1. Home
  2. Artifacts
  3. Base Images

Red Hat Universal Base Image

Build, share, and collaborate with greater reliability, security, and performance using base images provided by Red Hat

View base images
OverviewCompareBenefitsGet imagesGet started

What are base images?

Most container-based development starts with a base image and developers can then layer on top of it any additional libraries, binaries, and files needed to run an application. The Red Hat Universal Base Image (UBI) is designed to be a foundation for cloud-native and web applications use cases, developed in containers.

Universal Base Image (UBI)

The Red Hat Universal Base Image (UBI) is a collection of Open Container Initiative (OCI)-compliant, freely redistributable, container base operating system images. There are several options to choose from that vary in size, complexity, or that include language runtimes and packages. All of the packages in UBI come from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and are supported like RHEL when run on a Red Hat supported platform like OpenShift or Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

Less than a full operating system, UBI is three things:

Base images

Base images

Pre-built language images

Pre-built language images

RPM Package Set

RPM Package Set

UBI for every case

The Red Hat Universal Base Image includes a set of base images to provide optimum starting points for a variety of use cases and are freely redistributable.

FormDescriptionWhat's included
PlatformFor many applications that run non containerized on RHEL.
  • Unified, OpenSSL crypto stack
  • Full DNF package manager implementation
  • Useful basic OS tools (tar, gzip, vi, etc.)
MinimalDesigned for those concerned with base image size, but want conveniences like RPM package management.
  • Minimized pre-installed content set
  • No suid binaries
  • Minimal package manager (install, update, and remove)
InitWith a full systemd implementation, allows application developers to include multiple services and manage dependencies between them.
  • Configured to run systemd on start
  • Enable the services at build time
  • Adjust service settings or dependencies as you would on a RHEL system
MicroFor people most concerned with image size, who are willing to do away with conveniences like in-container package management.
  • The smallest base image
  • Smallest attack surface

More flexibility, more freedom, and more security

Red Hat has built UBI to give developers a better choice in terms of stability, lifecycle, and support compared to alternative base images. Developers can find, run, build, share, and deploy containerized applications using an enterprise-grade container base image anywhere they want - whether Red Hat or non-Red Hat platforms - allowing builders to meet their customers where they are.

Additional benefits

  • Use the same base image that Red Hat uses for its products
  • Use a base image that is regularly scanned and updated for known vulnerabilities using the same engine and security sources as other Red Hat products
  • Easy to obtain source code to comply with Open Source licensing requirements
  • Build on any OCI-compliant environment
  • Freely redistribute your UBI-based product under the terms of the UBI EULA

How to get Red Hat-provided base images

More information about each distribution and how to get base images are available at the Red Hat Ecosystem Catalog.

DistributionRepository pathPull command
Red Hat Universal Base Image 9
  • Copy to Clipboard
  • Copy to Clipboard
  • Copy to Clipboard
  • Copy to Clipboard
Red Hat Universal Base Image 8
  • Copy to Clipboard
  • Copy to Clipboard
  • Copy to Clipboard
  • Copy to Clipboard
Red Hat Universal Base Image 7
  • Copy to Clipboard
  • Copy to Clipboard
  • Copy to Clipboard

Getting hands on with base images

Red Hat Universal Base Images (UBI) e-book

Red Hat Universal Base Images (UBI) e-book

Scott McCarty sets up a Red Hat Universal Base Image via command line

Scott McCarty sets up a Red Hat Universal Base Image via command line

Red Hat logoLinkedInYouTubeFacebookTwitter

Platforms

Products & services

Try, buy, sell

Help

About Red Hat Ecosystem Catalog

The Red Hat Ecosystem Catalog is the official source for discovering and learning more about the Red Hat Ecosystem of both Red Hat and certified third-party products and services.

We’re the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source solutions—including Linux, cloud, container, and Kubernetes. We deliver hardened solutions that make it easier for enterprises to work across platforms and environments, from the core datacenter to the network edge.