zot

zot is an open-source, self-hosted OCI native container image and artifact registry. It implements the OCI Distribution Specification to manage the storage and distribution of container images and other artifacts that follow the OCI image format. The software provides a standardized way to store and retrieve container layers and manifests through a network API.

The application operates as a server that handles requests for image data and metadata. It is designed for deployment in environments requiring a vendor neutral registry to store containerized workloads. Users deploy zot as a backend service to facilitate the movement of images between build systems and runtime environments, such as Kubernetes clusters or other container orchestration platforms.

Key features

• Implementation of the OCI Distribution Specification
• Support for OCI image format storage
• Vendor neutral registry architecture
• Support for container image distribution
• Support for OCI artifact storage
• Production ready deployment model
• Compatibility with OCI compliant tools
• Standardized API for pushing and pulling images

The software focuses on strict adherence to Open Container Initiative standards to ensure interoperability across different container tools and ecosystems. By following the distribution specification on the wire, it ensures that images stored within the registry remain portable and accessible to any client that supports the OCI standard. The architecture is built to handle the specific requirements of container image storage, including the management of content addressable storage and manifest validation.

This registry is intended for system administrators and DevOps engineers who need to manage their own image infrastructure. It provides the necessary API infrastructure to support container orchestration and the lifecycle of OCI artifacts within a private or public network.

zot serves as a specialized piece of API infrastructure for teams managing containerized applications and OCI compliant artifacts.