Custom Images

Pre-package your development tools, language runtimes, and dependencies into a custom base image. Devboxes created from your image start with everything pre-installed.

Most teams can get started with Namespace's managed base images. Custom images are for when you need specific toolchains, system packages, or configuration baked in.

This guide assumes you have the Devbox CLI installed and authenticated. If you haven't set that up yet, see the Quick Start Guide.

Dockerfile

Use a standard Dockerfile to define your development environment. Install the tools, runtimes, and dependencies your workflow needs.

FROM ubuntu:24.04

# Install common development tools.
RUN apt-get update && DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y     sudo git curl build-essential ca-certificates     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

# Create a non-root user with passwordless sudo.
RUN adduser --disabled-password --gecos "" --uid 1001 devbox     && echo "devbox ALL=(ALL:ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL" > /etc/sudoers.d/devbox     && chmod 0440 /etc/sudoers.d/devbox

# -------------------------------------------------------------------
# Install the tools your team needs. Everything above this line is
# boilerplate; everything below is yours to customise.
# -------------------------------------------------------------------

# Example: install Go
RUN curl -fsSL https://go.dev/dl/go1.24.4.linux-amd64.tar.gz     | tar -C /usr/local -xz
ENV PATH="/usr/local/go/bin:${PATH}"
ENV GOPATH="/home/devbox/go"
ENV PATH="${GOPATH}/bin:${PATH}"

# Set the default user for terminal sessions.
USER devbox

Why Dockerfiles?

Using Dockerfiles for base images provides:

Familiarity: Use the same syntax you already know
Version control: Check your environment definition into git alongside your code
Flexibility: Install any software, configure any tools, customize any settings
Portability: Share consistent environments across your entire team

Building an Image

The argument to devbox image build is the build context directory. By default, it looks for a Dockerfile in that directory.

$devbox image build ./my-image --name=my-team/golang

--name is required. Use a descriptive name like my-team/golang or frontend/node20. The image is published to your workspace and available immediately.

Use -f to point to a Dockerfile in a different location. This is useful in a monorepo where the Dockerfile lives in a subdirectory but you need the full repo as context:

$devbox image build . --name=my-team/dev -f ./devbox/Dockerfile

The build context is sent to Namespace's remote builders. If your context contains files you don't need in the build, add a .dockerignore to keep the upload small.

Run devbox image build -h for additional options.

Optimization

After a build completes, Namespace converts the container image into an optimized disk format. This is what allows devboxes to boot in seconds rather than pulling and unpacking a container image on every start.

Optimization runs automatically and typically takes a few minutes. You can track its progress in the CLI output and in the Images dashboard.

You can create devboxes from an image while optimization is still in progress. The first boot will be slower until it finishes. To skip optimization and defer it to the first boot, pass --optimize=false.

Creating a Devbox from Your Image

Once your image is built, create devboxes from it.

Via the CLI:

$devbox create --image=my-team/golang

Or with a repository checkout and machine size:

$devbox create --image=my-team/golang --checkout=github.com/myorg/myrepo --size=m

Via the Dashboard:

Go to Devboxes and click Create devbox. Select your custom image from the image picker, choose a machine size, and optionally provide a repository to clone.

Managing Images

Listing Images

$devbox image list

Or visit the Images dashboard to browse all images in your workspace, view details, and check optimization status.

Updating an Image

Rebuild with the same --name to publish a new version. New devboxes will use the latest version; existing devboxes continue using the version they were created with.

$devbox image build ./my-image --name=my-team/golang

Expiring an Image

Expire an image to prevent new devboxes from using it:

$devbox image expire my-team/golang

Existing devboxes that were created from the image are not affected.

Next Steps

Remote Development → Connect to your devbox via SSH, VS Code, Cursor, Zed, or JetBrains.

Introduction → Get started with creating your first devbox.

Sessions → Persistent terminal sessions that survive disconnections.