Learn PACKER with Real Code Examples
Updated Nov 27, 2025
Practical Examples
Build an AWS AMI with pre-installed Nginx
Create a Docker image for application deployment
Build a GCP image with monitoring agents
Automate VM image builds for CI/CD pipelines
Produce immutable images for hybrid cloud environments
Troubleshooting
Validate templates with `packer validate`
Inspect detailed logs with `PACKER_LOG=1 packer build`
Check builder authentication credentials
Ensure provisioner scripts execute correctly
Debug artifacts using VM or container runtime
Testing Guide
Validate templates syntax with `packer validate`
Test provisioners independently
Use temporary builds to test artifact output
Verify image on target platform before production
Automate testing in CI/CD pipelines
Deployment Options
Manual local builds with Packer CLI
Automated builds in CI/CD pipelines
Cloud-init integration for VM images
Docker image builds for containerized apps
Multi-platform, multi-cloud artifact publishing
Tools Ecosystem
Packer CLI
HashiCorp Vault for secret management
Terraform for infrastructure deployment
Provisioners: Ansible, Chef, Puppet, Shell
Post-processors for artifact handling
Integrations
AWS, Azure, GCP, VMware, Docker
CI/CD pipelines: Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI
Configuration management: Ansible, Chef, Puppet
Monitoring and compliance pipelines
Immutable infrastructure automation
Productivity Tips
Reuse provisioner scripts across templates
Parameterize templates with variables
Cache base images
Automate builds via CI/CD
Use HCL2 templates for clarity and modularity
Challenges
Debugging failed builds
Handling multi-platform differences
Complex provisioning scripts
Managing secrets securely
Ensuring repeatable artifact builds