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Show details for a specific GitHub runner base image. nsc github base-image describe prints the full details of a single base image, identified by its label (for example ubuntu-26.04). The output includes the image reference, the operating system, the enabled features, and the complete list of installed packages with their versions. Pass -o json to get a machine-readable representation that is easy to diff between two images, for example to compare ubuntu-26.04 against ubuntu-24.04. You can also browse the same information in the dashboard, for example ubuntu-26.04.

Usage

Examples

Describe a base image:
Describe a base image as JSON:
Diff the contents of two base images:

Arguments

<label>

The label of the base image to describe, for example ubuntu-26.04. Use nsc github base-image list to see the available labels.

Optional Flags

-o, —output string

Output format. Default: plain. Supported values: plain, json.

—canary

Fetch the canary/staging image instead of the production image.
Last modified on August 20, 2026