---
description: |
  The proxmox image Packer builder is able to create new images for use with
  Proxmox VE. The builder takes a cloud-init enabled virtual machine
  template name, runs any provisioning necessary on the image after
  launching it, then creates a virtual machine template.
page_title: Proxmox Clone - Builders
---

# Proxmox Builder (from an image)

Type: `proxmox-clone`
Artifact BuilderId: `proxmox.clone`

The `proxmox-clone` Packer builder is able to create new images for use with
[Proxmox](https://www.proxmox.com/en/proxmox-ve). The builder takes a virtual
machine template, runs any provisioning necessary on the image after launching it,
then creates a virtual machine template. This template can then be used as to
create new virtual machines within Proxmox.

The builder does _not_ manage templates. Once it creates a template, it is up
to you to use it or delete it.

## Configuration Reference

There are many configuration options available for the builder. They are
segmented below into two categories: required and optional parameters. Within
each category, the available configuration keys are alphabetized.

In addition to the options listed here, a
[communicator](/docs/templates/legacy_json_templates/communicator) can be configured for this
builder.

If no communicator is defined, an SSH key is generated for use, and is used
in the image's Cloud-Init settings for provisioning.

### Required:

- `proxmox_url` (string) - URL to the Proxmox API, including the full path,
  so `https://<server>:<port>/api2/json` for example.
  Can also be set via the `PROXMOX_URL` environment variable.

- `username` (string) - Username when authenticating to Proxmox, including
  the realm. For example `user@pve` to use the local Proxmox realm.
  When used with `token`, it would look like this: `user@pve!token`
  Can also be set via the `PROXMOX_USERNAME` environment variable.

- `password` (string) - Password for the user.
  For API tokens please use `token`.
  Can also be set via the `PROXMOX_PASSWORD` environment variable.
  Either `password` or `token` must be specifed. If both are set,
  `token` takes precedence.

- `token` (string) - Token for authenticating API calls.
  This allows the API client to work with API tokens instead of user passwords.
  Can also be set via the `PROXMOX_TOKEN` environment variable.
  Either `password` or `token` must be specifed. If both are set,
  `token` takes precedence.

- `node` (string) - Which node in the Proxmox cluster to start the virtual
  machine on during creation.

- `clone_vm` (string) - The name of the VM packer should clone and build from.

### Optional:

- `insecure_skip_tls_verify` (bool) - Skip validating the certificate.

- `pool` (string) - Name of resource pool to create virtual machine in.

- `vm_name` (string) - Name of the virtual machine during creation. If not
  given, a random uuid will be used.

- `vm_id` (int) - The ID used to reference the virtual machine. This will
  also be the ID of the final template. If not given, the next free ID on
  the node will be used.

- `memory` (int) - How much memory, in megabytes, to give the virtual
  machine. Defaults to `512`.

- `cores` (int) - How many CPU cores to give the virtual machine. Defaults
  to `1`.

- `sockets` (int) - How many CPU sockets to give the virtual machine.
  Defaults to `1`

- `cpu_type` (string) - The CPU type to emulate. See the Proxmox API
  documentation for the complete list of accepted values. For best
  performance, set this to `host`. Defaults to `kvm64`.

- `os` (string) - The operating system. Can be `wxp`, `w2k`, `w2k3`, `w2k8`,
  `wvista`, `win7`, `win8`, `win10`, `l24` (Linux 2.4), `l26` (Linux 2.6+),
  `solaris` or `other`. Defaults to `other`.

- `vga` (object) - The graphics adapter to use. Example:

  ```json
  {
    "type": "vmware",
    "memory": 32
  }
  ```

  - `type` (string) - Can be `cirrus`, `none`, `qxl`,`qxl2`, `qxl3`,
    `qxl4`, `serial0`, `serial1`, `serial2`, `serial3`, `std`, `virtio`, `vmware`.
    Defaults to `std`.

  - `memory` (int) - How much memory to assign.

- `network_adapters` (array of objects) - Network adapters attached to the
  virtual machine. Example:

  ```json
  [
    {
      "model": "virtio",
      "bridge": "vmbr0",
      "vlan_tag": "10",
      "firewall": true
    }
  ]
  ```

  - `bridge` (string) - Required. Which Proxmox bridge to attach the
    adapter to.

  - `model` (string) - Model of the virtual network adapter. Can be
    `rtl8139`, `ne2k_pci`, `e1000`, `pcnet`, `virtio`, `ne2k_isa`,
    `i82551`, `i82557b`, `i82559er`, `vmxnet3`, `e1000-82540em`,
    `e1000-82544gc` or `e1000-82545em`. Defaults to `e1000`.

  - `mac_address` (string) - Give the adapter a specific MAC address. If
    not set, defaults to a random MAC.

  - `vlan_tag` (string) - If the adapter should tag packets. Defaults to
    no tagging.

  - `firewall` (bool) - If the interface should be protected by the firewall.
    Defaults to `false`.

  - `packet_queues` (int) - Number of packet queues to be used on the device.
    Values greater than 1 indicate that the multiqueue feature is activated.
    For best performance, set this to the number of cores available to the
    virtual machine. CPU load on the host and guest systems will increase as
    the traffic increases, so activate this option only when the VM has to
    handle a great number of incoming connections, such as when the VM is
    operating as a router, reverse proxy or a busy HTTP server. Requires
    `virtio` network adapter. Defaults to `0`.

- `disks` (array of objects) - Disks attached to the virtual machine.
  Example:

  ```json
  [
    {
      "type": "scsi",
      "disk_size": "5G",
      "storage_pool": "local-lvm",
      "storage_pool_type": "lvm"
    }
  ]
  ```

  - `storage_pool` (string) - Required. Name of the Proxmox storage pool
    to store the virtual machine disk on. A `local-lvm` pool is allocated
    by the installer, for example.

  - `storage_pool_type` (string) - Required. The type of the pool, can
    be `lvm`, `lvm-thin`, `zfspool`, `cephfs`, `rbd` or `directory`.

  - `type` (string) - The type of disk. Can be `scsi`, `sata`, `virtio` or
    `ide`. Defaults to `scsi`.

  - `disk_size` (string) - The size of the disk, including a unit suffix, such
    as `10G` to indicate 10 gigabytes.

  - `cache_mode` (string) - How to cache operations to the disk. Can be
    `none`, `writethrough`, `writeback`, `unsafe` or `directsync`.
    Defaults to `none`.

  - `format` (string) - The format of the file backing the disk. Can be
    `raw`, `cow`, `qcow`, `qed`, `qcow2`, `vmdk` or `cloop`. Defaults to
    `raw`.

- `template_name` (string) - Name of the template. Defaults to the generated
  name used during creation.

- `template_description` (string) - Description of the template, visible in
  the Proxmox interface.

- `onboot` (boolean) - Specifies whether a VM will be started during system
  bootup. Defaults to `false`.

- `disable_kvm` (boolean) - Disables KVM hardware virtualization. Defaults to `false`.

- `scsi_controller` (string) - The SCSI controller model to emulate. Can be `lsi`,
  `lsi53c810`, `virtio-scsi-pci`, `virtio-scsi-single`, `megasas`, or `pvscsi`.
  Defaults to `lsi`.

- `full_clone` (bool) - Whether to run a full or shallow clone from the base clone_vm. Defaults to `true`.

- `boot` - (string) - Override default boot order. Format example `order=virtio0;ide2;net0`.
  Prior to Proxmox 6.2-15 the format was `cdn` (c:CDROM -> d:Disk -> n:Network)

## Example: Cloud-Init enabled Debian

Here is a basic example creating a Debian 10 server image. This assumes
that there exists a Cloud-Init enabled image on the Proxmox server named
`debian-10-4`.

```json
{
  "variables": {
    "proxmox_url": "{{env `PROXMOX_URL`}}",
    "proxmox_username": "{{env `PROXMOX_USERNAME`}}",
    "proxmox_password": "{{env `PROXMOX_PASSWORD`}}"
  },

  "builders": [
    {
      "type": "proxmox-clone",
      "proxmox_url": "{{user `proxmox_url`}}",
      "username": "{{user `proxmox_username`}}",
      "password": "{{user `proxmox_password`}}",
      "node": "pve",
      "insecure_skip_tls_verify": true,
      "clone_vm": "debian-10-4",
      "template_name": "debian-scaffolding",
      "template_description": "image made from cloud-init image",

      "pool": "api-users",
      "os": "l26",
      "cores": 1,
      "sockets": 1,
      "memory": 2048,
      "network_adapters": [
        {
          "bridge": "vmbr0"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "description": "A template for building a base"
}
```
