# Official container images for ansible-builder for using in GitlabCI etc.?

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/official-container-images-for-ansible-builder-for-using-in-gitlabci-etc/41489>\
**Category:** Get Help\
**Tags:** awx, ansible-builder, ee\
**Created:** [April 3, 2025, 5:11am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/official-container-images-for-ansible-builder-for-using-in-gitlabci-etc/41489 "2025-04-03T05:11:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kastl-ars](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/kastl-ars/32/2315_2.png) [@kastl-ars](https://forum.ansible.com/u/kastl-ars)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2025, 5:11am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/official-container-images-for-ansible-builder-for-using-in-gitlabci-etc/41489/1 "2025-04-03T05:11:53Z")

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Dear ansible-builder maintainers and users,

I would like to build execution environments for AWX in my customer’s internal GitlabCI.

I got a working pipeline, the only step that is currently manual is the creation of the Containerfile by using ansible-builder. The reason for that is that according to the [quay.io](http://quay.io) repository it is deprecated as of 3.0:

> **[Quay](https://quay.io/repository/ansible/ansible-builder)**
>
> Quay is the best place to build, store, and distribute your containers. Public repositories are always free.

> ## This Repository is Deprecated
> 
> With the release of Ansible Builder 3.0 and its ability to create Ansible Execution Environments from many different “stock” container images, the `ansible-builder` container images are no longer necessary. The contents of this repository are deprecated and will no longer be maintained.

So, how do other people run ansible-builder in pipelines?

Could this decision be revisited so official images for ansible-builder are available?

Sure, the definition of the execution environment is not likely to change daily, but having a manual step is something that might lead to errors later.

Thanks in advance!

Kind Regards,  
Johannes

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**Author:** ![iwt-cmd](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/iwt-cmd/32/9120_2.png) [@iwt-cmd](https://forum.ansible.com/u/iwt-cmd)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2025, 1:40pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/official-container-images-for-ansible-builder-for-using-in-gitlabci-etc/41489/2 "2025-04-03T13:40:13Z")

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Hey @kastl-ars

We have a pipeline using AAP to build and push new EE images. Our builder EE was created from the podman image ( [containers/podman · Quay](https://quay.io/repository/containers/podman?tab=tags&tag=latest)) with ansible-core, ansible-runner and ansible-builder installed. Ironically, we use ansible-builder locally in WSL to create this container then push to Automation Hub (AAP 2.5). This is used with rootless podman to build and push new EE’s with some custom config files that live in the same repo as the EE files.

You should be able to use a different base container if you don’t need all the podman stuff for your pipeline.

I’m also curious how others are doing the EE build automation. Our process works but I feel it’s probably a bit complicated.

Best regards,

Joe

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**Author:** ![kastl-ars](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/kastl-ars/32/2315_2.png) [@kastl-ars](https://forum.ansible.com/u/kastl-ars)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2025, 1:56pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/official-container-images-for-ansible-builder-for-using-in-gitlabci-etc/41489/3 "2025-04-03T13:56:00Z")

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For now, to not be blocked, I also built my own ansible-builder image:

> **[GitHub - kastl-ars/container\_image\_ansible\_builder: Container image containing ansible-builder (based...](https://github.com/kastl-ars/container_image_ansible_builder)**
>
> Container image containing ansible-builder (based on openSUSE Tumbleweed)

Has a shell and works in GitlabCI:

```auto
########################################################
ansible-builder_create:
  stage: create_configuration
  image:
    
    name: ghcr.io/kastl-ars/container_image_ansible_builder:main
    entrypoint: [""]
  tags:
    - linux
  script:
    - ansible-builder create -f my-ee.yml
  artifacts:
    paths:
      - context/

```

After that is another job running Kaniko to build the container image from the Dockerfile created in this step (and “saved” by the artifact section).

Kind Regards,  
Johannes

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**Author:** ![shrews](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/shrews/32/10142_2.png) [@shrews](https://forum.ansible.com/u/shrews)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2025, 6:51pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/official-container-images-for-ansible-builder-for-using-in-gitlabci-etc/41489/4 "2025-04-03T18:51:52Z")

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The builder image on quay was from a time when builder, strangely enough, depended on itself. That’s no longer necessary as of version 3.0, so that repo will not be coming back.

If you want an image that contains builder, I’d look at using the [dev-tools container](https://ansible.readthedocs.io/projects/dev-tools/container/), which should have builder and podman installed.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kastl-ars](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/kastl-ars/32/2315_2.png) [@kastl-ars](https://forum.ansible.com/u/kastl-ars)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 5:45am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/official-container-images-for-ansible-builder-for-using-in-gitlabci-etc/41489/5 "2025-04-04T05:45:23Z")

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Thanks @shrews, I’ll take a look.