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regctl manifest get: Read a Manifest or Index

regctl manifest get fetches the manifest or index for an image reference and can print the resolved digest, without a Docker daemon.

regctl manifest get is the regclient way to inspect what a tag points to: the raw manifest, the platform list, or just the digest for pinning.

What it does

regctl manifest get retrieves the manifest (or manifest list) for a reference. With --format it can print the raw body, a specific field, or the digest; with --platform it resolves a single platform from an index.

Common usage

Terminal
# print the manifest / index
regctl manifest get ghcr.io/acme/app:1.4.0

# just the digest, for pinning
regctl manifest get --format '{{.GetDescriptor.Digest}}' ghcr.io/acme/app:1.4.0

# one platform from a multi-arch index
regctl manifest get --platform linux/amd64 docker.io/library/alpine:3.20

Options

FlagWhat it does
REFThe image reference (positional)
--platform os/archResolve one platform from a multi-arch index
--format <tmpl>Go-template output, e.g. the digest or raw body
--require-listFail unless the reference is a manifest list/index

In CI

Use the --format {{.GetDescriptor.Digest}} form to resolve a tag to an immutable digest and pin your deploy, the daemonless equivalent of docker inspect RepoDigests. --require-list asserts an image is genuinely multi-arch before promotion.

Common errors in CI

"manifest not found" means the tag or digest does not exist. "401 Unauthorized" means log in first. A template that prints nothing usually references a field name that does not exist for that manifest type; check whether it is an index or a single manifest. --require-list on a single-arch image fails by design.

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