As we speak, we’re saying the Basic Availability 1.0 model of rules_oci, an open-sourced Bazel plugin (“ruleset”) that makes it less complicated and safer to construct container pictures with Bazel. This effort was a collaboration we had with Facet and the Guidelines Authors Particular Curiosity Group. On this put up, we’ll clarify how rules_oci differs from its predecessor, rules_docker, and describe the advantages it provides for each container picture safety and the container neighborhood.
Google’s widespread construct and take a look at device, generally known as Bazel, is gaining quick adoption inside enterprises because of its means to scale to the most important codebases and deal with builds in nearly any language. As a result of Bazel manages and caches dependencies by their integrity hash, it’s uniquely suited to make assurances in regards to the provide chain based mostly on the Belief-on-First-Use precept. A technique Google makes use of Bazel is to construct extensively used Distroless base pictures for Docker.
Distroless is a sequence of minimal base pictures which enhance supply-chain safety. They limit what’s in your runtime container to exactly what’s vital in your app, which is a greatest observe employed by Google and different tech firms which have used containers in manufacturing for a few years. Utilizing minimal base pictures reduces the burden of managing dangers related to safety vulnerabilities, licensing, and governance points within the provide chain for constructing functions.
Traditionally, constructing container pictures was supported by rules_docker, which is now in upkeep mode. The brand new ruleset, known as rules_oci, is healthier fitted to Distroless in addition to most Bazel container builds for a number of causes:
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The Open Container Initiative customary has modified the taking part in subject, and there at the moment are a number of container runtimes and picture codecs. rules_oci shouldn’t be tied to working a docker daemon already put in on the machine.
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rules_docker was created earlier than many wonderful container manipulation instruments existed, comparable to Crane, Skopeo, and Zot. rules_oci is ready to merely depend on trusted third-party toolchains and keep away from constructing or sustaining any Bazel-specific instruments.
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rules_oci doesn’t embrace any language-specific guidelines, which makes it far more maintainable than rules_docker. Additionally, it avoids the pitfalls of stale dependencies on different language rulesets.
There are different nice options of rules_oci to spotlight as effectively. For instance, it makes use of Bazel’s downloader to fetch layers from a distant registry, enhancing caching and permitting clear use of a personal registry. Multi-architecture pictures make it extra handy to focus on platforms like ARM-based servers, and assist Home windows Containers as effectively. Code signing permits customers to confirm {that a} container picture they use was created by the developer who signed it, and was not modified by any third-party alongside the way in which (e.g. person-in-the-middle assault). Together with the work on Bazel crew’s roadmap, you’ll additionally get a Software program Invoice of Supplies (SBOM) exhibiting what went into the container you employ.
Since adopting rules_oci and Bazel 6, the Distroless crew has seen numerous enhancements to our construct processes, picture outputs, and safety metadata:
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Native assist for signing permits us to remove a race situation that might have left some pictures unsigned. We now signal on immutable digests references to photographs throughout the construct as a substitute of tags after the construct.
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Native assist for oci indexes (multi platform pictures) allowed us to take away our dependency on docker throughout construct. This additionally means extra pure and debuggable failures when one thing goes improper with multi platform builds.
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Enhancements to fetching and caching means our CI builds are quicker and extra dependable when utilizing distant repositories.
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Distroless pictures at the moment are accompanied by SBOMs embedded in a signed attestation, which you’ll view with cosign and a few jq magic:
cosign obtain attestation gcr.io/distroless/base:latest-amd64 | jq -rcs ‘.[0].payload’ | base64 -d | jq -r ‘.predicate’ | jq
In the long run, rules_oci allowed us to modernize the Distroless construct whereas additionally including vital provide chain safety metadata to permit organizations to make higher selections in regards to the pictures they devour.
As we speak, we’re pleased to announce that rules_oci is now a 1.0 model. This stability assure follows the semver customary, and guarantees that future releases gained’t embrace breaking public API modifications. Facet offers sources for utilizing rules_oci, comparable to a Migration information from rules_docker. It additionally offers assist, coaching, and consulting companies for successfully adopting rules_oci to construct containers in all languages.
In case you use rules_docker immediately, or are contemplating utilizing Bazel to construct your containers, it is a nice time to offer rules_oci a attempt. You’ll be able to assist by submitting actionable points, contributing code, or donating to the Guidelines Authors SIG OpenCollective. For the reason that mission is developed and maintained completely as community-driven open supply, your assist is crucial to protecting the mission wholesome and attentive to your wants.
Particular because of Sahin Yort and Alex Eagle from Facet.
