---
description: |
  The `alicloud-ecs` Packer builder plugin provide the capability to build
  customized images based on an existing base images.
page_title: Alicloud Image Builder
sidebar_title: Alicloud ECS
---

# Alicloud Image Builder

Type: `alicloud-ecs`
Artifact BuilderId: `alibaba.alicloud`

The `alicloud-ecs` Packer builder plugin provide the capability to build
customized images based on an existing base images.

## Configuration Reference

The following configuration options are available for building Alicloud images.
In addition to the options listed here, a
[communicator](/docs/templates/legacy_json_templates/communicator) can be configured for this
builder.

### Required:

@include 'builder/alicloud/ecs/AlicloudAccessConfig-required.mdx'

@include 'builder/alicloud/ecs/RunConfig-required.mdx'

@include 'builder/alicloud/ecs/AlicloudImageConfig-required.mdx'

### Optional:

@include 'builder/alicloud/ecs/AlicloudAccessConfig-not-required.mdx'

@include 'builder/alicloud/ecs/AlicloudDiskDevices-not-required.mdx'

@include 'builder/alicloud/ecs/RunConfig-not-required.mdx'

@include 'builder/alicloud/ecs/AlicloudImageConfig-not-required.mdx'

@include 'packer-plugin-sdk/communicator/SSHTemporaryKeyPair-not-required.mdx'

@include 'packer-plugin-sdk/communicator/SSH-Key-Pair-Name-not-required.mdx'

@include 'packer-plugin-sdk/communicator/SSH-Private-Key-File-not-required.mdx'

@include 'packer-plugin-sdk/communicator/SSH-Agent-Auth-not-required.mdx'

# Disk Devices Configuration:

@include 'builder/alicloud/ecs/AlicloudDiskDevice-not-required.mdx'

## Basic Example

Here is a basic example for Alicloud.

<Tabs>
<Tab heading="JSON">

```json
{
  "variables": {
    "access_key": "{{env `ALICLOUD_ACCESS_KEY`}}",
    "secret_key": "{{env `ALICLOUD_SECRET_KEY`}}"
  },
  "builders": [
    {
      "type": "alicloud-ecs",
      "access_key": "{{user `access_key`}}",
      "secret_key": "{{user `secret_key`}}",
      "region": "cn-beijing",
      "image_name": "packer_test2",
      "source_image": "centos_7_04_64_20G_alibase_201701015.vhd",
      "ssh_username": "root",
      "instance_type": "ecs.n1.tiny",
      "io_optimized": "true",
      "internet_charge_type": "PayByTraffic",
      "image_force_delete": "true"
    }
  ],
  "provisioners": [
    {
      "type": "shell",
      "inline": ["sleep 30", "yum install redis.x86_64 -y"]
    }
  ]
}
```

</Tab>
<Tab heading="HCL2">

```hcl
variable "access_key" {
  type = string
}

variable "secret_key" {
  type = string
}

source "alicloud-ecs" "basic-example" {
      access_key = var.access_key
      secret_key = var.secret_key
      region = "cn-beijing"
      image_name = "packer_test2"
      source_image = "centos_7_04_64_20G_alibase_201701015.vhd"
      ssh_username = "root"
      instance_type = "ecs.n1.tiny"
      io_optimized = true
      internet_charge_type = "PayByTraffic"
      image_force_delete = true
}

build {
  sources = ["sources.alicloud-ecs.basic-example"]

  provisioner "shell" {
    inline = [
      "sleep 30", "yum install redis.x86_64 -y",
    ]
  }
}
```

</Tab>
</Tabs>

~> Note: Images can become deprecated after a while; run
`aliyun ecs DescribeImages` to find one that exists.

~> Note: Since WinRM is closed by default in the system image. If you are
planning to use Windows as the base image, you need enable it by userdata in
order to connect to the instance, check
[alicloud_windows.json](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/tree/master/builder/alicloud/examples/basic/alicloud_windows.json)
and
[winrm_enable_userdata.ps1](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/tree/master/builder/alicloud/examples/basic/winrm_enable_userdata.ps1)
for details.

See the
[examples/alicloud](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/tree/master/builder/alicloud/examples)
folder in the packer project for more examples.