Getting Started with Flatcar Container Linux

This section helps you get up and running with Flatcar. It introduces essential concepts and points you to hands-on learning resources:

Configuration and Provisioning

Flatcar is configured at provisioning time, before the first boot, using workflows as depicted in the following diagram:

  flowchart LR
     A["Configure<br/>OS · Components<br/>Butane (YAML)"] --> B["Deploy<br/>Cloud · VM · Bare Metal<br/>Ignition config (JSON)"] --> C["Orchestrate<br/>Containers · Kubernetes<br/>Runtime of choice"]
  • Butane is human-readable YAML that must be converted (transpiled) into Ignition config before Flatcar can use it. Download from CoreOS Butane Releases . For a comprehensive discussion of available options, see the Butane configuration specification .
  • Ignition is machine-readable JSON consumed by Flatcar’s first-boot provisioning service. Cloud providers supply the Ignition config as user data or custom data suitable for private cloud and bare-metal installs. Ignition config is rarely written by hand and best practice is to generate it using automation or transpile it from Butane.

See the Flatcar Quickstart for a detailed procedure on using these tools.

Automatic updates

Flatcar automatic updates are enabled by default, but you can reconfigure and disable update settings at any time. Instances download and stage new OS versions in the background and can reboot into the updated OS when an update becomes available. To change this default behavior, including defining reboot windows or disabling reboots, see update strategies .

To Learn More

The Flatcar documentation covers several technical areas. Use the following lists of functional areas to assist in your learning path.

Provisioning and Deployment:

Orchestration and Capabilities:

Maintenance and Development:

Flatcar Self-Paced Learning Series

Quickstart

Get up and running quickly with Flatcar Container Linux.

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