide examples of different use cases of the kiwi-ng command.

Use case 1: Build an appliance

Code:

kiwi-ng system build --description=path/to/directory --target-dir=path/to/directory

Motivation:

The motivation behind using this example is to demonstrate how to build an appliance using kiwi-ng. This use case is useful when you want to create a customized operating system image for specific purposes, such as creating a virtual machine template or a live CD/DVD.

Explanation:

• kiwi-ng: The command to invoke the kiwi-ng tool.
• system build: The sub-command to build a customized system image.
• --description=path/to/directory: Specifies the path to the directory containing the description file for the appliance.
• --target-dir=path/to/directory: Specifies the target directory where the output image will be stored.

Example output:

Upon successful execution, the command will generate an appliance image based on the provided description file and store it in the specified target directory.

Use case 2: Show build result of built appliance

Code:

kiwi-ng result list --target-dir=path/to/directory

Motivation:

This use case is helpful in scenarios where you want to view the build result of a previously executed kiwi-ng command. It allows you to check the status of the build and verify if it was successful or not.

Explanation:

• kiwi-ng: The command to invoke the kiwi-ng tool.
• result list: The sub-command to display the list of build results.
• --target-dir=path/to/directory: Specifies the target directory where the build results are stored.

Example output:

Running the above command will display a list of build results, including the status (success or failure) and relevant details for each built appliance.

Use case 3: Display help

Code:

kiwi-ng help

Motivation:

The kiwi-ng tool provides comprehensive documentation and a wide range of options. This use case is helpful in situations when you need to access the help documentation to understand the available commands, their usage, and the different options provided by kiwi-ng.

Explanation:

• kiwi-ng: The command to invoke the kiwi-ng tool.
• help: The sub-command to display the help documentation.

Example output:

When executed, the command will display the help documentation, including a list of available commands, their descriptions, and usage examples.

Use case 4: Display version

Code:

kiwi-ng -v

Motivation:

This use case allows users to check the version of the kiwi-ng tool installed on their system. It is useful when you need to verify the version to ensure compatibility with other tools, or when seeking assistance from the community and troubleshooting issues.

Explanation:

• kiwi-ng: The command to invoke the kiwi-ng tool.
• -v: A flag that indicates to display the version information.

Example output:

Executing the command will output the version number of the kiwi-ng tool installed on the system.

Conclusion:

In this article, we explored various use cases of the kiwi-ng command, which is an OS image and appliance builder. We learned how to build an appliance, check the build results, access the help documentation, and display the version information. These examples highlight the versatility and functionality of the kiwi-ng tool and provide a foundation for further exploration of its capabilities.