> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.basaltic.sh/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Import an image from an object URL

> Registers an image for import from a presigned object URL — no image
bytes flow through this API. Upload your disk to any bucket you control
(our object store, AWS S3, MinIO, …) using a robust multipart S3 client,
then pass a presigned GET URL as `source_url`.

The import runs in the background: the response is 202 with
status=importing, and a worker fetches the URL, converts it to the raw
base (qcow2 / raw / vmdk / vhd / vhdx / vdi are accepted), and imports it
into Ceph. The row flips to active (or error, with import_error set) once
it finishes — poll GET /v1/images/{image_id} for the status.

A name behaves like a movable tag: by default the new image becomes the
"current" version for its (name, architecture), so future launches of
that name boot the new bits. Older versions stay bootable by id and by
`name:version`. Pass `current: false` to stage a version without
switching, then promote it later with PATCH /v1/images/{image_id}
(current=true).

`version` identifies the build within the name and must be unique there;
omit it and the server stamps a UTC timestamp. Publishing twice under one
name with the same version is a 409, not a second anonymous build.




## OpenAPI

````yaml /api-reference/specs/compute.yaml post /v1/images
openapi: 3.0.3
info:
  title: Basaltic Compute API
  version: 1.0.0
  description: |
    Virtual machine instances, and the images, flavors, SSH keypairs and
    instance pools they are built from. Covers the whole instance lifecycle:
    start, stop, reboot, resize and reinstall.
  contact:
    name: Basaltic Support
    email: ping@basaltic.sh
  license:
    name: Proprietary
    url: https://basaltic.sh/terms
servers:
  - url: https://compute.{region}.basaltic.sh
    description: Regional API endpoint
    variables:
      region:
        default: sa-saopaulo-1
        description: Region code
security:
  - SignatureAuth: []
paths:
  /v1/images:
    post:
      tags:
        - Images
      summary: Import an image from an object URL
      description: >
        Registers an image for import from a presigned object URL — no image

        bytes flow through this API. Upload your disk to any bucket you control

        (our object store, AWS S3, MinIO, …) using a robust multipart S3 client,

        then pass a presigned GET URL as `source_url`.


        The import runs in the background: the response is 202 with

        status=importing, and a worker fetches the URL, converts it to the raw

        base (qcow2 / raw / vmdk / vhd / vhdx / vdi are accepted), and imports
        it

        into Ceph. The row flips to active (or error, with import_error set)
        once

        it finishes — poll GET /v1/images/{image_id} for the status.


        A name behaves like a movable tag: by default the new image becomes the

        "current" version for its (name, architecture), so future launches of

        that name boot the new bits. Older versions stay bootable by id and by

        `name:version`. Pass `current: false` to stage a version without

        switching, then promote it later with PATCH /v1/images/{image_id}

        (current=true).


        `version` identifies the build within the name and must be unique there;

        omit it and the server stamps a UTC timestamp. Publishing twice under
        one

        name with the same version is a 409, not a second anonymous build.
      operationId: createImage
      parameters:
        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/IdempotencyKey'
      requestBody:
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/ImageCreateRequest'
      responses:
        '202':
          description: Image registered for import
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ImageResponse'
        '400':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/BadRequest'
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
        '403':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Forbidden'
        '409':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Conflict'
        '422':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/UnprocessableEntity'
      security:
        - SignatureAuth: []
components:
  parameters:
    IdempotencyKey:
      name: Idempotency-Key
      in: header
      description: >-
        Optional client-generated key that makes a create replay-safe. Retrying
        a request with the same key returns the original outcome verbatim
        instead of creating a duplicate resource. Reusing a key with a different
        request body is rejected (422); a request whose key is still being
        processed returns 409. Records are honored for 24 hours. Use a UUID or
        similarly unique token.
      required: false
      schema:
        type: string
        maxLength: 255
      example: 550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000
  schemas:
    ImageCreateRequest:
      type: object
      required:
        - name
        - format
        - source_url
      properties:
        name:
          type: string
          description: |
            Movable tag name (e.g. debian-13); the new image becomes its
            current version. Names are shared across a tag's builds — what
            identifies one build is `version`.
          example: debian-13
        format:
          type: string
          enum:
            - qcow2
            - raw
            - vmdk
            - vhd
            - vhdx
            - vdi
          description: >-
            Source disk format at source_url; converted to the raw base on
            import.
          example: qcow2
        source_url:
          type: string
          description: >
            Presigned https GET URL to the disk in an object store you control.
            Fetched once by the import worker (which rejects private/link-local
            targets). Not retained after import.
          example: https://bucket.s3.example.com/debian-13.qcow2?X-Amz-Signature=...
        description:
          type: string
          example: Debian 13 (Trixie)
        visibility:
          type: string
          enum:
            - public
            - private
          default: private
          example: private
        os:
          type: string
          example: debian
        os_version:
          type: string
          example: '13'
        architecture:
          type: string
          default: amd64
          example: amd64
        version:
          type: string
          description: |
            Identifies this build within `name`, and must be unique there —
            re-publishing a version that a tag already carries is a 409. Omit
            it and the server stamps a UTC timestamp, so every build is
            addressable as `name:version` whether or not you labelled it.
          example: '20260807'
        current:
          type: boolean
          default: true
          description: >-
            Make this the current version for its (name, architecture) once
            active.
          example: true
        eol_date:
          type: string
          format: date
          description: |
            The day this release stops receiving free security updates. Omit it
            and the image inherits the date the name's current version carries,
            so re-publishing a tag can't quietly stop tracking its release.
          example: '2026-08-31'
        min_disk_gb:
          type: integer
          minimum: 0
          maximum: 16384
          example: 10
        min_ram_mb:
          type: integer
          minimum: 0
          example: 1024
        tags:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Tags'
        attributes:
          type: object
          additionalProperties:
            type: string
    ImageResponse:
      type: object
      properties:
        image:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/images_Image'
      required:
        - image
    Tags:
      type: object
      additionalProperties:
        type: string
      example:
        environment: production
        team: backend
    images_Image:
      type: object
      properties:
        id:
          type: string
          format: uuid
          example: 550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000
        crn:
          type: string
          example: >-
            crn:compute:sa-saopaulo-1:my-account:image/550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000
        region_id:
          type: string
          description: >-
            Region the catalog row is served from. Stamped by the service; the
            row itself doesn't carry one.
          example: sa-saopaulo-1
        name:
          type: string
          example: ubuntu-24.04
        description:
          type: string
          example: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat)
        visibility:
          type: string
          enum:
            - public
            - private
          example: public
        os:
          type: string
          example: ubuntu
        os_version:
          type: string
          example: '24.04'
        architecture:
          type: string
          example: amd64
        format:
          type: string
          enum:
            - qcow2
            - raw
            - vmdk
            - vhd
            - vhdx
            - vdi
          example: qcow2
        version:
          type: string
          description: |
            The build's identity within its name. Unique there: a name is a
            movable tag, so it can't also be what tells two builds apart.
            Stamped as a UTC timestamp when the uploader didn't choose one.
          example: '20260807'
        is_current:
          type: boolean
          description: |
            Whether this is the version resolve-by-name returns for its
            (name, architecture) — i.e. the name's current tag target.
          example: true
        eol_date:
          type: string
          format: date
          description: |
            The day this image's OS release stops receiving free security
            updates for a default install. Absent when nobody has recorded
            one — which means unknown, not "supported indefinitely".

            Platform images are withdrawn from the catalog a grace period
            after this date. They stay bootable by id until then, and the
            date is published well ahead of it so you can plan the move.
          example: '2026-08-31'
        size_bytes:
          type: integer
          format: int64
          example: 2361393152
        min_disk_gb:
          type: integer
          minimum: 0
          maximum: 16384
          example: 10
        min_ram_mb:
          type: integer
          minimum: 0
          example: 1024
        status:
          type: string
          enum:
            - pending
            - importing
            - active
            - error
            - hidden
          example: active
        import_error:
          type: string
          description: >
            For a qcow2 upload that failed conversion (status=error), the
            reason. Absent otherwise.
          example: 'qemu-img: Could not open ''rbd:...'': Image not in qcow2 format'
        tags:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Tags'
        attributes:
          type: object
          additionalProperties:
            type: string
        created_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          example: '2026-01-15T09:30:00Z'
        updated_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          example: '2026-01-15T09:30:00Z'
      required:
        - id
        - crn
        - region_id
        - name
        - version
        - visibility
        - architecture
        - format
        - status
        - created_at
        - updated_at
    Error:
      type: object
      required:
        - error
      properties:
        error:
          type: object
          required:
            - code
            - message
            - request_id
          properties:
            code:
              type: string
              description: Error code identifying the type of error
              example: INVALID_INPUT
            message:
              type: string
              description: Human-readable error message
              example: Invalid request parameters
            request_id:
              type: string
              format: uuid
              description: Request ID for debugging
              example: 550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000
  responses:
    BadRequest:
      description: Invalid request parameters
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: INVALID_INPUT
              message: Invalid request parameters
              request_id: 550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000
    Unauthorized:
      description: Authentication required or token invalid
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: UNAUTHORIZED
              message: Authentication required
              request_id: 550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000
    Forbidden:
      description: Insufficient permissions
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: ACCESS_DENIED
              message: You don't have permission to perform this action
              request_id: 550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000
    Conflict:
      description: Resource conflict (e.g., already exists, invalid state)
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: CONFLICT
              message: Resource with this name already exists
              request_id: 550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000
    UnprocessableEntity:
      description: |
        The request is well-formed but cannot be processed as sent. On the
        operations that accept `Idempotency-Key` this is the key-reuse case: the
        key was first seen with a different request payload, so replaying the
        stored outcome would answer a question the caller did not ask.
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: IDEMPOTENCY_KEY_REUSED
              message: >-
                This Idempotency-Key was already used with a different request
                payload
              request_id: 550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000
  securitySchemes:
    SignatureAuth:
      type: apiKey
      in: header
      name: Authorization
      description: >
        Request signing with an access key issued to a service account. An

        HMAC-SHA256 over a canonical form of the request, close to AWS SigV4.

        The `basaltic` CLI signs for you.


        Send `Authorization`, `X-Date` (UTC, `YYYYMMDDTHHMMSSZ`) and `X-Nonce`

        (random per request); add `X-Content-Sha256` to bind a body, and

        `X-Amz-Security-Token` when using temporary credentials.


        ```

        Authorization: BASALTIC-HMAC-SHA256
        Credential=<access_key_id>/<date>/<region>/basaltic/basaltic_request,
        SignedHeaders=host;x-date;x-nonce, Signature=<hex>

        ```


        `<region>` is the region code you are calling, or `global` for the
        global

        services. A signature is valid for 5 minutes from `X-Date`, and mutating

        requests are replay-guarded on the nonce.


        **Full signing procedure, including a working implementation:**

        https://docs.basaltic.sh/authentication


        ## Rate limits

        There is no global request budget. A limit applies only where an

        operation documents a `429`, and that operation says what it counts.

        Those responses carry `X-RateLimit-Limit`, `X-RateLimit-Remaining`,

        `X-RateLimit-Reset` and, on a `429`, `Retry-After` — read them rather

        than hard-coding a number. Retrying before `Retry-After` is refused and

        extends the window. Everything else is bounded by quota, not by request

        rate.

````