An image is a location where IPS packages and their associated files, directories, links, and dependencies can be installed, and where other IPS operations can be performed.
Images created by using the pkg image-create command are not bootable. To create a bootable images use the --be-name or --require-new-be options with pkg commands, or use the beadm or zonecfg and zoneadm commands. The pkg image-create command is used for tasks such as maintaining packages and operating system distributions.
The pkg image-create command requires an operand that is the directory where the image will be created. The default type of image created is a user image. You can specify any of the following image types:
Full images are capable of providing a complete system. In a full image, all dependencies are resolved within the image itself and IPS maintains the dependencies in a consistent manner. After you have completed an installation of the Oracle Solaris OS, the root file system and its contents are contained in a full image. Use the -F or --full option to specify a full image.
Partial images are linked to the full image that encloses the given dir path (the parent image). Partial images do not provide a complete system on their own. Use the -P or --partial option to specify a partial image.
A non-global zone is a partial image. To use the image in non-global zone context, specify the -z or --zone option to set an appropriate variant. In a zone image, IPS maintains the non-global zone consistent with its global zone as defined by dependencies in the packages. See Images and Boot Environments for more information about zones.
User images contain only relocatable packages. This is the default type of image that is created if you do not specify an image type. Use the -U or --user option to specify a user image.
Use the -p or --publisher option to provide a package repository URI. If a publisher name is also provided, then only that publisher is added when the image is created. If a publisher name is not provided, then all publishers known by the specified repository are added to the image. An attempt to retrieve the catalog associated with this publisher is made following the initial creation operations.
For publishers using client SSL authentication, use the -c and -k options to register a client key and client certificate. This key and certificate are used for all publishers added during image creation.
Use the --variant, --facet, and --set-property options to set variant values, facet values, and image property values.